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–+ servings
Two jars of homemade chicken stock with a head of garlic and fresh herbs in front of them.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Stock Recipe

Don’t throw away those leftover chicken bones from your whole chicken. Turn them into a rich and flavorful Slow Cooker Chicken Stock—it’s simple to make and so much better than store-bought. This easy, hands-off recipe creates a homemade stock perfect for soups, sauces, and meal prep. Save money, reduce waste, and boost flavor with this kitchen staple.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time14 hours
Total Time14 hours 20 minutes
Course: Basics
Cuisine: American
Keyword: homemade chicken stock from bones, how to make homemade chicken stock from leftover chicken carcass, slow cooker chicken stock
Servings: 9 cups
Calories: 14kcal
Author: Mindy Boyd

Equipment

  • slow cooker
  • fine mesh strainer
  • cheesecloth

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken carcass (with skin), plus uncooked neck and giblets
  • 1 onion
  • 2 ribs celery with leafy tops
  • 2 carrots
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 4 sprigs fresh parsley
  • 12 cups water

Instructions

  • Prepare the vegetables: Roughly chop the onion, celery and carrots. Smash the garlic cloves.
  • Add the ingredients: Place the chicken carcass, skin, neck, organs, vegetables, herbs, and water into the crock pot.
  • Cook the stock: Cover and cook on low heat for 12–14 hours.
  • Strain the stock: Use tongs to remove the larger bones and vegetables, then scoop out smaller pieces with a slotted spoon. Carefully strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into a large bowl or pitcher.
  • Store the stock: Pour the strained broth into containers such as mason jars, let cool to room temperature before refrigerating or freezing. 
  • Skim off the chicken fat: After the stock is cold the fat can easily be skimmed off the top. 

Notes

It’s safer and easier to ladle most of the stock into the strainer rather than pouring directly from a hot pot. 
A typical batch yields about 9–10 cups of stock.
 
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Nutritional information is approximate. 
 
See ingredient notes and substitutions in the post above (especially for this recipe!).
 
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Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 14kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2365IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 0.2mg