Homemade chicken bone broth using an electric pressure cooking like the Instant Pot is an easy recipe with many health benefits and tastes great. Using a pressure cooker saves a lot of time when making bone broth. Instead of hours simmering on the stove, I throw it all into the Instant Pot and in less than 2 hours it is ready. This is the best way to make chicken bone broth.
Making bone broth at home is something I have been doing for years. It is wonderful for healing my gut when I am not feeling well. This simple Instant Pot chicken bone broth is ideal for keto, paleo, low-carb, gluten-free, and diabetic diets. My kids also like soups, so making the bone broth from scratch with leftovers helps me control what I am feeding the kids and what is coming out of my wallet.
Bone broth seems to be the trendy way to say what our parents and grandparents have been calling for years, stock. So whether you call it, bone broth or stock, I highly suggest starting to make this from scratch in your own kitchen.
This Instant Pot electric pressure cooker method works with other bones as well; such as a leftover ham bone, turkey carcass, lamb, oxtail, or beef bones. All of these will make a great stock. For today, we will go step-by-step through how to use a chicken carcass to make a wonderful savory homemade bone broth/stock.
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Easy to Store & Take To-Go
I like to make a large batch at a time so it can be used for a long time. I store it in mason jars in my refrigerator if I did not use most of it for a big batch of chicken tortilla or pastina. This winter has brought a lot of rain to California so sipping this at work has been great.
Not only is this a budget-friendly way to enjoy bone broth, but it is to take on the go. Fill up your favorite coffee travel mug or thermos. Then you can sip or enjoy it whenever and wherever you want - camping, at work, in the car, etc.
Health Benefits of Bone Broth
- Bone marrow is rich in nutrients like iron, fatty acids, vitamins A & K, selenium, zinc, and magnesium
- Collagen benefits joints and helps fight osteoarthritis
- Amino acids help heal the gut and inflammation
- Supports weight loss by helping you feel full
- A staple for anyone on a paleo, keto, gluten-free, grain-free, diabetic, or Whole30 diet
Ingredients for Chicken Bone Broth
The list of ingredients to make homemade stock or bone broth can vary. I like to say, use what you love. Pick the herbs, spices, and vegetables that you enjoy so that your bone broth is infused with rich savory flavors that you love.
I always save my Costco rotisserie chicken to make bone broth. I just made my Keto Chicken Enchiladas and saved the carcass to make this broth. It is the prefect way to utilize every bit of the bird for nourishment. Besides the chicken bones or carcasses, here is what I use to make bone broth in my Instant Pot.
- Carrots
- Celery
- Whole Garlic Cloves, including skins
- Onion, including skins
- Lemon Juice/Apple Cider Vinegar
- Salt
- Pepper
- Bay Leaf
- Fresh or Dried Herbs - parsley, chives, etc
Making Instant Pot Bone Broth
Using a pressure cooker is the ultimate easy time-saving method for making homemade bone broth. I used to do it low and slow in my crockpot until I got the fabulous instant pot. Admittedly I was both intimidated and scared about using any sort of pressure cooker. Fear of opening it incorrectly or not timing things right held me back. When a friend kept telling me about the instant pot and was shocked I did not have one, the peer pressure won over the fear of pressure cooking in the end.
I am kicking myself now for taking so long to bring one of these into my home. Besides using it to make artichokes and baked potatoes quickly, the main thing I use it for is bone broth. During the winter months, the instant pot converts a lot of leftover Costco rotisserie chicken carcasses into soups.
Prepare the Carcass
Reserve most of the meat off the chicken bones as you can and set aside. That is if there is any. Sometimes in my house, the hungry family has left me with just about nothing worth scraping off. When there is some leftover, I save it to add back to the broth if I am making soup or I use it for other recipes like enchiladas or chicken salad.
Release the Marrow by Breaking the chicken bones!
ALWAYS take the time to break the bigger bones up so more of the bone marrow is released. It allows for the collagen to be dissolved easier. After all, the whole point of making bone broth is for the silky mouthfeel that collagen gives. The benefits of collagen also are more concentrated in the bone broth when you do this.
Vegetables & Herbs Bring Depth of Flavor
You cannot make this recipe wrong in any way. It really is forgiving and can be made with scraps from vegetables, herbs, and ingredients that you and your family enjoy. Here are additional ideas to add to your broth-making:
- Mushrooms, leftover stems
- Bell Peppers
- Parsnips
- Rutabagas
- Peppercorns
- Other herbs - rosemary, cilantro, etc.
What does your family prefer? What have you tried?
How Long to Pressure Cook Chicken Bones
In the Instant Pot, you will have bone broth faster than any other method.
- Press the manual button and set the instant pot to 60 on high. It will take about 15-20 min for it to come to pressure.
- Once cooking time is done, let it release pressure naturally for about 15 min. Release the remaining pressure if needed. When releasing the vent valve, be careful – steam will be HOT!
In less than 2 hours including prep, coming to pressure, cook time, and pressure release.
Once the broth is done cooking and has cooled a bit, it is time to strain it. Pour it through a fine-mesh colander or strainer. This is so you can remove any bones or unwanted ingredients, like garlic skins, etc.
Storing Bone Broth
Cooled bone broth can be stored in air-tight jars or containers in your refrigerator for up to a week. Reheat to use in soups, recipes, or to sip. The stovetop or microwave is a good way to reheat the bone broth.
It also freezes well. Place in an air-tight container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. I like to freeze some in an ice cube tray. Then place frozen bone broth cubes into a freezer Ziploc bag. When I want just a few I pop them out of the freezer and defrost them overnight in the refrigerator.
What to Make with Bone Broth
Once you have all this homemade chicken bone broth, you have unlimited ways to use it. Here are some of my favorite things to cook with or do with any leftovers. Check out these recipe ideas to enjoy using your chicken stock:
- Bone Broth Risotto
- Use in your Cauliflower Rice
- Soups, of course!
FAQ
If you have a fine mesh sieve or colander, you can strain your bone broth through that. A cheesecloth will work too but I find it a bit messy. This will ensure that you get all the small bone fragments out of your broth before enjoying it. So yes, straining it is best and a step you should not skip for safety reasons.
This bone broth recipe will work for any kind of bone broth. Keep in mind that larger bones that are thicker than chicken bones will take longer. For a big ham bone or large beef bones, set the Instant Pot for 90 minutes. For a turkey carcass after making your Thanksgiving turkey recipe set the Instant Pot for 75 minutes.
Since this recipe calls for chicken carcass after it has been cooked, rotisserie chicken, the bones are already cooked. There is no need to roast the bones before making the bone broth.
This recipe uses a carcass left over from an oven-roasted or rotisserie chicken. But any bones can be used. If the bones are from a meal with batter or strong flavors like fried chicken, teriyaki, bbq, lemon, etc - keep in mind that will transfer those flavors to the bone broth.
I do not recommend using any bones or chicken pieces with added flavors or sauces. If you have picked the bones cleaned and removed any of those flavors, you can try making bone broth with them.
Pressuring cooking will really transform those bones. It is exactly what brings all the nutrients out of the bones and marrow that you want. That process will soften the bones and in some cases, they will appear like rubber.
You cannot overcook the bone broth. Make sure you have the right amount of liquid in your Instant Pot so there is no overheating or burn notice.
The acid helps in the breaking down of the bones while it cooks. It aids in the proteins and connective tissues as they cook and break down. The acid gives you the golden gelatinous rich broth that is so nourishing and healthy.
This recipe is for a fast u0026 easy way to make chicken bone broth in the Instant Pot. In under 2 hours the broth is done and ready to enjoy. The same ingredients can be used in a slow cooker. However, it will take 10+ hours for that slow cooking process to work.
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How to Make Instant Pot Bone Broth
Equipment
- electric pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 2 - 2 & ½ LB chicken carcass meat removed & larger bones cut to expose the marrow
- 2 carrots cut in large chunks
- 2 celery stalks or 4 celery tops
- 2 garlic cloves skins can be left on
- 2 TB lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- assorted fresh herbs
Instructions
- To the insert in your instant pot, place carrots, celery, and onion to the bottom. Top with the prepared chicken bones. Add remaining ingredients.
- Add enough water to almost cover the top of the chicken bones, about 8 cups in my 8-quart instant pot. This will fit in a 6-quart instant pot also.
- Place lid on the instant pot and turn to lock in place. Make sure the vent valve is set to the “sealing” position.
- Press the manual button and set the instant pot to 60 on high. It will take about 15-20 min for it to come to pressure.
- Once cooking time is done, let it release pressure naturally for about 15 min. Release the remaining pressure if needed. When releasing the vent valve, be careful – steam will be HOT!
- Allow bone broth to cool before straining. Use a fine-meshed colander or cheesecloth to strain.
- Store in mason jars or other airtight containers.
- As it cools a layer of fat will accumulate on the top and will gelatinize from the marrow. This is your liquid gold and why bone broth is so fabulous. I highly recommend you DO NOT skim the fat. That is your flavor and what will satisfy you.
- Enjoy sipping it as is or use in soups or other recipes that call for bone broth or chicken stock.
Morgan says
I’ve heard bone broth is so good for you but haven’t tried making it yet. Thank you for providing easy to understand instructions on how to make your own!
Angela says
You are welcome. The benefits are many, please try it and yes it is easy!
Angela Greven | Mean Green Chef says
Bone broth is the bomb and using the IP cuts the time so drastically! It's one of our favorites and your recipe is spot on, thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
Angela says
Thank you
Beth says
Nice to have a partner in bone-broth-making, which I started while on the GAPS diet some time ago. I haven't been in the habit of cracking the bones, though, will add that to my list. Thanks!
Angela says
Yes, get all that goodness out of those bones!
Erika says
Thanks for showing us how to make this. I love how simple it is.
Tamara J. says
This is a great tip to help make weeknight meals quicker and just as tasty. Thanks for sharing the tip.
Lori Dorrington says
This is my first visit to your blog; great posts. I will visit again! Cheers!
Lori in Blue Ridge, GA
Angela says
Great, thanks for dropping a comment. Hope you find a lot more to like and visit often.
Emma says
Tried this a few weeks ago and it was so good. Just had the last bit today for a stir fry recipe. I froze some in ice cube trays and it worked great for when I needed just a little bit.