Homemade Chicken Bouillon Cubes
Homemade Chicken Bouillon Cubes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 chicken drumsticks, or 2 leg quarters, organic if possible
- 1 cup water
- 1 leek, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
Add olive oil to a large, lidded cooking pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Place the chicken drumsticks (or leg quarters) in the oiled pan. Add the water, ensuring the chicken is mostly covered. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover the pot with a lid and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 45-60 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender, and a flavorful broth has formed.
⏱️ 60 min
- 2
Carefully remove the cooked chicken pieces from the pot and set aside to cool slightly. Pour the resulting chicken broth into a separate bowl or container and reserve.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
While the chicken cools, prepare the vegetables. In a large bowl, combine the chopped leek, carrot, celery, red onion, and fresh parsley. Add the fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs, and sprinkle with salt.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Pour the reserved chicken broth back into the same pot. Add the chopped vegetables, herbs, and salt to the broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft.
⏱️ 30 min
- 5
Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones. Discard the bones and skin. Shred the cooked chicken meat into small, tiny chunks using a fork and your hands. Add the shredded chicken to the simmering vegetable and broth mixture in the pot.
⏱️ 15 min
- 6
Using an immersion blender, thoroughly blend the chicken, vegetables, and broth directly in the pot. Blend until you achieve a concentrated, rich, and full-bodied mixture with a slightly pureed consistency, while still retaining some small, discernible chunks of ingredients. The final texture should be a thick, yellowish-green paste.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Spread the blended chicken and vegetable mixture evenly onto a large baking sheet, forming a flat slab about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and leave overnight (at least 8 hours) until the mixture is completely frozen solid.
⏱️ 480 min
- 8
Once frozen, remove the baking sheet from the freezer. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the solid slab into individual, uniform cubes (bouillon cubes) of your desired size. Transfer the homemade bouillon cubes into a freezer-safe bag or airtight container for long-term storage.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Homemade Chicken Bouillon Cubes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 chicken drumsticks, or 2 leg quarters, organic if possible
- 1 cup water
- 1 leek, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
Add olive oil to a large, lidded cooking pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Place the chicken drumsticks (or leg quarters) in the oiled pan. Add the water, ensuring the chicken is mostly covered. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover the pot with a lid and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 45-60 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender, and a flavorful broth has formed.
⏱️ 60 min - 2
Carefully remove the cooked chicken pieces from the pot and set aside to cool slightly. Pour the resulting chicken broth into a separate bowl or container and reserve.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
While the chicken cools, prepare the vegetables. In a large bowl, combine the chopped leek, carrot, celery, red onion, and fresh parsley. Add the fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs, and sprinkle with salt.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Pour the reserved chicken broth back into the same pot. Add the chopped vegetables, herbs, and salt to the broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft.
⏱️ 30 min - 5
Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones. Discard the bones and skin. Shred the cooked chicken meat into small, tiny chunks using a fork and your hands. Add the shredded chicken to the simmering vegetable and broth mixture in the pot.
⏱️ 15 min - 6
Using an immersion blender, thoroughly blend the chicken, vegetables, and broth directly in the pot. Blend until you achieve a concentrated, rich, and full-bodied mixture with a slightly pureed consistency, while still retaining some small, discernible chunks of ingredients. The final texture should be a thick, yellowish-green paste.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Spread the blended chicken and vegetable mixture evenly onto a large baking sheet, forming a flat slab about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and leave overnight (at least 8 hours) until the mixture is completely frozen solid.
⏱️ 480 min - 8
Once frozen, remove the baking sheet from the freezer. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the solid slab into individual, uniform cubes (bouillon cubes) of your desired size. Transfer the homemade bouillon cubes into a freezer-safe bag or airtight container for long-term storage.
⏱️ 5 min