This Is The One Kitchen Scrap I Will Never Throw Away

chicken stock

As many of us home cooks know, rotisserie chickens can be a hugely useful shortcut in the kitchen. After cutting the meat away from the bones and shredding it, you can use it in sandwiches, enchiladas, burritos, soups, casseroles, and much, much more!

But what some people don’t know is that rotisserie chickens are actually more useful than you might think! In addition to being a great dinnertime shortcut, you can use them to make something that will save you money and possibly a trip to the grocery store in the future!

That’s what I’ll be sharing with you in today’s post: a homemade kitchen creation that is made possible by the scraps of your rotisserie chicken!

chicken stock

Why I Never Throw Away A Rotisserie Chicken

After removing all the meat from a rotisserie chicken, I never ever throw out the bones! Instead, I save them in a gallon-size freezer bag and tuck it away in my freezer.

The reason I save that chicken carcass because I can use it later on to make a batch of delicious homemade chicken stock! It couldn’t be easier to do, and it saves me both money and energy because I almost always have some on hand when I need it for a recipe.

chicken stock

Making your own chicken stock used to be an all-day affair, but thanks to the Instant Pot, I can now do it in just a couple of hours! And that’s time I can spend working on other things, because I don’t have to check in on it regularly like I would with something cooking on my stovetop.

Here’s a quick overview of how I use a rotisserie chicken to make my own stock at home, so you can do it too!

How To Make Homemade Chicken Stock Using Rotisserie Chicken Bones

chicken stock

Ingredients you can use:

  • Rotisserie chicken carcass
  • Vegetable scraps
  • Herb stems
  • Produce you need to use up
chicken stock

Directions:

Place the bones from one or two rotisserie chickens into your Instant Pot, along with whatever vegetables or scraps you have on hand or have saved in your freezer. (Celery, carrots, onions, leeks, and mushrooms are all classic flavors included in many stocks, but you can also branch out depending on what you have on hand.)

Once all your ingredients are in the pot, add enough water to cover them and cover with the lid. Use the Pressure Cook function to cook the stock for 30 minutes to 2 hours. (The longer you cook it, the richer and more flavorful your stock will turn out.)

chicken stock

After cooking, let the pressure release naturally for about 15 minutes, then Quick Release the remaining pressure. Strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve to remove the solids, and you’re done!

chicken stock

How To Use Your Homemade Chicken Stock

Transfer your homemade stock to an airtight container and store it in your fridge for up to one week. If you won’t use it up before then, you can always freeze it to use later on.

To make frozen stock easier to use, measure it out into 1-cup servings before freezing. You could also pour it into an ice cube tray to make frozen stock cubes! (Just be sure to store them to a ziplock freezer bag once they’re frozen solid.)

Use your homemade stock in any recipe that calls for stock or broth. It will add a fresh homemade flavor that store-bought stocks just can’t replicate! :-)

Short On Fridge Or Freezer Space?

  • If you’re worried about your homemade stock taking up too much space in your fridge or freezer, there’s an easy solution!
  • Reduce your stock by cooking it down on your stovetop (or in your Instant Pot using the Sauté function).
  • You’ll end up with a concentrated stock that takes up less of your precious fridge or freezer space!
  • To use your concentrated stock, just add approximately as much water back into the stock as you cooked out when you reduced it.

What’s your favorite way to transform or reuse kitchen scraps?