A kitchen staple you can make at home for a fraction of what it costs at the store, this Instant Pot Chicken Broth is super easy to make and tastes way better than any boxed chicken stock you can find at the store.

Instant Pot Chicken Broth Recipe

Until I used my Instant Pot to make homemade chicken broth, I hated making it.

Stovetop chicken broth takes hours to prepare, anywhere from 3 to 6 hours, and the process can actually lose a lot of flavor. It never seemed worthwhile.

But with the Instant Pot, I can make a perfect, flavorful chicken broth using kitchen scraps in less than an hour. I don’t have to babysit the Instant Pot like I did the stovetop version and the quick cooking also reduces the likelihood of a bitter broth (due to the vegetable scraps not being overcooked).

The one inconvenience of this recipe is that it takes up precious fridge or freezer space, but this recipe can be canned to make it shelf-stable! We always go through at least a quart or two of chicken broth a week, so I keep half of the broth from this recipe in the fridge and freeze the other half for the following week.

You can also roast the bones before making this stock for a deeper flavor.

This chicken broth is a great way to use up leftover chicken bones from our favorite recipes and any spare vegetables you have lying around. You can even use veggies that are past their prime, as long as they are not moldy. (It’s a great way to use up the tops of celery, soft carrots, and the leftover half of an onion from a recipe that didn’t call for a whole one.)

These recipes use bone-in chicken, so I like to save the chicken bones (by placing in a freezer bag until I’m ready to make the stock) to get extra mileage out of my groceries.

Is this chicken stock or chicken broth? Honestly, it’s right in the middle! It uses the same process as chicken stock and has the same well-developed flavor, but it lacks the gelatinous quality that usually is the hallmark of a gourmet chicken stock. (You can extend the cooking time up to two hours and add a Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar if you desire a thicker stock.)

Can you freeze this chicken broth? Yes! You can freeze in freezer-safe containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months. I sometimes like to freeze the broth in a silicone ice cube tray before placing in a freezer bag so that I can have small amounts of broth to add to sauces or while blanching vegetables.

(This set of freezer containers is a crazy bargain.)

Do I need to use the vegetables outlined in the recipe? No, you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand, as long as you won’t mind their flavor in the final stock. Pungent vegetables like mushrooms or ginger will affect the final flavor, and some may affect the color. I actually really like the heat and zingy acidity that ginger adds to this stock, but just keep in mind which recipes you plan to use a uniquely flavored stock in.

This homemade chicken stock is perfect for using in these recipes:

Instant Pot Chicken Piccata
Chicken and Dumpling Casserole from Taste of Home
Chicken Vegetable Soup from Dinner at the Zoo
Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Looking for more Instant Pot Recipes? Check out our full collection here!

Instant Pot Chicken Stock Ingredients

Chicken bones
Bay leaves
Carrot, chopped
Celery stalk, chopped
Onions, quartered
Salt and pepper, to taste
Water

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.

Tip: You can also roast the bones before making this stock for a deeper flavor.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Broth

Chop up your veggies and place in the Instant Pot.

If you want, you can sautee the veggies for a few minutes with a bit of oil using the Saute setting on your IP. This will result in a more flavorful broth, but it will be darker/murkier in color.

If you want your broth seasoned, apply the seasoning to the chicken bones.

Add the bones and bay leaves, then fill your IP about 3/4 of the way full with water.

Secure the lid and select the “Soup/Stew” setting and increase time to 45 minutes.

Natural release.

Carefully pour the broth through a sieve/strainer to remove the vegetables and bones. The meat can be removed from the bones and used in soup, and veggies will be perfectly cooked!

Makes about 8 cups of broth.

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Yield: 8 cups

Instant Pot Chicken Broth

Name: Instant Pot Chicken Broth
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Soup recipe
Ingredients: 6+ chicken bones; 2 bay leaves; 1 carrot, chopped; 1 celery stalk, chopped; 1-2 onions, quartered; Salt and pepper, to taste; 8 cups water

A super quick and easy recipe for flavorful chicken broth, made in the Instant Pot.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

6+ chicken bones
2 bay leaves
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1-2 onions, quartered
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 cups water

Instructions

Chop up your veggies and place in the Instant Pot.
If you want, you can sautee the veggies for a few minutes with a bit of oil using the Saute setting on your IP. This will result in a more flavorful broth, but it will be darker/murkier in color.
If you want your broth seasoned, apply the seasoning to the chicken bones.
Add the bones and bay leaves, then fill your IP about 3/4 of the way full with water.
Secure the lid and select the "Soup/Stew" setting and increase time to 45 minutes.
Natural release.
Carefully pour the broth through a sieve/strainer to remove the vegetables and bones. The meat can be removed from the bones and used in soup, and veggies will be perfectly cooked!
Makes about 8 cups of broth.

Notes

Tip: you can roast the chicken bones before making this stock for an even richer flavor.

Instant Pot Chicken Broth