Overnight Slow Cooker Chicken Stock

After making this overnight slow cooker chicken stock you’ll never go back to store-bought! A couple months ago I discovered the beauty of cooking a whole chicken in the slow cooker.

It certainly doesn’t replace a perfectly roasted chicken in the oven, with its crispy skin and juicy meat {drool}.

But, it’s a fine alternative for a busy day when there’s no time in the evening to prep and cook a regular home cooked meal.

Plus, cooking a whole chicken this way is the perfect setup for overnight slow cooker chicken stock!

The meat literally falls off the bones, leaving you with the perfect base of cooked down onions, juices and spices — and bones — to create an amazing slow cooked stock.

Overnight Slow Cooker Chicken Stock

That’s right.

Homemade chicken stock made right in the comfort of your own home with the ease of a slow cooker … while you’re sleeping.

Don’t want to slow cook a whole chicken first?

No worries.

A leftover carcass from an oven-roasted chicken (I freeze mine after roasting a chicken in the oven), or baking a package of inexpensive chicken drumsticks, can give you the perfect bone base too!

All you do next is add a fresh halved onion, carrots, celery, some fresh or dried herbs (whatever you have on hand), lots of salt and enough water to fill the slow cooker to within an inch of the top.

No carrots or celery on hand? Doesn’t matter. I’ve made this with only some onion and dried herbs, and it still turned out better than store-bought.

The final step after choosing your ingredients is that you cook the stock on low for ten to twelve hours, overnight. Overnight, as in, WHILE YOU’RE SLEEPING.

I have to warn you, the scent from the overnight slow cooker chicken stock wafting through the house in the morning will make you want to leap out of bed and dance a jig — *it’s unreal.*

Once it’s done, all that’s left is letting it cool and then packaging it up to freeze or store fresh.

I usually keep two to three cups in the refrigerator in a mason jar, and then I freeze the remainder in two-cup portions in zip-top freezer bags laid flat so that they stack.

You’ll never go back to the store-bought stock!

Got an Instant Pot? Try my Instant Pot Chicken Stock for delicious homemade stock that’s ready in an hour!

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Overnight Slow Cooker Chicken Stock

Yield: 10-12 Cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 hours

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 12 hours 5 minutes

After making this overnight slow cooker chicken stock you'll never go back to store-bought!

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Ingredients

• Bones, skin, and scrumples left over from a roast chicken
• 1 large onion, halved (it's fine to leave the skin on!)
• 2 carrots, rough chopped
• 1 celery stalk, rough chopped
• 1 handful fresh parsley (or a couple tablespoons of dried herbs)
• 2 tablespoons sea salt
• 12+ cups water

Instructions

1. Throw all the ingredients into a large slow cooker, and set it to cook on low for 10 to 12 hours.
2. Strain the stock into a large bowl and let it cool in the fridge. Discard all the pieces of bone and vegetables.
3. Once cool, skim the fat off the top of the stock, and then portion it into containers.

Notes

I usually leave a pint in the fridge to use that week (it's good for 7 to 10 days in the refrigerator). Then, I freeze 2-cup portions in zip-top freezer bags, making sure to lay the bags flat while freezing so they stack easily.

Adapted from a 100 Days of Real Food recipe.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Hamilton Beach Portable 6-Quart Set & Forget Digital Programmable Slow Cooker With Temperature Probe, Lid Lock, Stainless Steel (33969A)
• 
  J.A. Henckels International 31161-201 CLASSIC Chef's Knife, 8 Inch, Black
• 
  Qimh Collapsible Colander Set of 3 Round Silicone Kitchen Strainer Set - 2 pcs 4 Quart and 1 pcs 2 Quart- Perfect for Draining Pasta, Vegetable and fruit (green,blue, purple)
• 
  Golden Spoon Mason Jars, With Regular Lids, and Lids for Drinking, Regular Mouth, Dishwasher Safe, BPA Free, (Set of 6) (16 oz/Pint)

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 25Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 1074mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 2g

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Last Updated on October 6, 2020 by Liza Hawkins