Rotisserie Chicken Stock (or Broth)
Inside: How to make homemade chicken stock using leftover rotisserie chicken bones, cartilage and skin. Use your favorite method (stovetop, crockpot, pressure cooker or Instant Pot) and make an outstanding rotisserie chicken stock.
Have you ever made chicken stock from bones? It’s easy, and this leftover rotisserie chicken stock is WAY better than the canned, store-bought variety. Learn the four simple methods for making broth from chicken bones.
Sliced bread aside, I believe that rotisserie chicken is one of the greatest inventions ever. I mean, a hot roasted chicken, ready to go—for under $10 (and only about $6 at Costco)—is genius. They’re delicious for quick family dinners, and so many recipes call for cooked chicken that it makes sense to have one on hand at all times.
Therefore, rotisserie chickens are always on my list at Costco. It’s the convenience factor. I make a salad, pour some wine, and voilà, dinner is served.
Leftovers can be used in these enchiladas, authentic chalupas, curried chicken salad or chicken and shrimp fried rice. After that, the bones and the residual wobbly, gelatinous chicken goo in the bottom of the container get their time to shine, because that carcass has more to give. (And if you want to skip the store altogether, here’s how to make rotisserie chicken at home.)
Making chicken stock from a rotisserie chicken helps stretch your food dollar and makes a dynamite stock. Put a cape on that bird—because it’s SUPER.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Making chicken broth from scratch is a snap with some water and a few staples from the vegetable bin.
- You use every bit of the chicken so nothing goes to waste.
- It’s flavorful and healthy with nothing artificial.
- Bonus: bone broth may be the key to youthful skin. Who knew?
Ingredients for rotisserie chicken broth:
- Leftover rotisserie chicken carcass -and any residual drippings or gelatinous goo.
- Carrots—You don’t need to peel or dice them. Just give the carrots a rough chop.
- Celery – You can use all parts of the celery right up to the leaves.
- Onion – I use yellow onions, but you can also use red or white onions.
- Parsley – No need to chop, just toss in a few stems.
- Dried Bay Leaves – have a mentholated aroma, but don’t worry, the chicken broth won’t taste like Vicks.
- Whole Peppercorns – To season the chicken broth without overpowering.
- Fresh, Cold Water – enough to cover the chicken carcass.
Why this chicken stock recipe is better (IMO)
This ingredient list is pretty standard for most homemade chicken stock recipes, but most use whole chickens, and they cook the crap out of them. After the meat has been cooked to oblivion, it becomes tough and unappetizing—not something you want floating around in your chicken soup.
One famous recipe (Ina Garten’s) uses three whole 5-pound chickens for her stock—and then she discards the meat —probably because it’s been cooked to death and is dry and chewy. Blasphemy.
To me, that’s a waste (and I love INA). Sure, her stock might taste good, but come on—three chickens?
My mantra is waste not, want not. This stock uses a leftover chicken carcass, plus any leftover skin and drippings, to make a delicious homemade rotisserie chicken broth that’s great for soups, sauces and fortifying stews.
What is the difference between boxed broth and homemade
I have two things to say if you’ve never made your own stock. #1 – it’s life-altering. #2 – it’s easier than you think. Oh and #3 – you can make it on the stove, in your crock pot, pressure cooker or Instant Pot.
Let’s start with the obvious one first — life-altering.
There is NO COMPARISON between store-bought canned or boxed “chicken stock” and the real deal.
Real rotisserie chicken stock has a silky mouthfeel from the collagen released from the bones. It glides across your tongue, coating it with rich umami flavor. Store-bought is little more than salt and water with “chicken flavor.”
I’m not judging you for using the store-bought stuff in a pinch. Heck, I’ve got two cartons in my pantry right now. However, when there’s leftover rotisserie chicken in the house, it’s worth the 15 minutes of prep to make chicken broth from the carcass.
Making homemade stock is easier than you think
I’m not exaggerating here—making homemade chicken stock with leftover chicken carcasses or rotisserie chicken is truly easy.
With only 10 to 15 minutes of hands-on prep—corralling the bones into the pot and giving the vegetables a rough chop—you can have homemade chicken stock ready to use, store or freeze for later.
Just simmer the stock with a tight-fitting lid (see methods below), and when it’s done, strain off the solids.
What’s the best method to make chicken stock?
Which brings me to my third point… You can make/simmer your stock ANY WAY YOU LIKE.
If you’re more of a stovetop/dutch oven person. Go for it.
If you can’t live without your crockpot or slow cooker, this leftover chicken stock recipe is for you.
If time is of the essence, whip up your leftover rotisserie chicken stock using your old-fashioned rocky-top pressure cooker or that “look what I got for Christmas” Instant Pot.
How to make broth from chicken bones
- Place the chicken carcass and any gelatin collected at the bottom of the container into a large stock pot, Dutch oven, crock pot, or Instant Pot.
- Cover with fresh, cold water.
- Add whole peppercorns and bay leaves.
- Roughly chop the vegetables, such as carrots, onions, parsnips, and turnips and add them to the pot.
Four ways to make chicken stock
In a stock pot/dutch oven:
Bring the ingredients to a low boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and place the lid on the stock pot so it’s slightly askew and some steam can escape. Simmer the rotisserie chicken stock for 2 hours.
Homemade chicken broth in a crock pot:
Add all the ingredients to the crock pot and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours.
In a pressure cooker (the classic type):
Add all ingredients to the pot and close the lid (follow the manufacturer’s instructions for how to close the lid). Bring the pressure cooker to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the rotisserie chicken stock from the heat and reduce the pressure naturally.
Making stock in an Instant Pot:
The Instant Pot is a game-changer for chicken stock — what takes 2 hours on the stovetop happens in about 30 minutes total, and the results are outstanding. Place the carcass and vegetables in the pot and cover with cold water, but don’t fill past the max fill line — usually about ⅔ full. Seal the lid with the vent closed and set to high pressure using the Soup or Manual setting for 15 minutes.
Here’s the important part: let the pressure release naturally. Don’t rush it with a quick release — a slow natural release (about 15-20 minutes) gives the collagen more time to fully integrate into the stock, which means a richer, more gelatinous finished product. Once the float valve drops, carefully remove the lid, and you’ll be hit with the most incredible aroma. The stock will look a little cloudy straight out of the pot — that’s normal. Straining it through a fine mesh strainer clears it right up.
One thing to note: the Instant Pot concentrates flavors quickly, so the finished stock may be slightly more intense than a stovetop version. That’s a good thing for soups — just taste before you add extra salt to a recipe.
Want to take it further? Make rotisserie chicken bone broth.
Stock and bone broth are cousins, but they’re not twins. The difference comes down to time and intention. This rotisserie chicken stock simmers for 1-2 hours — long enough to draw out flavor, collagen and body from the bones. Bone broth pushes that further, extracting maximum collagen and minerals through a longer, lower simmer.
To turn this stock into a proper bone broth, skip the vegetables (they’ll go mushy) and simmer the carcass alone for 4-6 hours on the stovetop or 8-10 hours in the slow cooker. The finished broth should turn completely gelatinous when chilled — not just slightly jiggly, but a firm, quivering gel. That’s the collagen you’re after, and it’s what gives bone broth its legendary silky mouthfeel and nutritional street cred.
A splash of apple cider vinegar (about 1 tablespoon) added at the start is said to help draw minerals out of the bones. It won’t make the broth taste like vinegar — it cooks off — but it may give the extraction process a little boost if you’re going full bone broth mode.
For the fastest bone broth method, use your Instant Pot. Cook the carcass at high pressure for 90 minutes with a natural release, and you’ll get deep, gelatinous results in a fraction of the time. I’ve got a full Instant Pot Bone Broth guide if you want the complete rundown.
Straining chicken stock from the bones
The last step is simply to remove the carcass and bones, then strain the stock and vegetables through a fine mesh strainer.
- I recommend using a large bowl or glass measuring cup (one that can hold at least 4-8 cups of liquid) with a pour spout–it makes it easier to pour the homemade chicken stock into storage containers.
- Use a large fine mesh strainer (not a colander) set securely over the bowl.
- Pour or ladle the rotisserie chicken stock (solids and liquids) through the strainer and into the bowl.
- Press the solids down against the strainer with a wooden spoon. This releases excess liquid and gives you a richer-tasting broth.
- Discard the solids and continue to strain the homemade chicken stock using this method.
- Transfer the broth to a storage container.
Rotisserie chicken stock FAQ’s
3 to 4 days, per USDA guidance. If you won’t use it by then, freeze it. It keeps for up to 3 months.
Yes, but this recipe doesn’t make gallons of chicken broth, so there’s no reason to can it.
Yes. This stock freezes well. You can freeze it in plastic containers or ice cube trays. (Transfer cubes to a zip-top bag when set and keep them for up to 3 months).
Yes. Chicken stock/broth is gluten-free.
Yes!
Yes. I use Costco rotisserie chickens to make this bone broth all the time! I like them because the chickens are big and come in plastic containers with drippings you can add back to the stock. Those drippings add flavor, body, and a velvety mouthfeel to your chicken stock.
Only if it’s been frozen. Cooked chicken keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge, so freeze the carcass if you can’t get to it by then.
Use homemade rotisserie chicken broth in these recipes:
- Southwestern Chicken Taco Soup with Black Beans
- Chicken and Cornmeal Chive Dumplings
- Italian Pasta Fagioli recipe
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Lemon Chicken Artichoke Skillet
More easy homemade stocks and broths:
- Shrimp Stock
- Homemade Instant Pot Bone Broth (with beef neck bones)
- Easy Homemade Lobster Stock
- Homemade Vegetable Broth
- Homemade Turkey Stock from leftover Thanksgiving Turkey
Rotisserie Chicken Stock or Broth
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 leftover rotisserie chicken carcass and any drippings or gelled consomme left in the container
- 2 medium carrots roughly chopped
- 2 stalks celery roughly chopped
- 1 medium onion roughly chopped
- 5 sprigs fresh parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- 10 whole peppercorns
- 6 cups cool water
DIRECTIONS:
FOR STOVETOP OR DUTCH OVEN METHOD:
- Place 1 leftover rotisserie chicken carcass in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add 2 medium carrots, 2 stalks celery, 1 medium onion, 5 sprigs fresh parsley, 1 bay leaf and 10 whole peppercorns. Cover with 6 cups cool water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with the lid slightly askew to let a little steam escape and simmer for at least one hour and up to two.
FOR SLOW COOKER OR CROCK POT CHICKEN STOCK:
- Add the leftover rotisserie chicken carcass to the slow cooker and add the remaining ingredients. Cover with the lid and set the crock pot to low. Cook 4-6 hours or until the broth has body and coats your tongue. The bones and cartilage should be nearly clean from any meat or skin falling off.
FOR THE PRESSURE COOKER/INSTANT POT METHOD:
- Combine the ingredients in the pressure cooker, (don't fill it past ⅔ full line) seal the lid and bring to high pressure. Set the timer for 15 minutes and cook until the time is up. Let the pressure release naturally for 15-20 minutes, then you can use the quick release method to open the pot.
STRAINING LEFTOVER ROTISSERIE CHICKEN STOCK:
- Set a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl or glass measuring cup. Using tongs remove the chicken carcass and discard. Working in batches, ladle the broth and vegetables into the sieve. Press on the solids to remove as much liquid as possible. Discard solids.
- Broth can be refrigerated for 10 days or frozen in a plastic container for up to 3 months.
RECIPE VIDEO:
NOTES:
- Store the stock in an airtight container for a week to 10 days or freeze stock for up to 3 months.
- You can freeze several leftover chicken carcasses (skin and bones) in a freezer-safe storage bag until you’re ready to make a big pot of rotisserie chicken stock. Just be sure to have a pot large enough to hold everything.
- If your rotisserie chicken comes in a plastic container, be sure to use the gelatinous remnants. That’s the best part.
NUTRITION:
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate only and is provided as a courtesy. Values are calculated automatically based on the ingredients and quantities in each recipe and may vary depending on specific brands, exact measurements, and substitutions made. For precise nutritional guidance, especially if you have a medical condition or dietary restriction, please consult a registered dietitian or run the ingredients through your own nutrition calculator.Pin “Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Stock” For Later!
I got a rotisserie chicken the other day and didn’t use the skin for the recipe. Would it be a good idea to simmer the leftover skin with the rest of the carcass? I figured it would add flavor but I’m not sure, I’ve never added it before. Thanks!
Absolutely! The skin will add flavor and body.
I’m a getting-by college student and I can’t begin to tell you how much my wallet and I both love this method of making stock! I shred off all the chicken from the rotisserie to set aside for future meals and then throw the leftover carcass in with most of the listed veggies / whatever scraps I have in the fridge and it makes for such a flavorful stock. 10/10!
That’s so great, Sean! That’s exactly what I do too… and it’s been a while since I was in college!
I understand that adding the vegetables to the stock adds flavor. But I really don’t like the idea of then throwing away the vegetables if the point of all this is to not “waste” the chicken carcass.
You can certainly use the cooked vegetables if you want to. They will obviously be very soft, though. One idea would be to puree the vegetables with a little of the stock and maybe a touch of cream and sherry for an impromptu bisque.
Besides being better tasting, the point of using the carcass to make soup is to not waste anything, so I don’t understand tossing the vegetables. Just boil the carcass without vegetables until all the meat has fallen off all the bones (several hours will make better flavor), cool, pick out the bones, then put back on the stove, add seasonings, vegetables and your grain of choice.
The vegetables help to flavor the stock. Just simmering the chicken on its own won’t give you the same depth of flavor.
I like the idea of using as much of the animal carcass as possible as a respect for the animal that was killed for us to eat..like the American Indians used to use every part of the animal. I try to eat only a little meat every now and then..have not been able to become a vegetarian. I liked the ladies comment about chucking in the really rough bits that we often discard because it helps us reduce waste and heck, its probably the most nutritious part! Food is medicine!
I completely agree — I’m a waste not want not kind of gal!
Delicious!!!!
Really delicious. Thank you. Best stock I’ve made so far!
I did not see the 5 cups of water until the end. I used 8 cups and it’s a bit weak. Can I improve it in any way?
You could add a chicken bouillon to it — I know that sounds like a bit of a cheat, but if it’s been over-diluted, that’s probably your best bet.
Would I be able to use the leftover veggies in another recipe or do you suggest against reuse because the flavor transfers to the stock?
I would avoid using leftover veggies from another recipe for two reasons, they’ve likely been cooked — so some of their flavors and nutrients have already peaked. Second, they’ve likely been seasoned with something – salt, pepper, butter, or oil would be ok, but if you’ve seasoned them more aggressively, it’s going to also impact the broth.
Love to make chicken soup with this.
Never thought to add veggies to the stock while cooking. Resulted in a very tasty broth.
I’m so glad!
Rotisserie chicken is awesome, juicy and flavorful, this is my first time making a soup out of it, so good luck to me….I’m sure it’ll be great. It’s my first time, I have 2 carcasses, and I’m going to give it a whirl, wish me luck…lol
When I make this stock, I let it cool in the fridge and then pour into ice cube trays for freezing. Perfect additions to rice, or whatever you imagine!
I like the way you think!
Rather than using fresh vegetables – keep all of your trimmings from all of your produce and a lot of fruit too – like the carrot greens, and the insides of peppers and apple cores and onion and garlic skins and the stems from fresh herbs – just everything that you’d normally toss – store it all in the freezer till you have enough – and add that to your chicken carcass, plus whatever wilted veggies from the fridge plus dried herbs and yeah – talk about flavor gold.
Great idea!
For a while I was making fresh chicken broth all the time. And then my life got crazy and I just haven’t made it in a while. You’re right, there is no comparison. The homemade is a whole different ballpark. I’ve never used a rotisserie chicken to make it though, what a wonderful idea!
Why don’t I ever do this? I’ll bet it is so delicious and I can think of a million ways to use it. You make it look so simple!
I need to do this. I always toss the bones. Homemade is always so much tastier and it really is so easy to make. Definitely saving the bones next time.
When we used to eat a lot of rotisserie chicken, I would make this all the time! I’d usually save up 3-4 charcasses at a time (putting them in the freezer) and make one BIG batch. Good stuff!
Great idea!
This is brilliant! I always just toss the carcass from rotisserie chicken. Now, I know what to do with the “goo” and bones, Lol!
I love the idea of using leftover rotisserie chicken! Genius!