Chicken Broth

Making chicken broth is a simple and forgiving process: Start with chicken parts, which can include meat and bones. Bones are great because they add depth and richness to the broth, especially if they still have some meat on them. Common vegetables include onions, carrots, and celery. Don't throw out the wilted veggies in your refrigerator's crisper, make your own chicken broth. Fill your belly instead of the composter.

Herbs like parsley, thyme, or bay leaves, and simple seasonings like salt and pepper, are also often added for extra flavor. The ingredients are then covered with water and slowly simmered. Unlike a stock, which is cooked for a very long time to extract gelatin from the bones, broth is usually simmered for a shorter period, typically 1 to 2 hours.

This results in a lighter flavor and texture. After simmering, the solid pieces are strained out, leaving a clear, flavorful liquid. Discard the solids, they have served their purpose. Chicken broth is incredibly versatile in the kitchen. It's used as a base for soups and stews, to cook grains like rice and quinoa, which adds more flavor than cooking with water.

Chicken broth is low in calories and can be a good source of minerals like potassium and phosphorus, depending on how it's made. If made with meat, it can also provide some protein. However, store-bought versions can be high in sodium, so it's worth looking for low-sodium options if sodium intake is a concern of yours.

Chicken broth is like a chicken-flavored tea. It's made by gently cooking chicken and vegetables in water to create a light and tasty liquid. This broth can be sipped on its own for comfort or used as a starter to add flavor to a wide range of dishes, making it a kitchen staple.