It’s winter, what are the benefits of homemade chicken broth? Helping to boost your immune system & ward off those colds and flu symptoms?
And the best bit?
If you’ve had a roast chicken, it’s effectively ‘free’ from what you’ve already purchased. You can use any type of bone (simply Google) but I tend to mainly use the leftovers from a roast chicken that we’ve had.
It couldn’t be simpler.
Remove all the chicken meat from the carcass, break up the bones (yes, I know it doesn’t sound great but needs must) and pop that into a slow cooker. The trick to a good broth is a long, low and slow cooking time. 24hrs or more.
A slow cooker is a big winner for winter, you can pick them up reasonably cheaply and their cost effective. Based on reports from September 2022, it costs between 73p – £1.33 for 8hrs. So for less than a fiver you can make some broth to add to soups, sauces and more.
We use ours as it is. Once cooked for 24hrs, its dark golden qualities not only make the house smell delicious but it’s a handy go to for lunch adding other ingredients, including gluten free spaghetti or rice noodles, vegetables and some of the shredded chicken.
How to make it
There are lots of recipes out there. Everyone has their own signature dish for homemade chicken broth. Mine includes the following: fresh ginger & turmeric, garlic, peppercorns, fresh herbs, onion & carrot. Often it’s what’s left at the bottom of the fridge. Put it all in the slow cooker, bring it back to a boil and then simmer slowly for the next 24hrs.
I’ve my ‘recipe’ as a download which you can grab here FREE if that helps for you to work your way through to making your own basic broth. You could add fresh chilli too – I add it after cooking, for an individual choice. Wouldn’t want to make the kids run for the milk as it was too spicy!!
What are the health benefits of homemade chicken broth?
Need a reason to make it? There are many health benefits and knowing makes a difference to doing it!
Apple Cider Vinegar – helps drawer out the valuable nutrients from the bones into the water that you’ll drink
Cloves – antioxidant, anti-inflammatory & anti cough properties (I add a clove to hot honey & lemon drinks – just don’t eat it!)
Garlic – Immune boosting, anti-fungal & anti-bacterial. Contains potassium, phosphorous zinc & lots more!
Onion – anti-oxidant with Vit C & B vitamins
Carrot – Vit A (beta carotenes)
Ginger – Great for colds & fevers. Contains over 400 natural compounds!
Turmeric – Anti-oxidant, may help fight infections, may help inflammation
From less than a fiver, with bones that you were going to throw out, you can make the basis of a soup, meal or hot drink to help improve the health of your family – for free!. That’s something definitely to consider. For me, it will be going into a sauce to make chicken pie too (gotta use up that leftover chicken too!) and all the goodness I can get into it will be all the better for.
Grab your free download here & if you make it, well, tag me in on Instagram or Facebook as I’d love to see what you create.
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