Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth from Scratch: Easy and Delicious

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Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth comes together easily making a delicious base for many foods.

If you have an Instant Pot in your kitchen, you are easily on your way to some easy and delicious chicken broth. Chicken broth is the base for so many delicious meals, even beyond soups.

I use homemade bone broth whenever I can. Cooking rice (in your instant pot) with bone broth rather than water takes the flavor up a level, as well as the nutrition. I add it to sauces, gravies or when cooking meat to keep it juicy. Anywhere that I can add in the nutrient dense, gut healthy powerhouse of bone broth, I do.

Store bought cartons just do not compare when it comes to quality and flavor. And if you have been use to using packets or powders, your world is about to change.

Chicken Bone Broth vs. Chicken Stock

Before we dive in to the how to of making this bone broth, I’d love to clear some things up. The internet is a complicated place because everyone has an opinion. And even when it comes to this question, you can’t seem to get a straight answer! So I will join the thousands of other opinions and give you my personal opinion. (Since this is my blog after all.)

At the foundation, both stock and broth are made with animal bones or vegetables, water and simmered for an extended amount of time.

Stocks

Stocks can be made with only vegetables, so this is where you would see a vegan vegetable stock for example. If it is a chicken stock, it is usually simmered for a few relatively short hours with chicken bones or bone in meat. I am not a fan of boiled meat so I avoid that version. Stock is usually thinner and not seasoned as a broth.

Bone Broth

Bone broth is my favorite. I don’t see a reason to make stock unless I am short on broth and / or time. This instant pot chicken bone broth recipe, comes together in a flash if you keep the ingredients on hand. Which, all the ingredients are staples in my kitchen.

Traditionally bone broth is made by simmering bones in water for a very long time, 24-48 hours. The Instant Pot cuts that time down to about 2 hours.

In my recipe the addition of apple cider vinegar helps aids in the release of nutrients like glucosamine, amino acids and electrolytes. The broth is cooked till the bones begin to dissolve releasing all the benefits of the once trapped minerals and collagen in to the liquid, making it nutrient dense.

This is why in generations gone by chicken soup was considered a healing food. It is full of nourishment! A can of Campbells doesn’t even come close.

What You Need to Make Bone Broth:

First off, you need chicken bones. If you haven’t yet tackled cooking a whole chicken, be brave! You can do it. A roast chicken is such a delicious family meal. And it leaves you with the perfect amount of bones for this recipe.

Organic is ideal, especially when you will be using the bones for broth. But I won’t be judging you friend. For many years I have used traditionally raised chickens. I believe in doing the best you can with what you have to work with. Even if you aren’t ready to roast a whole chicken, just grab a rotisserie from the deli. As you take the steps to learn this process, it will get easier and be second nature down the road.

You can also ask local farmers for chicken bones. Or the butcher at your favorite grocery store. If you always buy boneless chicken breast or thighs, start grabbing the bone in version once in a while. The meat is always more flavorful being cooked with the bone in, and then you can save the bones for broth.

Filtered Water: I use the water from my Berkey Water Filter. Filtration does make a difference. If you want to check out your local water rating look it up here.

Instant Pot: I believe I have an 8 quart Instant Pot. If you have a smaller one, just adjust the water to not go above the manufacturer recommended liquid limit.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Bragg’s is my favorite.

Vegetable Scraps: I use to toss in whole vegetables but now I save any bit of raw veggies in the freezer. Onion skins, the tops of carrots, the leafy parts of celery. When it comes time to make bone broth, I just toss in what I have leftover.

Mason Jars: for storage. Alternatively you can use ziplock bags once it is cooled enough.

Instant Pot Magic: Put it All Together

1. Put chicken bones in bottom of IP. I include the skin, chicken feet if I have them and the liver if it was an organic chicken.
2. Add water to an inch or two above the top of the bones. (Make sure this amount is under your recommended manufacture’s directions.) If you add more water, you will have more bone broth but it won’t be gelatinous.
3. Toss in vegetable pieces. Either scraps or 2 carrots, 3 celery stalks, 1 onion, some garlic cloves, etc.
4. Add aromatics: 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, 1 bay leaf, parsley either 3 sprigs fresh or 2 tablespoons dried, 5 peppercorns, and 2 tablespoons mineral salt. Fresh from the kitchen garden are my favorite.
5. Put on the lid and press the soup/ broth, then set the time to 120 minutes. When the timer beeps, it will automatically turn on to the “keep warm” setting. You can press cancel and release the pressure. Or let it sit longer until you are ready to use it/ store it.

Congratulations! You just made Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth!

The Last Step: Straining

I use a colander over a very large stainless steel bowl to strain out the bones and other ingredients. If you wish to skim off any fat or oils that will come to the top, let it cool on the counter undisturbed. They will rise to the top and be easy to scoop off.

To store your bone broth:

I use a mix of quart, half gallon and gallon sized glass mason jars to store my bone broth in the refrigerator. I use a batch in about a week, but it can be frozen.

Let it cool completely and then you can divide it amongst mason jars or ziplock bags. If you chose to use mason jars, make sure to leave a few inches of space below the full line to account for expansion. Ziplock bags work nicely when laid flat in the freezer. Once they are frozen you can move them about while they stay nice and flat.

Truly, this is one of the most fundamental things you can do to add depths of flavor and nutrition to your families meals. You won’t regret it.

Try out using this broth with some of these delicious recipes! Gluten-Free Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Gluten-Free Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Recipe

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