Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken Stock (Better Than Store-Bought!)
My slow cooker chicken stock from rotisserie chicken is easy to make and tastes so much better than store-bought! I always thought making stock at home was hard, so I made this recipe to simplify the process. My recipe is salt-free so you can add it to any dish of your choice then salt to taste. I hope this recipe replaces store-bought stock in your home like it has in ours!
This post may contain affiliate links of items I know and love. Read our disclosure policy for more information. I NEVER use AI (artificial intelligence) to create content for Plum Branch Home. Recipes, blog posts, photos, videos, social media content: everything is made from scratch by me, Molly LaFontaine. After developing my recipes, they’re tested 2x by my husband, Tyler, and I before publishing. What you see from Plum Branch Home is real. It’s made for a reason, tested, and loved!
I absolutely love making store-bought staples at home from scratch, like this homemade stock. It saves money and keeps unwanted ingredients out of your food. Plus, they always taste so much better when they’re made at home.
I love using this stock in homemade soups. It makes them more homey and comforting. And there’s something special about the entire soup being made completely from scratch!
Inspiration Behind My Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken Stock
In our home lately, we’ve been craving cozy, warm meals that are simple to make, so I thought it was the perfect time to get my slow cooker chicken stock on the blog!
Every month when we get groceries, I like to buy an organic rotisserie chicken for easy meals from Kroger. We usually get 2 meals out of the meat, but I wanted to get more for our money, so I started using the bones/carcass for stock!
I always thought stock was hard to make and time-consuming, but let me tell you, it isn’t at all. Which is why I wanted to write down my recipe to share with you!
Why We Love This Chicken Stock and Think You Will Too!
- Easy to Make: The steps are so simple to follow.
- Wholesome: The ingredients are wholesome, making this a great option for soups and sauces.
- No Additives: We’re not adding any junky ingredients into our slow cooker.
- Salt Free So It’s Easy to Add to Any Dish: You can add this to any dish and salt to taste making it perfect for all recipes.
- Hands Off Process: Just place the ingredients in the slow cooker and wait 9 hours. No hands on work required until it’s done cooking!
- Lasts for 6 Months: You can freeze it for up to 6 months.
- Better Than Store-Bought: This stock tastes so much better than the kind at the grocery store!
Difference Between Chicken Stock and Chicken Broth
Chicken stock is made from simmering the bones and meat of the chicken. But chicken broth is made just with the meat.
My Tips for Making Chicken Stock with Rotisserie Chicken
- Use an organic rotisserie chicken. I get mine from Kroger; the Simple Truth brand. Usually, organic rotisserie chickens will have few or no additives.
- If possible, use organic vegetables. Organic veggies give your stock more nutrition, flavor, and help keep unwanted chemicals out of your stock.
- Don’t open the lid when cooking. Since we’re using a slow cooker, be sure to keep the lid on the entire cook time. Every time you open the lid after it begins to cook, you need to add 30 minutes to the time.
- Strain your stock. When it’s done cooking, be sure to strain the stock so it’s ready to go in soups and sauces.
Ingredients You’ll Need (with notes and substitutions)
Note: Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for measurements.
- yellow onion: I like to use organic, you could also use a white onion, if desired
- carrots: I like using organic
- celery stalks: I like to use organic
- garlic cloves: these add so much flavor to the stock
- organic rotisserie chicken: you can use regular rotisserie chicken but I like to use organic so there aren’t any nasty additives in the stock
Helpful Kitchen Tools for this Recipe
This section contains Amazon affiliate links to items I use and love for this recipe.
- nontoxic slow cooker
- fine mesh strainer
- funnel (for pouring into jars)
- wide mouth, freezer-safe glass jars (for storage)
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Stock from Rotisserie Chicken
Note: Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post for the full written recipe.
Roughly chop onion, unpeeled carrot, and celery. Place in slow cooker, no need to grease it!
Take outer layer of garlic cloves off and smash or mince them. Place in slow cooker.
Add full rotisserie chicken, besides breast meat and any dark meat you want to keep, to slow cooker.
Cover ingredients with water until submerged. They will float. Aim for about 2/3 of your slow cooker to be filled.
Cook on low for 9-10 hours. Do not remove lid during this time.
When finished cooking, strain broth with a fine mesh strainer and place in freezer-safe, glass storage jars. Discard bones and veggies (Or keep veggies for another use if desired. Just don’t reuse them for broth).
Let broth cool completely then refrigerate for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge the day before you need it.
My Favorite Dishes to Use This Chicken Stock In
You can use this homemade chicken stock in so many ways, but here are my favorite dishes to use it in:
- Simple Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
- Savory Pumpkin Chicken Soup
- Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup
- Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe (better than Olive Garden)
- Creamy Cajun Chicken Soup
- Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Cheesy Potato Soup From Scratch
Storage and Freezing Instructions
I highly recommend storing this stock in glass airtight jars. You can store homemade stock in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. I always freeze my stock even if I plan to use it soon.
How to Thaw Chicken Stock
To thaw, you’ll simply place the jar of stock from the freezer into the fridge. Let it thaw for about 24-36 hours in there.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve not tried this, but I’m sure you can!
Not at all! This recipe makes it so easy!
Yes, you’ll use the full rotisserie chicken carcass, minus the breast meat and any dark meat you’d like to save.
You can definitely sip on it if you choose. I personally don’t do this, but that’s just my preference. If you’d like to sip on it, be sure to add sea salt to taste.
More Kitchen Staples From Scratch To Try
If you’re looking for more kitchen staple recipes, try a few of these:
- Homemade Honey Mustard (Better Than Store-Bought!)
- Sourdough Graham Crackers (Better Than Store Bought!)
- Quick Marinara Dipping Sauce
- Homemade Whipped Cream (better than store-bought!)
- Sourdough Hot Dog Buns
- Sourdough Hamburger Buns
- Homemade Chocolate Syrup
- Cheddar Cheese Dip (Better Than Store-Bought!)
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Recipe
Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken Stock (Better Than Store-Bought!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced yellow onion (about 1 small onion)
- 1 cup chopped carrots (about 3 carrots)
- 1 cup chopped celery (about 3 celery stalks)
- 3 large garlic cloves (or 6 small)
- 1 organic rotisserie chicken carcass (breast meat removed, leave some dark meat on if desired)
Instructions
- Roughly chop onion, unpeeled carrot, and celery. Place in slow cooker, no need to grease it!
- Take outer layer of garlic cloves off and smash or mince them. Place in slow cooker.
- Add full rotisserie chicken, besides breast meat and any dark meat you want to keep, to slow cooker.
- Cover ingredients with water until submerged. They will float. Aim for about 2/3 of your slow cooker to be filled.
- Cook on low for 9-10 hours. Do not remove lid during this time.
- When finished cooking, strain broth with a fine mesh strainer and place in freezer-safe, glass storage jars. Discard bones and veggies (Or keep veggies for another use if desired. Just don’t reuse them for broth).
- Let broth cool completely then refrigerate for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge the day before you need it.