So last November, Black Friday to be more specific, I bought myself a little present. I impulse bought an Instant Pot, at a hefty 35% discount, I might add. I’ve been experimenting with the Instant Pot for a few months and the other day I made my first Instant Pot Chicken Stock. OMG. You guys. This is the best chicken stock I’ve ever made. The extra pressure during cooking really pulls out so much more flavor and collagen to make an ultra rich broth.
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What is an Instant Pot?
Instant Pots are a 7-in-1 magical cooking device (or a pressure cooker) that also does a bunch of other cool stuff. These all-in-one devices have been taking the cooking world by storm for the past five years. I had already been on the market to buy a pressure cooker and the wide array of other features this one offered sold me instantly (no pun intended).
I bought an Instant Pot primarily to make cooking dry beans and “slow cooked” meat faster, and didn’t really intend to post about it much on Budget Bytes. You see, I don’t want to give anyone the false impression that you need fancy, expensive equipment to make good food, because you absolutely DO NOT. This machine is just fun and makes life a little faster and easier. For everything else, I still prefer to cook on the stove top or just take the long route with a slow cooker.
What is the Difference Between Chicken Stock and Chicken Broth?
Both chicken stock and chicken broth are made by simmering chicken parts in water with other flavorful ingredients. Chicken stock tends to be richer, which comes from cooking the broth with more bones and connective tissues (sometimes called “bone broth”). Since the bones and connective tissue have a lot more collagen than chicken broth, chicken stock will sometimes be a gel when chilled instead of liquid. They can usually be used interchangeably in recipes, but chicken stock will give you a lot more flavor.
Can I Make Chicken Broth Without An Instant Pot?
You can absolutely make chicken stock or broth on the stove top or in a regular (and inexpensive) slow cooker. I’ve made tutorials for both in the past: How to Make Chicken Broth (stove top) and How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Broth. With both of those methods, just keep in mind that the longer the cook, the better.
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken carcass
- 1 yellow onion
- 1-2 carrots
- 1-2 stalks celery
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- Freshly cracked pepper or whole peppercorns
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 8 cups water
- 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot on to Sauté mode. Add the chicken carcass pieces and sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until browned and pieces begin to stick to the bottom of the pot. Press the cancel button to turn off the heat.
- Cut the ends off the onion, then cut it in half or into quarters. Remove any of the papery skin if it has dirt on it, otherwise leave the skin on. Scrub the carrots and celery. Cut them in half so they fit easily within the pot. Peel the garlic cloves and add them to the pot with the bay leaves, some freshly cracked pepper (or 10-15 whole peppercorns, if available), and a splash of apple cider vinegar.
- Pour 8 cups of cool water over the contents of the pot (do not fill more than 2/3 to the top). Lock the lid into place, close the steam release valve, and press the “manual” button. The display will show 30, indicating the default time set for that mode. We want it to cook for 30 minutes, so no need to adjust the time. After 10 seconds the display will turn to “ON” indicating that it is heating and pressure is building (this takes about 10-15 minutes).
- Once the pot has reached high pressure, the display will begin to count down 30 minutes. When 30 minutes is up, it will beep and switch to “keep warm” mode. Press the cancel button and allow the pressure in the pot to reduce naturally (this takes about 15 minutes). You’ll know the pressure is at a safe level and it’s okay to open the pot when the silver float valve on the lid has fallen down and is no longer elevated. Open the steam release valve, then carefully open the lid.
- Place a fine wire mesh strainer over a large bowl, then ladle the stock into the bowl through the strainer to catch any pieces. When the level gets too low to ladle, remove the large pieces and carefully pour the remaining liquid through the strainer. Taste the stock and add salt if desired.
- Place the stock in an air-tight container and refrigerate until completely cool. Keep the stock refrigerated and use within three days, or freeze for longer storage.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Notes
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Chicken Stock in an Instant Pot – Step by Step Photos
We’ve bought a few rotisserie chickens lately and instead of tossing the carcass, we put the WHOLE thing into a freezer bag and “tossed” it into the freezer. This one had a few pieces of chicken still left that we didn’t get around to eating. I think using a rotisserie chicken added extra flavor because everything had already been slow roasted.
Press the “Sauté” button, which will heat the bottom of the pot like a hot plate. Add the chicken pieces and sauté for a few minutes, or until they begin to brown and stick to the bottom of the pot.
See how it’s browned and stuck to the bottom? Those browned bits will add a LOT of flavor to the broth. Now press the “cancel” button to turn off the heat.
I haven’t had many vegetable scraps lately, so I bought a carrot and some celery fresh, but you can save your vegetable scraps in a freezer bag the same way we saved our chicken carcass, and then use them for the stock (just make sure to clean them REALLY well). Because I didn’t have any scraps this time around, I used one big carrot, two stalks of celery, one yellow onion (with peel but dirty ends cut off) and two cloves of garlic. I also added two bay leaves, a splash (about 1 tsp) of apple cider vinegar, and some freshly cracked pepper. I thought I had whole peppercorns in my pantry, but I was wrong, but a little cracked pepper did the job just fine.
Add 8 cups water, or enough to cover the chicken by a couple of inches, but do NOT fill the pot more than 2/3 full.
Lock the lid into place and close the steam valve. Press the “Manual” button, which is just the basic pressure cooker function. The display will show 30 minutes, which is the default time set for that mode. We want 30 minutes, so no need to press + or – to adjust the time. After 10 seconds, the display will switch to “On” and it will begin to heat. Once it reaches the proper heat and pressure (after about 10-15 minutes), the display will begin to count down 30 minutes.
After cooking at high pressure for 30 minutes, it will beep and switch to “Keep Warm” mode. Press the cancel button and allow the pressure to come down naturally (this takes about 15 minutes). You’ll know the pressure is at a safe level when the silver float valve on top has fallen back down and is no longer elevated. Open the steam valve first, then open the lid. This is what you’ll see. :) And oh my, does it ever smell amazing!
To separate the liquid gold from the debris, just place a fine wire mesh sieve over a large bowl and ladle the stock through the sieve. For extra filtering, you can use cheese cloth, but I found that the mesh sieve worked fine. When you get down towards the bottom of the pot, just remove the large pieces and carefully pour the rest through the sieve.
Taste the stock and add salt if you prefer. I added about 1/2 tsp. Refrigerate the stock and use within three days, or freeze for longer storage. I filled two containers like this before placing it in the refrigerator to cool. Separating it into smaller containers helps it cool faster.
I’m not kidding when I say that this stock was so good that I wanted to just drink it like a beverage. And I might just do that next time because apparently it’s really good for you. I ended up using it to make more Matzo Ball Soup yesterday, but it would also be really good for making chicken pho or ramen. This Instant Pot Chicken Stock was super thick and flavorful, and gelled up nicely when cooled. That’s how you know you got all the good stuff out of the bones! :D
Is it silly that I think it’s beautiful??
Thanks for this recipe. With the high price of all groceries, I use the carcass of the rotisserie chicken to make chicken stock for future casseroles! I put in a carrot, an onion, a tsp of poultry seasoning, and about 8 cps of water. Then I put the ‘picked’ carcass in my wire colander and place in pot. Pressure cook for about 30 min. Cool when done, pull out wire basket, throw out contents, leaving good stock in the pot!! Put any unused in the freezer.
Can I throw in the gelatinous drippings?
I have about 8 oz left along with the bones .
Yes you want to keep that!
I’ve made this about a dozen times. The first time I made it, I thought the broth wasn’t rich enough for me so I added one 900ml box of low sodium chicken broth in place of some of the water. I absolutely love this! I understand why you might want to drink it! It is sooo good!
I made your recipe for the first time. Previously, I had been using just a rotisserie chicken carcass and some herbs — this was much more flavorful than your recipe using vegetables. I will also delete the apple cider vinegar. The taste of this broth was rather muddied from all the competing flavors, and I prefer the richer clarity resulting from just using the chicken carcass.
I think your recipe might be a good one for basic soup stock (add other veggies/meats, perhaps wine, etc) or sauce, and it was certainly easy to make, but it’s not a taste I prefer.
I can’t wait to try this in my soup I’m making tomorrow!
I am in the process of making this recipe and was wondering what I would do with my vegetables after it is done?
Thanks in advance!
Lovely
Thank you for your recipe. Didn’t make it 100% the way written because we didn’t have all the ingredients, but your directions were perfect. The flavor and clarity of the stock was far superior to store bought. We’ve been having a lot of roast chicken with we cook using the spatchcocking method and then use the wings and spine for the stock while the chicken cooks. Thank you for posting.
Making this in my Foodi as I type. Came across your receipt My first time making in the instant pot. Plopped my frozen rotisserie chicken in, My bag of frozen veggie scraps. (onion, celery, carrots) Some pepper corns and couple cloves of large garlic cloves. 8 cups of water. Pressure cooking for 40 min, Will strain and debone the chicken. Making a Chicken and onion soup.
Great recipe!
If you really want a crystal clear brother, use a protein clarifying raft.
I use Egg Whites and egg shells. Stir the crushed egg shells into the egg whites (I use about 1/2 a cup (from the egg whites carton!) Pour it into the cool stock and gradually drizzle into the broth. On a medium burner, gradually bring the broth up to a good simmer. Stirring the broth in a circular motion. You’ll see that albumin starting to denature. As it does this, it will adsorb the fine particulates that make the broth cloudy. After 1/2hr or so, let it cool, straining through multiple layers of cheese cloth. The broth will be crystal clear! Enjoy – Doug
This is great stuff! Love the idea of sauteing the chicken first. It adds so much flavor! I did it for even longer, added a drop of oil, and threw in 5 cloves of garlic cut in half for a quick saute too! I added two cups of the water before turning off the pot and adding the rest of the ingredients,. I scraped up the lovely browned bits from the bottom, and stirred to mix it all in. Then I added the rest of the ingredients and water. So easy and so delish! Now I’m going to make a version of Italian Wedding Soup (there are so many!) Yay! Thanks for sharing.
Wow excellent!😀
Very tasty and very easy. I used vegetable scraps from other recipes that I had frozen to use when I made stock. And I didn’t even saute the chicken and it still had a great flavor. Will make again!
I like Ramen , make it many times , i make broth as this recept ,
I make also chicken broth without vegetables , there is not much difference , now i make it always without vegetables safe money and work , and taste the same !
Thank you for this recipe! It is freaking delicious!!! I agree you could drink this! I pulled the meat for a chicken pot pie and then used the carcass for this. I didn’t have celery on hand so I opted for the 2 carrots and an extra 1/2 an onion I had lying around. I used 5 cloves of garlic and smashed them, 1 tsp salt, 1-2 Tbs dried parsley, a heavy shake of dried thyme, and added a dried guajillo chili pepper. Everything else was the same. Thanks a ton!
I should also say I used a big soup pot and simmered it for a hour, rather than an instant pot. Thanks again!
I used whey I got from making yogurt instead of the vinegar.
I am excited to try this recipe. I don’t really know how to use my instant pot so this is a good place to start. Mine doesn’t have a manual button so I used the pressure cook button and added some more time. The keep warm button came on. Not sure why so I just turned it off. Hope that was okay. Thanks for the pictures. They really help.
Deb
The Pressure Cook button is the same thing as the Manual button. I think Manual is just an older model. Keep Warm is an automatic function. It’s been about 9 months since you posted so hope you’ve got a lot of use out of your IP since. It’s my favorite kitchen appliance!
Hi Beth and thanks for this helpful recipe. Once I have the broth made, how do I then make chicken noodle soup.
Thanks for your patience with this newbie question, Laurie
Hi Laurie and welcome! You can try this delicious soup here.
Just tried this tonight. I didn’t have any bay leaves but I threw some rosemary in. Came out pretty good. I definitely had to add more than a teaspoon of salt at the end, but my chicken carcass was from a chicken I cooked myself, and I hadn’t used that much salt when I cooked it whole (also in the instant pot). My 2 year old loves soup, so I’m glad I was able to make my own broth! Cans of soup are too expensive!
Is there a reason why you added a tsp of apple cider vinegar?
A little bit of acidity can help brighten flavors. Some also say that a little bit of acid can help break down the bones and connective tissues, helping release more nutrients into the broth, although I’m not sure 1 tsp would be enough to make that happen.
Wow this sounds good. Am wondering if I can freeze celery up for this recipe. I know the texture will be weird but since it’s just for flavoring Do you think it would taste as good as fresh celery?
Yep! I often freeze leftover celery for soups and things where the texture won’t matter in the end product. :)
On my Instant Pot it says” delay start” where yours says “manual”!!! What to do??? So Just used my soup button, hope it works!!
I jus used the pressure cook button. Mine also does not have a manual button.
Love this recipe! In the summer, it is too hot to have broth simmering on the stove all day, so the instant pot is a great option! Thank you for posting.
This is my go to recipe, I always keep the chicken bones and ends of veggies until I have enough to make a batch. So much better than store bought!
Excellent recipe. I add more salt. This is so simple.
I broke in my IP by making two batches of this last night, because I had two chicken carcasses on hand (so, yes, my freezer was getting very full). The first one I made using some clean vegetable trimmings I’d been saving in the freezer, and the second I made using fresh vegetables as you describe in the recipe. The difference in taste was quite noticeable. The first batch tasted slightly “off”—a bit too strongly like old vegetables, especially celery—and had a dark, almost greenish-brown color. The second batch had a much cleaner flavor and a nice golden-brown color, like normal chicken stock. So, as thrifty as it feels to make stock just from vegetable scraps and chicken bones, I think I’ll be using fresh ingredients from here on out. :) But the IP is such a great tool for this—it takes much less time than a slow cooker or a pot on the stove! Looking forward to making chicken soup with my delicious stock!
So following the recipe to a T, but I’m about half way through the 30 minute countdown and there is a lot of steam escaping from the pressure value- is this unusual?? Did I miss something- the smell is divine😉
Yes, there shouldn’t be steam escaping while it’s pressure cooking. Usually the counter won’t start counting down until the pressure comes up to the appropriate level, which can’t happen while steam is still escaping, so I’m not sure what’s going on there. :(
Maybe you have it on vent, little lever at top, should be on seal
I’ve since found that sometimes even when you have it on “seal” the little floating button can get stuck so that it keeps venting and will never get up to pressure. :(
This is the best broth recipe that I’ve used, thanks very much!
All I have are raw chicken carcasses, as we get about 10-15 free range cut up and frozen. Should I just cook it longer?
I don’t think you’ll necessarily need to cook it longer. The flavor will just be different because roasted bones produce a different flavor than raw.
Do you thaw your chicken carcass before cooking in the instant pot?
You don’t have to, the IP heats up very quickly and can get the carcass thawed and up to temp within a safe amount of time.
I’ve made this chicken stock several times and it is soooo delicious! I have also shared the recipe with my kids and sister in law. Thank you so much for sharing it on your website
I feel the need to comment this on every recipe I try, but I have yet to try something from your site I haven’t loved. Easy, tasty, wallet friendly and for the most part, picky husband approved!
We buy bulk frozen chickens from a local farmer and I usually stuff them with onions, carrots, and celery and put butter, garlic and herbs under the skin and roast them. We save the skin, veggies and carcass and use all that when I make this broth! I add an extra fresh carrot and celery stalk, and some more garlic because my IP is an 8 quart model. I usually don’t bother measuring my water, I just fill to about 1/2” below the 2/3 line on my IP.
Mine came out pretty watery and bland.. wonder what i did wrong.
I’ve followed this recipe a couple of times and it’s just the best I’ve ever made. The chicken carcasses I use, are from when my husband “smokes” organic chickens and you can taste that “smoked” flavor in the broth. So tasty on a cold day or when you are getting the sniffles.
About how much stock does this recipe yield?
About 8 cups.
What do you do with chicken from broth?
This uses just the carcass, or what is leftover after the meat has been used or eaten.
Best chicken stock ever! Since I had the time, I cooked it twice. Adding the salt was key. This is definitely the way to make stock.
This came out very bland for me. What can I do to make it richer?
You can let it cook longer, the longer it goes the more it will extract. :)
I learned about the health benefits of “Bone Broth” recently. I am not much of a cook, but I wanted to confirm…this is a bone broth, right??
They were talking about drinking a cup daily like you would coffee. I’m not a big coffee drinker and broth is delicious, so I though I might try to make my own and get in the habit of drinking it with some regularity.
Yes, but it’s a light one. Most “bone broths” that people talk about are cooked even longer. I’ve seen people do a couple of hours in the Instant Pot, so if you want something super thick and rich, you can cook it longer. :)
Loved this recipe! I got my IP a couple weeks ago and have been trying out all sorts of recipes. I made a rotisserie style chicken a few days ago in it and then used that carcass in this recipe. Best chicken stock I’ve ever made! When I took it out to taste before putting it in the fridge I ended up drinking a cup of it a it was because was so good. Super easy and quick to make too!
This saved my life! I used the Instant Pot to make my own ‘roasted’ chicken, then turned around and used the carcass to make stock! What used to take all day and all night in the slow cooker now takes about 2 hours tops! Thanks, Beth – Love your recipes!
this is the first time i will be using the instant pot..I am rather confused, because my unit doesn’t have the manuel button…do i just use the soup setting?
The “manual” button should be right at the bottom in the center. What model IP do you have?
Please reconsider instructing people to put a lid on their hot stock. It increases the cooling time and is not a recommended food handling procedure.
Best method would be to pour hot stock into a 9×13 pan no higher than halfway, cool uncovered in the fridge, then transfer to a suitable container.
The suggestion of cooling in an ice bath is also a solid method as it will bring the temperature down as fast as possible and will reduce the work your fridge needs to do as the commenter mentioned.
Hi, I put my broth in the refrigerator over night uncovered is it still good. I plan to use it today to make soup.
I made this and it turned out delicious! I added parsley to the pot.
I tried it as directed and what I have is the worst broth I’ve ever made. I used manual, not the soup button, was that wrong? I’ve had to toss the whole thing.
Can you give more details about what was wrong or not as you expected with the final result? That will help pinpoint what might have gone wrong. Using the manual button is correct.
Adding the salt is crucial for flavor. That might be it.
I just got my IP about a month ago and have enjoyed trying out recipes – this was GREAT, thank you!
I’ve made chicken broth/stock for years using a pot and also a stove top pressure cooker. Absolutely the easiest is the instant pot. Best part is that if you start late like I often do, you may need to get to bed before dealing with the stock. Instant pot will keep warm until you can strain.
I don’t recommend cooling stock at room temperature or in the refrigerator. At room temperature, it is in the danger zone too long which creates bacteria. The refrigerator method will decrease the lifespan of your unit.
After straining, I put my kettle of broth in the sink with ice water. It cools faster leaving it in the danger zone for less time. It also will save your refrigerator.
Next day, the fat at the top has solidified and is easy to remove.
This is only the second thing I’ve tried in my Instant Pot, and the first was a bust. This was fantastic… or as much of the directions as I managed to follow! I sauteed everything, covered it with water, set to SOUP and forgot about it. When I wandered back into the kitchen and found the IP depressured and on the warm setting it was full of fantastically rich, deeply colored & flavorful broth. Win!
I’ve tried broth in a slow cooker and the instant pot 4 times previously. This is the easiest, best tasting recipe I’ve tried so far!
Can you use the carcass from frozen or shouldn’t you defrost it firs?
You can use it frozen since the IP heats really quickly (I wouldn’t suggest using a frozen carcass for a slow cooker). It will just take the machine a little longer to come up to pressure.
Hi Beth,
First of all, I just love the concept behind your site. Agreed, delicious, wholesome food doesn’t have to break the bank!
Confession: Before I got the IP, I was Wasteful Wendy, throwing the bones and the leftover rotisserie chicken meat in the compost bin.
The combo of getting the IP for my bday and good old-fashioned Jewish guilt for wasting food, I decided to give home made chicken stock a try. This recipe is SO easy and super delicious. I substituted fresh lemon juice for the vinegar (it’s what I had on hand) and even skipped the saute step. Just tossed the carcass, veggies, etc. in the pot, turned it on and, viola! Perfect stock in a fraction of the time it would have taken on the stovetop.
Thanks, Beth!
Hahah “Wasteful Wendy” I love it! I’m so glad you liked thee stock! :)
Would you ever do your chicken from start to broth in the instant pot instead of buying a premade rotisserie chicken? I’m considering buying an instant pot and was thinking about that!? I don’t know if homemade is cheaper than a store bought chicken anyways? I’m nervous to commit to buying an instant pot but it seems like they’re so handy!! If I buy one I’ll be trying this recipe!
You definitely can do a broth from raw chicken too (I kind of did that in my Pressure Cooker Chicken and Rice recipe), but roasting creates a slightly different flavor because of the dry heat, so I definitely like using rotisserie chicken the best. There’s been a lot of debate over whether rotisserie chickens are cheaper pre-roasted or buying and roasting at home is better. It definitely depends on what’s available in your area. :)
My chicken broth is not gelling. It usually does but the last few times it hasn’t. Any ideas?
If it’s not gelling, that means there isn’t any collagen in the liquid, so either your chicken pieces don’t contain enough connective tissue, or the connective tissue is not breaking down during the cooking process for some reason. I’m not sure what that reason might be, though.
I was making mine in the instant pot for 2 hours and wasn’t getting the gel. Last time I did it for 4 hours and it helped up fantastic
AFter the stock cools, do you skim the fat off before freezing?
That’s up to you. :) If you want a low fat broth, go ahead and skim it, or you can leave it on there for more flavor.
Amazing! Ok I’m a super novice cook so please excuse the dumb question- but how do you use this to make soup? I.e if I wanted to make chicken soup would I just cut up my ingredients (raw chicken, carrots, celery, leek, onion, noodles) and like add it to the stock until everything is cooked through? I’m afraid that the stock would reduce a ton if used as a cooking medium for the other ingredients….I saw in your post that you used it for Matzo soup but when I clicked on the link it said you used better than bouillon so I’m confused….
Ah yes, when I made the original Matzo that is in the blog post I used bouillon, but I have since made it again using the homemade broth. :) Here is my homemade chicken noodle soup recipe. You can use the stock here instead of the water I used in the recipe, or even half stock half water. If you find the stock reduces too much while you’re cooking, you can simply reconstitute it by adding some water. I hope that helps!
I don’t normally comment on recipes, but this recipe was probably the clearest and most informative recipes I’ve ever read! Thank you! Oh, and my stock came out amazingly well!
Did you include the skin with the carcass? I usually do when I make stock in the CP or stove.
I didn’t, no.
I am assuming that this recipe made in the IP would then be safe to can on the stove top in my pressure canner????
Unfortunately I’ve never used a stove top pressure canner, so I’m not sure.
It is beautiful. A real deep rich color.
In high school we made chicken soup from scratch with a pressure cooker and it was the best thing I have ever tasted. 15 years later and I still think of it. Reading your post made me crave it again.
Best broth recipe I ever made. I always use organic, free range chicken carcasses…otherwise I feel that it defeats the purpose of extracting the minerals from the marrow. Factory-farmed chickens arguably do more harm than good, nutritionally speaking. But this broth truly is delicious. It’s the only time I’ve ever drink a mug-full of broth just because I wanted to.
it is beautiful…you are not silly. i have a new Instant Pot, too; i got mine on sale as well! i just made chili, and it is fantastic!!! (i’m using avocado instead of cheese…)
What she the reason for not filling it above 2/3?
Is there a reason you didn’t add parsley to the instant pot like with the slow cooker version?
For most pressure cookers the safety instructions specify not filling above 2/3. You can definitely add parsley, if you like, I think I just didn’t have any that day or forgot. :)
My instant pot has lines on the inside for 1/2 full and 2/3 and at the 2/3 line it says ‘PC max’. I assume if the IP is too full it can’t come up to pressure. If there’s no space for pressure to build then it’s not pressure cooking it’s just cooking.
I have an electric pressure cooker (Cuisinart). After Thanksgiving dinner it occurred to me thqt my pressure cooker could make light work of that carcass! I searched for stock recipes and tried out yours. The best stock I’ve ever made! Really hated the stovetop hassle (especially trying to pick the meat off the bones). Now I just strain it and throw all of the solids away. I tqsted the meat after pressure cooking and there really was no flavor left in it. It’s all in the stock! Thanks for a great recipe. Now I never throw away a carcass. Making rotisserie stock as we speak. It goes into the freezer and I always have high quality stock on hand.
Approximately how much stock does this recipe yield?
About 8 cups, maybe a little more.
I find it better to add a tablespoon of soy sauce for umani
Once you go Instant Pot, you never go back! I waffled for months because it was so expensive, but when it went on sale during Prime Day for $70, I jumped right on it. Now that I’ve used it, I know it’s totally worth the full $120! It would be worth that just for the convenience of not having to babysit it.
This is the most delicious chicken stock I’ve ever had. I love that it’s so flavorful without needing to add a bunch of salt. I do process it for longer, about two hours, to get every bit of goodness out that I can, and throw in a few more peppercorns. I also add a couple of organic, pastured chicken feet for extra gelling power. The stock farm I buy them from cleans and skins them, and I don’t even bother taking the claws off. One less step to fuss with is always a plus.
The stock never seems to make it into recipes, because I end up drinking it all before that can happen! I make it at least once a week.
Thank you, got a new IP and already love drinking it. Instead of vinegar (the acid helps leach those awesome minerals from the bones thats why they look so white when done) I used the juice of two limes (also acidic). To serve in mugs I add more lime juice and finely sliced green onions. Mmmmmmmm
Yours came out way more rich looking than mine, but it tasted great! I just got an Instant Pot and this is the first food I cooked in it. Husband said, “You can really tell it is home-made.” I said, “You think so?” and he said, “Well, you probably can.” Anywho, good way to stretch a rotisserie chicken to a few more meals. They are the food that keeps on feeding.
I absolutely loved this recipe, thank you!
Love your photos, the way you describe the recipes, and the step by step instructions. Big fan!
Thank you.
Can you do more posts on how to use an instant pot? I just got one and I’m totally overwhelmed
I’m still learning myself! :D I think the best directions I’ve found so far are on hippressurecooking.com
in addition to these great recipes, i found http://www.pressurecookrecipes.com, which is amazeballs! a lovely married couple, Amy & Jacky have an entire site dedicated to the Instant Pot!
they have many wonderful IP recipes that they develop and test themselves. most recipes have videos to go with them–which i love, because they make the food the star; they never appear, or even run voice-overs in the videos: just the recipe in steps.
one of the most wonderful things about their site is that they incorporate a great deal of personal knowledge and recipes based in their heritage and childhood(s), which means many authentic Asian recipes, and cooking secrets that most non-Asian folk would not likely find otherwise. check out “Master Stock,” and you will understand what i refer to, instantly! (all puns intended.)
…i forgot to mention: Amy & Jacky have even done the “Perfect Boiled Egg” experiment, so that one can know precisely how, and for how long to cook eggs in the IP. there is a beautiful photo of all of the stages and sorts of boiled eggs, from soft to medium to hard: http://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/pressure-cooker-soft-hard-boiled-eggs/
truly the most thoughtful and precise eggsperiment i have ever heard of!
Excellent! I’ve been making chicken soup using my mom’s recipe for years, but liked the idea of using the Instant Pot. Your recipe was a bit different, so I decided to give it a shot. I always started out using raw chicken which required skimming of the scum (ick) while the water came to boil, so I was wary of using raw chicken to make soup in the Instant Pot. Using a rotisserie chicken carcass was perfect — not to mention I now have chicken meat to add to the soup if I want. I did make some changes based on the recipe I’ve always used. I added a turnip and also a big bunch of dill. I didn’t use bay leaves. Also no apple cider vinegar since I didn’t have any. I always refrigerate overnight, then remove the fat from the top and use that to make the matzo balls, which I will be doing tomorrow. Came out great, thanks!
Please put up the recipes you use for your instant pot! I’ve been looking at these forever, wondering if they work well and when you mentioned the broth I finally bought one. Now I need to do things with it to justify it to myself!
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I could never get my broth to gel in the slow cooker like it does in the IP. I LOVE my IP!!
I got a similar appliance for Christmas and I can’t believe how great it is. I am such a skeptic and a minimalist when kitchen gadgets are concerned and was finally convinced that a pressure cooker wasn’t a gimmick when my boss made risotto in about 15 minutes including prep. I make stock a lot- chicken feet and backs make a great rich and sticky stock. I also made a Cuban inspired pulled pork shoulder that was great, potato leek soup in 12 minutes. I could go on and on!
This looks amazing! I just got an IP last week and I’m excited to start trying it out. Question: When you use this to make your Matzo Ball Soup recipe, do you just add 6c of this instead of the 6c chicken broth? Or something different?
Yep, exactly! I just used this broth in place of the broth I used before. It’s thicker and much more flavorful and it was absolutely amazing.
Because I typically make a roast chicken once or twice a month, I’ve used my IP quite a bit for chicken broth. I don’t normally bother making gravy for the chicken so I save all the drippings, skim the fat off and add all that to the pot as well. I’ve been making a lot of yogurt as well ( the price of the Pot would be worth it just for the yogurt IMHO), so I use a teaspoon of reserved whey instead of vinegar. It has the same effect.
BTW- did you know you can use whey in place of yogurt as a starter for your next batch?
Really! Very interesting. I made a few batches of yogurt, but haven’t made it in a while because I think I was eating it so much that I actually got tired of it. Never thought I’d have that problem. ;)
I’ve had an Instant Pot for a few years now, bought it as a treat to myself with my Christmas bonus from work, and there isn’t a week that goes by where I don’t use it. Mine’s the 6-in-1 without the yogurt setting but it’s a workhorse for sure.
For chicken stock I go super duper simple: place one whole (frozen) pastured chicken from my local farmer into the pot, add water to cover (just about hits the max fill line), press the 15 min “chicken” option and seal it.
Including the time to come up to and down from full pressure it takes 45 minutes and I have 2L of tasty chicken stock, plus a perfectly moist cooked chicken with which I can make a dozen meals out of. Bonus – I can use the meat for either Western or Eastern style dishes, doesn’t matter because the stock and the chicken are unseasoned.
Once done I jar the stock in 500mL masons and freeze for later use. Easy peasy.
That’s an excellent method! Thanks for sharing!
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Had never heard of the IP until you posted after your purchase last year. Last January, I was strolling through the clearance section at WalMart and they had one for $45. I was astounded and immediately purchased it. BEST DECISION so far this year. I don’t like to cook nearly as much as I used to (too much work after a day at work), but this gizmo has earned a permanent spot on my kitchen counter. Fantastic food quickly and with little prep and cleanup. I may never bring out my slow cooker again.
Amazing!! You really lucked out! :D
Pressure cookers do make phenomenal stocks in a fraction of the time it takes to make on the stove. I also happened upon another recipe, for a “Columbian Chicken Stew” on Serious Eats, which works perfect in a pressure cooker. You just throw in some peeled and quartered potatoes, onions and tomatoes, along with a bay leaf and some chicken thighs – salt and pepper to taste. You don’t add any liquid at all, just pressure cook it on high for about 45 min or so. All the ingredients will sweat off enough liquid to form a really flavorful broth.
Oh my, that sounds incredible!
is an instant pot the same as a pressure cooker? does the browning accelerate the process? I was told to cook 2 hours in pressure cooker
The Instant Pot is a pressure cooker, but it also has other functions like sautéing and slow cooking (among others) that normal pressure cookers don’t have. The browning doesn’t accelerate the process at all. 2 hours seems like a long time for a pressure cooker, but I’ve never tried that so I can’t say if it’s a good idea. :)
Amazing timing! I also got a deal on the same pot on Black Friday, but have only recently started to use it. Just yesterday, I made “Perfectly Poached Chicken Breasts” (from Hip Pressure Cooking), and they did turn out beautifully. I am enjoying the InstantPot because of the “set it and forget it” aspect: I have made hard “boiled” eggs, steamed artichokes, and your “not” re-fried beans. All good!
I had not heard about the vinegar despite making my own broth for years. I also seem to always be straining the stock late at night; using the pressure cooking will help eliminate that!
I super appreciate the recipes you post utilizing the instant pot! I just got one and have been learning how to use it slowly but surely. From reading previous comments I’m glad I’m not the only one who says “Insta-pot”, I don’t know where this habit came from.
Hahahah, I had to consciously train myself not to say “insta-pot”. I guess because it’s so much easier. I thought that’s what it was actually called for a little while. :P
I do the same thing but let it cook for two hours. The result was so good I sold my All Clad stockpot to my coworker because ALL HAIL THE INSTANT POT.
I got an instant pot for Christmas and have only opened to use it last week. I look forward to many more IP recipes. They’re quick, but I’m still figuring it out. Would be great if you could post more! :) Thanks!
I am sure this broth tastes as phenomenal as it looks. I am curious if the taste will be different if thes ame recipe was prepared in a slow cooker? I don’t have an IP but I do use rotisserie carcasses for broth.
Danielle’s tip is genius (keeping a bag of veg scraps), I will stop throwing away the bits of celery and carrots that get lopped off for different recipes.
Slow cooker bone broths are also great, but in my experience the pressure cooker made it even better. :)
Don’t cancel after the beep. Keep Warm doesn’t slow the NPR process (it won’t even actually turn on the element until the contents are far cooler than they are under pressure) and the timer function after the beep is useful to clock the progress of the release.
There are some older manuals that say to do that, but it is not necessary.
I would have to agree. That is one good looking stock.
Thanks for this recipe! I got myself an IP at an after Christmas sale…and I love, love, love it! Yes, I can do recipes in other appliances or on the stove top, but it is such a great combo of functions that I could clear off a whole shelf and replace several other small appliances. Since then, I’ve been on the lookout for more IP recipes. (The book that came with the IP leaves a LOT to be desired!)
I agree! Both the instruction booklet and the recipe booklet are a bit lacking. I’ve had to turn the the internet to get more detailed instructions.
My God! I may just need an insta pot if only for this recipe…..I HATE waste and I always feel like I end up with so much from rotisserie chickens – sometimes, because we just don’t get around to eating the whole thing to and I shove it in the fridge and then I get freaked out that I can’t eat it after like, three days….The thought of being able to throw it in the freezer if I know we are going to be gone for meals and being able to use it later for my homemade chicken noodle soup is temptation enough to add it to my gift/next really good sale/kohls cash lists….
Love my IP! I hope you publish more recipes for it.
I make chicken stock from rotisserie chicken carcasses all the time in my slow cooker. I let it cook for about 24 hours, strain out all the solid bits, and then put in a large pot on the stovetop, bring it to a boil and let it cook until it is reduced down enough to coat the back of a spoon (almost like syrup). It may take several hours, depending on how much broth you start with and how high a heat you use. Pour it into a shallow baking dish lined with parchment paper and refrigerate. It will set up like jello. Cut it into squares and keep it refrigerated or freeze it. You now have your own homemade chicken bouillon and not only does it not take up much room in your freezer, it doesn’t need to thaw before using. I add it to the liquid I’m using to cook rice or soup, or reconstitute by adding hot water. (A gallon of broth will reduce down to a cup or so.)
This is brilliant! Definitely trying this next time I have a rotisserie carcass :)
That’s awesome!!
That broth DOES look beautiful and I didn’t know about the vinegar – thanks!
I had purchased 2 pressure cooker cookbooks but was stalling on a cooker and then bought the InstantPot – missed the Black Friday sale, but I think it is still a good deal/appliance at the current price – after you and another blogger I follow posted…
I also intended for beans but I had some recipes I remembered my grandmother making in a stovetop pressure cooker that I also wanted to try. I continue to do more with it primarily the pressure function and even though it is not necessary, I really believe that this is an appliance that is worth saving your pennies for, partly because one of the things it does very well is the less expensive cuts of meat for example round steak which I use to make “Swiss Steak”.
Like Yasue, I buy whatever chicken is on sale – lately it has been mostly a whole chicken. I cook a whole chicken in the Instant Pot – salt, pepper well, add pieced lemon or lime to the cavity, 1 cup of water and pressure cook for 8 min per pound with natural release. Now, it isn’t pretty (not even if you use saute and brown it first), but if you want the meat and to make stock the flavor of both is wonderful, the meat slides off the bones, toss your veg as above and make stock from the water/chicken juice and there you go. Plus, the stainless steel insert is so easy to clean. If you want a beautiful brown bird with crispy skin to set on the table, this will not do it, but if you want the meat from a whole chicken this is the ticket! I’ve also done thighs, breasts and even boneless breasts. I go with the 8 min per pound and a cup of water and some herb-spices. I don’t particularly care for slow cooked stuff, but I really like the flavor of pressure cooked meat, etc.
You’ve convinced me. I’m totally trying it! :D
I was wondering why so many with Instant Pots were buying rotisserie chickens, but maybe it just seems intimidating? I know the time issue, but if you dump the chickie in the IP, add whatever spice/herb/citrus and start it up – by the time you change your clothes, walk the dog, have a glass of wine and make your sides … that chicken is ready and it hasn’t been sitting under a heat lamp for however long it is allowed to. It isn’t pretty or photogenic but the meat is perfect :) – hope you enjoy when you try it!
I definitely need to try that. :) A rotisserie will give a slightly different flavor, though, because it’s a dry heat cooking method as opposed to a wet heat, like the IP. Both are great, no doubt, but slightly different. That caramelization from the rotisserie gets me every time. ;)
I combine this process with making shredded chicken. It’s a tasty double-time (and budget) saver.
A time saving tip for the Instant Pot: place the chicken in a folding steamer basket. The common size sold in stores here is ideal inside the IP.
I buy bone-in, skin on chicken breasts and legs or wings when they are on sale. I do a nearly identical process as far as time goes but I place the whole, uncooked chicken as-is on top of a folding steamer basket and all of my aromatics beneath that. I only use enough liquid to make sure the bone-y parts of the chicken are submerged (might be 8 cups too, might be less – I’m terrible at remembering to measure). When the cycle is done, I can lift out the basket of chicken easily and I quickly remove the meat from the bones. That leaves me with only the aromatics to strain out and prevents me having to pick any small bones and chicken. The chicken I pull off is then used in meals all week/month long.
The nice thing for my budget is that bone-in breasts, thighs, legs, and wings are often on buy-on-get-one deals here, so it always seems that when I need more stock, I can grab more inexpensive chicken for this purpose. I try to always include some breast meat though, since I find too much dark meat/high cartilage pieces can make stock a little too “muddy”.
That stock does look very rich and flavorful. I’ve never thought of using the rotisserie chicken bones. I don’t have a magic pot, but could always do it on the stove top as usual. Thanks for the idea.
We got an instant pot thanks in part to your mentioning it this winter, and love it! One thing to note – you don’t need to hit the cancel button to do a natural release. It still cools down at the same rate, and you then have the benefit of knowing how long it has been because the timer on “keep cool” starts counting up from the time the pressure function stops.
Homemade chicken stock is the best. I don’t have an Instant Pot; but I have made stock in my crockpot and on the stove. I keep a bag of leftover chicken parts (from when I roast a chicken) and a bag of vegetable scraps in the freezer; just for this. After the stock cools off I freeze it in quart containers. It makes the best soup! And other things.
I too have had an Instant Pot for a few month and love it. I have made several batches of chicken soup from left over rotisserie chicken – here is my recipe:
Use everything that is left from the rotisserie chicken – EVERYTHING! Don’t forget the juice that is in the container the chicken came in (I swish hot water in the container and use enough water to cover everything in the pot.)
1 Medium Onion – sliced (use as much of the onion skin as possible – helps to give the rich color)
3 Stalks Celery – large slices
1 Tbsp Trader Joe’s All Seasonings ground (comes in a bottle with a grinder)
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Cumin
6 to 8 cups water (see note above)
Place everything in Instant Pot – give a stir or 2 cover and set Slow Cooker on normal for 10 hours – be sure the steam release is set to venting.. (I usually put this together after dinner so everything is cooked and ready the following morning. Smells amazing!)
Strain – place the very cooked vegetables back in with the broth. Pick chicken meat and place in separate container. Discard bones, chicken skin, onion skins, etc.
Use immersion blender and emulsify vegetables in chicken broth – this will slightly thicken the broth and add possibly will add a little fiber.
Add chicken to broth,. I usually add 2 cups of Cooked Trader Joe’s Black Rice, reheat and serve.
I don’t care for carrots but I think they would be a great addition for those who do like them.
What does the vinegar do for the stock?
I think it helps pull more minerals out of the bones?
It helps dissolve some of the minerals from the bones. :)