Canning Chicken Broth is the perfect way to stock your pantry with this all-important staple. Of course, it’s the ultimate winter canning project too.

Jars of Chicken Broth on white surface. — Chicken Broth

How many recipes do you make monthly that call for chicken stock? I’d venture to say a boatload. So whether you’re making chicken soup or adding it to flavor your rice or potatoes, chicken stock is an essential ingredient in your pantry.

Why can your own?

Cost savings: Buying canned or boxed chicken stock can add a considerable amount to your grocery bill. Sure, it convenient, but making your own chicken stock only takes a few minutes hands-on time and the flavor is far superior.
Control your ingredients: Then there is the consideration that most commercially prepared stocks and broths contain lots of sodium and preservatives. When you make your own, you control the ingredients, so you can make it much healthier for your family.
Customizable flavor: Add spices to your broth to use it for different purposes. Think adding cumin, coriander or chili powder for Mexican flavored dishes, or basil, oregano and parsley for Italian recipes.
Versatile: If you are running short on time, you can freeze your whole chicken carcasses until you have enough to make a big batch of stock. When time allows, thaw the carcasses in the fridge, add spices and can it.
Long shelf life: Canned chicken broth has a long shelf life, allowing you to enjoy it for months or even years. This means you can stock up and add it recipes all year long.
Convenient: Having canned chicken stock on hand means you can quickly and easily make a delicious and satisfying meal at any time. Simply open a jar, add it to your favorite dishes and serve.
Using every bit of an ingredient: The last consideration is that you are using the carcass of the chicken, this would generally be tossed in the garbage, so you will be getting the most bang for your buck.

New to canning? Start with our comprehensive article on “How to Can Everything“. It will walk you through all of the dos and don’ts related to canning.

What you need

Chicken: Use chicken carcasses, or poach frying chickens and save the meat for other recipes, like chicken stuffed tomato bites or chicken tacos.
Aromatics: onion, carrot, garlic, celery.
Herbs: Use fresh herbs, if available-parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, bay leaf, and the like.
Salt: You can use any salt, like kosher salt, sea salt or pink Himalayan salt.
Pepper: Freshly ground black pepper is always best.

How to make the broth

Add carcasses (or use a whole chicken) to a large stock pot.

Whole chicken in a large pot, covered with water. — Add chicken or leftover carcasses to a large pot. Cover with water.

Toss in the vegetables, rough chopped.

Vegetables added to chicken in pot. — Add vegetables.

Add the herbs and spices. Barely cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.

Add spices. — Add spices or herbs. Bring to boil.

You can simmer all day, if you’d like. This will make a more concentrated stock but it only needs to simmer for an hour.

How to can it

Prepare jars and lids. Prepare pressure canner, according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Heat broth. Strain the broth to remove the aromatics, bones and herbs.

Stock heating in large pot. — Heat stock.

Ladle hot broth into warmed canning jars using a canning funnel, leaving a 1-inch headspace.

Canning funnel to ladle stock into jars. — Ladle broth into jars.

Remove bubbles, if needed. Wipe the rims with a damp, clean kitchen towel or paper towel.

Wiping the rim of a jar. — Wipe the rim to clean of debris.

Center warm lids on jars.

Magnetic lid lifter centering lid on jar — Center lid on top.

Screw on the bands fingertip tight.

Band screwed onto jar. — Screw on band, fingertip tight.

Add the jars to the canning pot. Secure the lid. Turn on heat. Once the water boils, the pot will start to steam. Let it vent for a full ten minutes.

After 10 minutes, add the weighted gauge or dial gauge. Finally, bring the pressure canner up to the specified pressure for your altitude. (See the recipe below for details.)

Start timing when it reaches the pressure. Be careful to adjust the temperature of your burner to maintain the target pressure or slightly over. If the pressure goes below the desired PSI (pounds per square inch), you must restart the timing.

After processing time is complete, allow pressure to release. Carefully unlock the lid. Let the jars cool for 12-24 hours, undisturbed. Check lids for seal. Press down in the center of the lid; if it flexes up or down, the jar is not sealed and should be stored in the fridge. Use these jars first.

Four jars of chicken stock in pint jars.

Pro tips

Do not water bath can chicken broth! According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, low acid foods, like this broth require pressure canning to make them shelf stable.
If you don’t have a pressure canner, add the stock to a freezer bag or another freezing container and freeze it. Frozen stock will last about six months. Always thaw it in the refrigerator before using, or place the frozen stock directly into a stockpot and heat it on the stove.
Use this recipe to make bone broth from beef bones, turkey, pork, venison, or chicken.
We prefer using pint jars. Two cups of broth is perfect for most recipes, but you can use quart jars if you’d like.
You can use your instant pot or slow cooker to make the bone broth.

Pro- Tip: When canning, choose a reputable source for your recipe. The National Center for Home Food Preservation is one and the other is the USDA Complete Guide to Canning.

All of the recipes on this site are based on one or both of these trusted sources. We just do a more thorough job showing you how to do it, step by step.

Helpful Tools

More Pressure Canning Recipes

Canning homemade chicken broth is an easy project that will save you money and is so much more flavorful than store-bought.

Four jars of stock on a white board with fresh aromatics. — Chicken Stock

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I hope you enjoyed the recipe today!

Enjoy. And have fun cooking!

Originally published February 15, 2023.

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