A good chicken stock sets the foundation for great soups but can add so much flavor to other dishes as well. This Basic Chinese Chicken Stock provides just the right authentic flavor for Chinese soups and dishes.
Chicken stock is a common ingredient in most types of cuisines all around the world. For Chinese cooking, it is best to use a good Chinese Chicken Stock as it provides the authentic Chinese flavors.
Western chicken stock often includes celery and parsnips, parsley and other herbs. While delicious in Western recipes, it is not a good match for Chinese cooking.
This Basic Chinese Chicken Stock contains only 6 ingredients (including the chicken and the water!), but the combination of these ingredients is what sets it apart from other types of chicken stock recipes, and makes it suitable for Chinese cooking. It is intentionally light and mild to complement rather than overpower the rest of the flavors in the dish.
How to Make Chinese Chicken Stock
One whole chicken is used as opposed to just chicken parts/bones. Place the whole chicken in a stockpot, then fill the pot with just enough water to cover the chicken.
Add:
2 carrots (peeled, cut into thirds or quarters)
1 large yellow onion (peeled)
3 stalks of scallions
1 - 2 inches ginger (peeled)
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Simmer on low heat for 3 to 4 hours.
From time to time as it simmers, use an ultra-fine mesh soup skimmer to scoop up the froth from the surface.
Carefully remove the chicken, carrots, onion, scallions and ginger from the pot.
By the time the stock is ready, the chicken (especially the white meat) is not going to be left with much flavor or moisture so most of it should be discarded.
You may choose to save some dark meat from the chicken - cut or shred it and use it in fried rice, soups, etc. The vegetables should be discarded.
Pour the stock through a fine-mesh strainer and into jars, containers, or storage bags.
Chicken stock can keep in the fridge for about 1 week and for about 6 months in the freezer.
To store chicken stock in the freezer, you can pour the stock into ice cube trays, allow the stock to freeze, then put the frozen chicken stock cubes in a large ziploc bag. This makes it very convenient for recipes that require just a little chicken stock.
Another great way to store chicken stock in the freezer is to use disposable breast milk storage bags. It is very easy to fill them - you can stand them upright and pour the liquid right into the bags. They also seal very well, and they are quite narrow so they won't take up much space in your freezer.
Best of all, they have the liquid measurement levels printed on the bags so you know exactly how much chicken stock you're storing in each bag. Some bags even have a write-on label so you can write down the date that you prepared the stock.
Here are a few recipes that you can make with this chicken stock:
- Rice Cooker Hainanese Chicken Rice
- Sizzling Rice Soup
- Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Vegetables
- Egg Drop Soup
Basic Chinese Chicken Stock
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 12 - 15 cups water
- 2 carrots peeled, cut into thirds or quarters
- 1 onion peeled and cut in half
- 3 stalks scallions
- 1 - 2 inches ginger peeled
Instructions
- Place the whole chicken in a stockpot, then fill the pot with just enough water to cover the chicken.
- Add the carrots, onion, scallions and ginger to the pot.
- Simmer over low heat for 3 to 4 hours, skimming the froth from the surface from time to time.
- Allow to cool slightly, then remove the chicken and vegetables from the pot.
- Pour through a fine mesh strainer, and into jars, containers or storage bags.
Audrey says
Hi! 2 questions:
1) Why did you not cut up the whole chicken into smaller parts?
2) Some would boil the chicken first to remove the impurities…. Why did you skip this step?
Thanks!
Char says
Hi Audrey! You could certainly cut the chicken into smaller parts if you prefer, but I've found it more convenient to use the whole chicken so I can remove it in one piece once the stock is done.
I would boil the chicken first only if I want the soup to be very very clear. Otherwise, if the soup can be opaque, I will just use a soup skimmer to skim the impurities.
I hope that helps!
Anna says
@Audrey, if you simmer the stock there is no need to cook the chicken first and it will still be clear. But you cannot let it fully boil, just simmer. It takes longer but is more flavoureful than cooking the chicken first while achieving a clear stock.
Niki says
I couldn't print the recipe/print wouldn't work.
I would put chicken in a basket to remove. Thank you for this site.
Char says
Hi Niki, Thanks for letting me know! I'm sorry you were not able to print this recipe. I'll look that. Thanks also for the tip about putting the chicken in a basket!