How to make Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth

A chicken bone broth is a staple in any cook’s kitchen. This instant pot chicken bone broth recipe is a flavorful addition to any recipe and is a wonderful base for soups.

Before the Instant Pot, it used to take 12-24 hours to brew homemade bone broth in a slow cooker or on the stove. With the Instant Pot (or any electric pressure cooker), you can make broth in much less time, about 60-90 minutes.

This instant pot chicken bone broth recipe is perfect for using a whole chicken. The steps below will walk you through making this broth from a whole chicken, but you can skip a few steps and use leftover bones from a rotisserie chicken or any leftover chicken carcass.

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What is bone broth?

Bone broth is made from animal bones, typically chicken or beef bones. The idea is to extract the flavor and nutrients from the bones and the broth can be used for flavoring or soup bases, and much more.

Bone broth typically cooks for a long time, but Instant Pot bone broth can be made in a fraction of the time.

What are the benefits of bone broth?

• Digestive support: The gelatin in bone broth may support digestive health by helping to maintain the intestinal barrier which is important in preventing a leaky gut.
• Immune system support: Bone broth contains amino acids like Glutamine and Arginine which are important for immune system function.
• Healthy skin: The collagen in bone broth may help support healthy skin by increasing hydration and elasticity.
• Reduces Inflammation: The amino acids in bone broth can help to reduce inflammation.

What are the best bones for bone broth?

Use organic, pasture raised chicken bones whenever possible. You can find them online at Butcherbox, or at your health food store. Costco also sells organic whole chickens, but the pasture raised chickens produce a broth with more gel. The gel means you have the collagen which is what you want.

How to get chicken bones for bone broth?

• Start with a whole chicken and follow this recipe. You will have a large container of tasty shredded chicken AND broth when you’re done.
• Use the bones leftover from a roasted chicken.
• Buy chicken feet – sounds strange, but since they’re made up of connective tissue, they are full of collagen. Just be sure to blanch them first to remove the skin.
• Ask your butcher at your local grocery store for bones. They sometimes have chicken bones you can buy.
• Chicken bones freeze well. The next time you eat a roasted chicken and don’t want to make broth right away, freeze the bones until you’re ready.
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Using Scraps for bone broth

A great way to reduce food waste is to save your vegetable scraps. Whenever you prepping/cutting onions, celery and carrots, make sure you wash them well, then store in a freezer bag or airtight container in the freezer until you have enough to make your homemade broth.

You can even save the onion skins. If using a brown onion, the skin will make your both a darker color.

Just make sure to label your container so you remember what it is.

What can you do with bone broth?

• Put it in a bowl, top with salt, pepper and fresh herbs and enjoy!
• Use it in any recipe that calls for chicken stock or chicken broth
• Use it as a base for soups
• Use it as a liquid in mashed potatoes
• Use it in lieu of water when making rice
• Add to your homemade chili

How to make this instant pot bone broth recipe

First cook your whole chicken

You’ll want to thaw your chicken, if frozen. Then pat dry.

Mix an even amount of sea salt, ground black pepper, onion powder and dried parsley in a bowl and spread all over the chicken.

Chop your garlic and add the ghee to a large frying pan.

Once the ghee is heated, add the garlic and place the seasoned chicken on top. You’ll want to use tongs to brown all sides of the chicken.

Note: The Instant Pot has a sauté function and you can do this in the Instant Pot, but since it’s small, it’s a little easier in a separate frying pan.

When the chicken is browned on all sides, add one cup of water to the Instant Pot, place the trivet inside and set the chicken on top.

Close the lid to sealing and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes per pound of chicken (for example, a 5lb chicken will cook for 30 minutes on high pressure). Let the pressure naturally release.

Once the pressure is released, place the chicken on a plate or cutting board and pull the meat from the bones. Add meat to a container to store and eat or freeze to eat later.

Keep the liquid you cooked the chicken in in your Instant Pot and add the chicken carcass back into the Instant Pot, or use a soup sock!

Make the bone broth

 Chop your onions, celery and carrots into chunks and smash your garlic cloves.

Add the chopped vegetables, bay leaves, chicken bones and pieces of meat you don’t want to eat into a soup sock (if using) nestled inside a large bowl, or back into the Instant Pot with the water used to cook the whole chicken.

Fill the Instant Pot with water and the apple cider vinegar.

Turn your Instant Pot on high pressure for 60-90 minutes. More time is better, but if you need it faster than 90 minutes, 60 minutes will work.

You can use the Quick Release function when the time is complete. If you used a soup sock, discard it and use a fine mesh strainer to stain the broth.

Store the broth in mason jars or your favorite glass storage container.

Can you freeze bone broth?

You can absolutely freeze bone broth. Just let it cool completely first. Freeze in small increments, if possible.

A good trick is to freeze in silicone muffin molds, in a muffin pan, then pop them out and store in a gallon freezer bag. You could also freeze in ice cube trays for smaller amounts or your favorite freezer containers.

Just make sure to measure the amount of liquid your muffin mold holds so you know how much each frozen cup is when you need it. 

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