About every other time I shop at Costco I bring home a rotisserie chicken. I use the meat for dinners like homemade chicken pot pie and gochujang chicken ramen, but my favorite use is turning the carcass into rich Instant Pot chicken bone broth. Pressure cooks extract collagen from the bones and convert it into gelatin, giving you a protein-rich broth in a fraction of the time it takes on the stove.
I always keep a batch of this homemade chicken broth in the freezer — it elevates soups and stews and is essentially free when you use leftover vegetable scraps and herbs from the garden. The method is simple, and a small stash of frozen scraps makes it easy to make broth any time.
Ingredients for Chicken Bone Broth
I shared on Instagram that saving leftovers is my hack for always having chicken broth on hand. It really is that easy: save bones and veggie trimmings, toss them in the Instant Pot, and you’ll have flavorful homemade broth in a few hours.
- Bones, skin, and leftover meat from a roasted chicken. Use whatever remains on a rotisserie carcass; pour any juices from the bag into the pot.
- Vegetable scraps. Onion skins and tops, garlic skins, celery tops, carrot peels, and other root trimmings add depth of flavor.
- Herbs. Fresh or dried thyme, sage, oregano, and rosemary work well. A couple sprigs of fresh herbs or ½–1 teaspoon dried of each is enough.
- Water. Enough to cover the ingredients in the Instant Pot — typically about 8 cups for the quantities below.
Quick Tips for Chicken Bone Broth in the Instant Pot
Add the chicken carcass, bones, skin, and any remaining meat to the Instant Pot. Pour in any juices from the bag. Add vegetable scraps — onion tops and skins, garlic skins, carrot peels, and celery tops — and toss in herbs. Keep a dedicated bag in the freezer to collect scraps so you always have enough for broth.
Add fresh or dried herbs and any seasonings you like. A few cloves of garlic are optional if you want a more pronounced garlic flavor.
Top with about 8 cups (about 2 liters) of water, or add more up to the Instant Pot’s max fill line if you want a larger yield.
Set the Instant Pot valve to “sealing” and pressure cook on high for 2–3 hours. Two hours is usually sufficient; three hours can yield a slightly richer stock but the difference is often subtle.
Release pressure manually if you plan to use the broth soon, or allow a natural release of 45 minutes to an hour for a gentler finish.
How to Strain Chicken Bone Broth
Place a large glass jar on a pot holder and set a fine mesh strainer over the top. Ladle the broth through the strainer to remove bones, skin, and larger vegetable pieces. Depending on how much liquid you cooked down, you’ll usually end up with one full 64-oz jar and a smaller jar of extra broth, or two jars if you prefer to leave the fat cap intact.
After straining, test a bone — if it snaps or breaks easily, the collagen has been extracted and you’ve made true bone broth.
FAQs about Homemade Chicken Bone Broth
Any roasted or rotisserie chicken will work. A Costco rotisserie chicken is a convenient, affordable option and what I often use.
Dried herbs are a great substitute — use about ½ to 1 teaspoon of each dried herb to season the broth.
Gelatin is a sign of success. Long or high-pressure cooking converts collagen from the bones into gelatin, which thickens the chilled broth and increases its protein content.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days if the fat cap has been broken, or up to 5 days if the fat cap remains intact. For longer storage, freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months.
Cooking breaks down collagen in the bones into gelatin, which contributes protein. A cup of well-made bone broth can contain significantly more protein than clear chicken stock.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
This chicken broth makes a great base for soups and ramen, and it can be used anywhere you’d normally reach for store-bought stock. It adds extra depth and protein to recipes such as chicken ramen, gochujang chicken ramen, chicken burrito bowls, or even vegetable-based soups when you want a richer flavor.
Dish Cleanup: Piece of Cake
I rate cleanups on a scale of 1 to 5; this recipe is a 1. You’ll need the Instant Pot insert and lid, a strainer, and a couple of bowls for scraps. For easiest cleanup, discard the scraps within an hour so they don’t dry onto the pot.
Instant Pot Chicken Broth Recipe
Thanks for stopping by! If you make this Instant Pot chicken bone broth, please leave a review to let others know how it turned out.
Homemade Chicken Bone Broth (Instant Pot)
Ingredients
- 1 roasted or rotisserie chicken carcass with a little meat left on it
- 2–3 cups vegetable scraps (celery, carrot, onion, etc.)
- Fresh or dried herbs — garlic, sage, thyme, oregano, rosemary, etc.
- 8 cups (2 l) water
Instructions
- Place the bones, skin, and any leftover meat into the Instant Pot. Add vegetable scraps and sprigs of fresh herbs (or ½–1 teaspoon each of dried herbs).
- Add 8 cups of water, or add an extra cup or two for a milder flavor up to the max fill line.
- Secure the lid and set the steam release valve to sealing. Pressure cook on high for 2 hours. Use a natural or manual release when cooking is complete.
- Strain the broth into jars and store in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Optional: skim the fat from the top of the jar before sealing, if desired.
Video
Notes
Save vegetable scraps in a bag in the freezer (onion tops and skins, carrot skins, celery tops, garlic skins, etc.). Add them to the pot whenever you have enough to make broth.
This brothy stock will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days if the fat cap remains intact, or up to 3 days if the fat cap has been broken. For long-term storage, freeze for up to 6 months.
Recommended Supplies
- Large glass jar or wide-mouth canning jar (64-ounce recommended)
- Fine mesh strainer
- Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker
Nutrition
Calories: 70 kcal |
Protein: 9 g |
Fat: 4 g
I’d love to see how your Instant Pot chicken bone broth turns out — take a photo and tag the author on Instagram or share using a dedicated hashtag.