Chicken Carcass Bone-Broth Soup (Stovetop)

Name: Chicken Carcass Bone-Broth Soup (Stovetop)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 3 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h 45 min
Yield: Serves 4–6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cooked chicken carcass (plus any skin, drippings, and jelly from the container); 1 large onion, quartered (leave skin on for color); 2 carrots, cut into big chunks; 2 celery ribs, cut into big chunks; 4 cloves garlic, smashed; 1 bay leaf; 8–10 black peppercorns (or 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper); 8–10 cups cold water (enough to cover); 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste (start light; reduce later); 2 carrots, diced; 2 celery ribs, diced; 1 small onion or 2 leeks, sliced (white/light green); 1–2 cups shredded cooked chicken (picked from the carcass); 1/2–1 cup egg noodles OR 2/3 cup cooked rice (optional); 2–3 tbsp chopped parsley or dill (optional); 1–2 tsp lemon juice or a splash of vinegar (optional, to brighten)

Erin Rea

Turn a leftover roast/rotisserie chicken carcass into a deep, clean-tasting broth, then finish it into a simple, cozy soup. You’ll simmer the bones with aromatics until the kitchen smells roasty and savory, strain for clarity, then add vegetables and shredded chicken for body. It’s forgiving, freezer-friendly, and easy to tailor: noodles, rice, or just a lemony, peppery clear soup.

soup
bone broth
chicken
leftovers

3 hr 45 min total · 15 min prep · 3 hr 30 min cook

Serves 4–6

230 kcal · 22g protein · 12g carbs · 10g fat total

Large stockpot (6–8 qt) · Fine-mesh strainer

Ingredients

Instructions

Make the broth

Break up the carcass. Crack the carcass into a few pieces (hands or a heavy knife through joints) so it fits in a pot and exposes more bone.

Start cold. Put carcass, onion, carrot chunks, celery chunks, garlic, bay, peppercorns, salt, and water in a large pot. Water should cover the bones by about 1–2 inches.

Bring to a bare simmer. Heat over medium until you see small bubbles lazily rising and a little steam—not a rolling boil. Skim off any gray foam for a cleaner broth.

Simmer gently. Partially cover and keep at a quiet simmer 2–3 hours. The broth is ready when it smells deeply chickeny and the bones look pale and “spent,” and the liquid tastes full even before salting.

Strain and defat. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Let it sit 5 minutes, then spoon off surface fat (or chill and lift off the solid fat later). Taste and adjust salt.

Finish into soup

Cook the vegetables. Return broth to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add diced carrots, diced celery, and sliced onion/leek. Simmer until the veg are tender and sweet, 10–15 minutes.

Add chicken (and noodles if using). Stir in shredded chicken. If using noodles, add them now and simmer until just tender; they’re done when they’re plump and no longer chalky in the center.

Season and brighten. Grind in black pepper. Add herbs. Finish with lemon juice/vinegar a few drops at a time until the flavor “lifts” without tasting sour.

Serve. Serve hot. If you want it richer, let it sit off heat 5 minutes—fat rises and the aroma intensifies—then stir and ladle.

Tip: If you plan to store leftovers, cook noodles/rice separately and add to bowls. They won’t over-soften the soup.

Notes

Food safety: chill broth quickly—strain into a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours. Keeps 4 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen. For extra body, add 1 tbsp unflavored gelatin per quart if your carcass was very lean. If your chicken was heavily salted, skip salting until after straining and taste first.