A rich, homemade chicken stock can transform everyday dishes into something memorable. While convenience products like stock cubes are tempting, a deeply flavored, roasted chicken stock brings a natural, restaurant-quality depth that water or instant mixes simply can’t match. Use this dark roasted chicken stock as the foundation for paellas, risottos, sauces, soups, and braises—your dishes will taste cleaner, fuller, and more satisfying.
Ingredients for the base
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1 chicken carcass plus wing tips and shanks from a whole chicken
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1 bay leaf
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1 clove (whole)
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4 black peppercorns
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Pinch of salt
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A drizzle of olive oil
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2 sprigs thyme
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2 sprigs parsley
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1 sprig rosemary
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1 Spanish onion
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2 carrots
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2 sticks celery
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1 tomato
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5 garlic cloves
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1 shot brandy
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3 litres water
Preparation
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Preheat the oven to 210°C. Peel the carrots, onion, and trim the celery. Cut the tomato into wedges and leave the garlic cloves whole. Spread the vegetables in a roasting tray, top with the chicken carcass pieces, wing tips, and shanks, then drizzle with olive oil. Roast, stirring every 15 minutes, until everything is deeply browned, about 45 minutes. The caramelisation on the bones and vegetables is key to the stock’s rich colour and flavor.
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Transfer the roasted ingredients to a large stockpot. Place the roasting tray over high heat on the stove, add the brandy and carefully flambé to release the browned fond. Once the flames subside, add a little water and bring to a boil, scraping the tray with a metal spatula to lift all the caramelised bits. Deglazing the tray recovers concentrated flavor that belongs in your stock.
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Pour the deglazing liquid into the pot with the roasted bones and vegetables. Add the remaining water, bay leaf, clove, peppercorns, thyme, parsley, rosemary and a pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 2 hours. Skim any excessive foam as needed for a clear stock.
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After simmering, strain the stock through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a clean container. Allow it to cool, then refrigerate. Once chilled, any fat will rise and solidify on top—skim this off if you want a leaner stock. The finished stock can be kept in the fridge for several days or frozen in portions for longer storage.
Tips: Roast the bones and vegetables until well browned for maximum depth. Deglazing the roasting tray is essential—don’t skip it. Adjust salt at the end of cooking, especially if you plan to reduce the stock further in recipes. Use the stock as a flavorful base for paella, soups, stews, sauces, and any dish that benefits from a robust chicken foundation.