I'd like to make a real chicken stock, so I bought one entire chicken, and I'm wondering how to skin in?

Question

I know I have to expose the bones in the stock, so how do I do that?
Do I skin the ckichen, de-bone it and just put the bones in the stock? Can I cook the chicken in it too? On the bones or off?

Answer 1

It's a little more time consuming, but I prefer to roast my chicken first...gives the stock a lot more flavor. Roast, cut off most of your chicken and reserve. Place carcass in large stock pot and cover with cold water. Toss in a few peppercorns, some celery bases and leaves, some chopped onion (the skins will add a nice color if you add them, too) and a carrot or two. I also like to add a clove or two of garlic, but that's just me! Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid has reduced by half. During this time, the bones and such will start to separate, which will add a lot of flavor. Cool and then strain a time or two, until you are left with nothing but a gorgeous stock! Re-add your skinless, boneless roasted chicken pieces, along with some veggies to make soup. Add cooked noodles before serving.

Answer 2

It doesn't take a whole chicken to make an excellent chicken stock...and for the record I have no complaints about most of your major brand named stocks on the market - hey, it's a time saver and you can add whatever other flavors, veg, herbs and spices you want and time saved in the kitchen is great for the cook.

Try making stock out of the left overs from the night before of grilled chicken, add carrots, a little fresh dill, a healthy dose of fresh ground black pepper, lots of celery, onions, and 1/2 a can of beer and boil it hard until the meat is falling off the bone. (Optional: For zing - punch up the heat with a couple splashes of your favorite hot sauce to taste or use your favorite spicy smoked link sausage in your original boil along with the chicken) Use a colander to separate bones, veg and etc from the liquid.

If your making chicken soup or dumplings, remove all the meat from the bones of the chicken (let it cool first) and return it to your stock pot...give it a pinch or two of paprika and a little fresh minced garlic and continue cooking on a simmer...and from here you can go anywhere. Now you're ready for noodles, pasta and etc.

Sprinkle a little freshly chopped chives, green onion, or parsley on your finished dish for pop and presentation.

Answer 3

you can cook the whole chicken, just put water in a pot, add an onion, some garlic, parsley and some carrots, salt and pepper. Bring all this to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low to just simmer, let it go for about 1hour 20 mins or more (2 hours couldn't hurt). Let it cool while in the pot covered.

Then you can take the chicken out and take the skin off and all it should be really easy to do after it is poached. DONT BOIL A CHICKEN, it will be tough and flavorless....simmer. Strain the liquid and you have stock

Answer 4

I like to leave the skin on & just cut up the chicken into pieces - if I know ahead of time when I'll be making it, I just buy a pkg of cut up chicken @ the grocery. Start by melting 1 stick of butter in a large saucepan. Add chopped onions, celery, carrots & minced garlic cooking over medium heat til browned. Add cooked veggies into large stockpot, then add chicken pieces. Add just enough water to cover & bring to boil. Reduce heat & simmer for about 45 minutes or even longer is okay. Strain stock thru strainer before using ( this will strain out the fat from the skin).

I like to leave the skin on because it does add more flavor.

Answer 5

If you bought a nice big roaster, I wouldn't use if for stock. But if you bought a skinny fryer, just cut it up and put it in the pot of water. To take the skin off is easy, just pull it and cut off. Hard to get the skin of the knuckles of the legs. So just cut around that part. I hope you will add some Celery, Onions, Parsley, Sage, thyme and my favorite is Rosemary.

Answer 6

boil it with onions and carrots for about 20 min then turn down the heat for an hour or so. then pull the chicken out of the water, and in a bowl, start pulling it apart. then throw the bones in the now smelling good stock!~

Answer 7

you can cook the whole thing. cut up the chicken and simmer for a few hours.
Try adding whole carrots, celery, onions, bay leaf, etc. and remove when cooled.
If you leave the skin on, refrigerate the pot after it has cooled and the fat will harden for easy removal from the stock.