rotisserie chicken Archives • New Nostalgia

RECIPES/ Sides

Rotisserie Chicken Bone Broth Plain & Simple

I’ve made bone broth a few different ways, and there really isn’t a right way, but using a rotisserie chicken is by far the easiest way! I simply use the rotisserie chicken meat for a meal, but instead of getting rid of the chicken carcass, I keep it and use it to make a wonderfully good-for-you bone broth. Sometimes I use the meat to add right back into the broth once it is finished which makes the tastiest chicken soup, and sometimes I make another recipe that calls for shredded chicken and freeze the bone broth once it is finished.

Bone broth is all the rage right now, with bone broth cafe’s popping up in bigger cities like New York. Why? Because of bone broth’s amazing health benefits. It has been called better than botox broth because of the many benefits it contains for skin, hair and nails. Homemade bone broth contains collagen and gelatin that makes your skin plump up & hair shine! It not only makes your outsides glow, but it does amazing things for your inside, too! It heals your gut by coating your intestines and also cushions your joints and relieves inflammation.

I started making bone broth on a regular basis specifically for brain health. I love learning what I can do with food to make our guts healthy which in turn makes our brains healthy too! The minerals from bones are wonderful, and this method of making bone broth extracts calcium, potassium & the calming mineral, magnesium, right into the broth.

Why not just use store-bought stock? Sometimes I do if it is organic from a brand I trust, and I need convenience. Most of the stocks you can buy at the store do contain gelatin, but is thinned down with water so the gelatin content is very low. Cheaper brands have to make up the flavor somehow, so they use additives: salt, yeast extracts and MSG. Even the most expensive, organic brands have super high salt content and you have to pay a pretty penny for them.

Any chef will tell you the key to a delicious soup is a nice, hearty, rich, homemade broth. I am known for my delicious homemade soups and the reason why they are so good is because of bone broth. You now know my soup secret! Making your own is so easy, it will make your home smell wonderful & is cost efficient way to give great boosts to your health through food.

Benefits of Drinking Bone Broth

~it is one of the most nutrient dense, whole foods that you can make

~it is super hydrating

~gives steady energy throughout the day if you drink it in the morning. A cup for lunch gives energy during the afternoon energy slump.

~it is rich in amino acids & trace minerals

~research shows that chicken broth boosts immune function

Tips For Making Bone Broth:

~Do not boil. Boiling can destroy collagen molecules. A slow simmer is best.

~Use vinegar when possible to pull out the trace minerals & collagen from the bones.

~Use an organic chicken, one with no hormones & no antibiotics. Whole Foods has organic rotisserie chickens.

~Celebrate if you see that the broth become gelatinous when refrigerated. That is a great sign that you extracted all the good stuff from the bones. That is liquid gold!

~Want to pull even more health benefits from the bones? Soak the bones in cold water with the vinegar & vegetables for 15 minutes to an hour before turning on the heat.

~Oftentimes, there will be wonderful gelatin left in the bottom of the rotisserie container if you have refrigerated the chicken before preparing the broth. Don’t let that go to waste! Dump it right into your broth or save it with your chicken to add later to the soup or whatever dish you are making. You can see it in the picture below.

~Make your own rotisserie chicken in the slow cooker with a Trader Joes Organic whole chicken. {instructions here}

~Bone Broth keeps fresh in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

~Can freeze in mason jars or ice-cube trays.

~Not ready to make bone broth but have leftover bones? Freeze them in a ziplock.

~Not gonna be home for hours? Use a slow cooker instead of the stove. Instructions below.

Bone Broth Plain & Simple

Recipe Type: sides

Ingredients

Rotisserie Chicken bones & skin
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 organic carrots halved
3 stalks organic celery halved
1 organic onion halved
6-10 cups water
Kosher salt & pepper

Instructions

Take all meat off a rotisserie chicken. Save the meat and set aside.
Place the carcass & skin in large pan.
Cut up 2 organic carrots, add to the pan.
Cut up 2 organic celery stalks, add to the pan.
Cut an organic onion in half, add to the pan. If organic, can leave skin on.
Add water to the pan, until it comes a few inches above the chicken bones. I never measure the water. It all depends on the size of your pan and the amount of bones you have.
Add the vinegar & pepper.
Optional: Let all soak for 15-1 hour to bring even more gelatin out of the bones.
Bring to a simmer and remove any scum that rises to the top. Remove the scum, but keep the fat.
Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and let simmer for 12-24 hours.
Remove bones from the broth using a slotted spoon, & strain the rest using a mesh strainer until to remove any bone fragments.
Let broth cool, strain, add salt to taste, & store in mason jars. Freezes beautifully!

Bone Broth (Slow Cooker)

Recipe Type: sides

Ingredients

Rotisserie Chicken Bones & Skin
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 organic carrots halved
3 stalks organic celery halved
1 organic onion halved
6-10 cups water or enough to cover chicken bones & vegetables by a couple of inches
Kosher salt & Pepper

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in your slow cooker. Cook on low for 15 hours. (I do overnight.)
Let broth cool, strain, add salt to taste, & store in mason jars. Freezes beautifully!

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What do you think? Do you make your own broth? Do you want to make bone broth after reading how simple it is and all of the health benefits it brings?

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How-Tos/ Meals/ RECIPES/ Sides

Rotisserie Chicken In The Crock Pot/Healthy Chicken Stock

My oldest girl is home from school with a fever today. I’m going to make her some homemade chicken noodle soup, but the poor thing will have to wait for a day. Today I am making Rotisserie Chicken in the crockpot, that will stretch to 3 meals, one of them being Homemade Chicken Soup.

What I like about this recipe is how easy it is, how cheap it is, and how you can use the bones to make a super healthy, full of nutrients and minerals, homemade chicken stock. If I am going to take the time to make homemade chicken soup, I want to know that it really is going to make a difference in the health of my family.

I have learned that the key to the most healthful soup is not only the veggies in the soup but the chicken stock itself. Don’t throw away those chicken bones! By cooking the heck out of those bones, you are extracting the gelatin, which is a nutritious source of protein, as well as collagen, calcium, minerals and amino acids.

I had no idea until recently that bone stock was such a big deal! It strengthens the gastrointestinal tract and the immune system, plus it takes the flavor and texture of your soup and savory dishes to a whole new level.

Chefs worldwide and through the centuries have sought out this marrow bone stock as a very important ingredient for soups, sauces, and pilafs.

The stocks you can buy at the store do contain gelatin but is thinned down with water so the gelatin content is very low. They have to make up the flavor somehow, so they use additives: salt, yeast extracts, and MSG.

Knowing what I know now, I am going to be much more purposeful about saving bones and making my own stock, especially if I can make a whole chicken stretch over a few meals. My plan for the chicken sitting in my crockpot right now, is to eat some of the Rotisserie-Style Chicken with rice and veggies tonight, then I will cook my (chicken :))bones in the crockpot overnight, to make stock for my chicken noodle soup (stock, some of the chicken meat, potatoes, carrots, onion, peas, noodles, and seasonings) and whatever chicken is left will go into chicken fajitas! (I use this recipe on my sister’s blog, but instead of grilled chicken, I use shredded chicken. The seasoning I use is a garlic and pepper grill seasoning called Misty’s, it is sold here in Nebraska, but you can order it online)

Rotisserie Chicken In The Crockpot

(recipe from A Year Of Slow Cooking)

–1 whole chicken, skinned (4-5 pounds)

–2 tsp kosher salt (if you’d like it as salty as the ones in the store, add another 1 tsp.)
–1 tsp paprika
–1 tsp onion powder
–1/2 tsp dried thyme
–1 tsp Italian seasoning
–1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
–1/2 tsp black pepper
–pinch of chili pepper (probably not necessary)

–4 whole garlic cloves (optional)
–1 yellow onion, quartered (optional)

The Directions.

I used a 6-quart crockpot for a 5-pound bird. It fit nicely.

In a bowl, combine all of the dried spices. Rub the spice mixture all over the bird, inside and out. Plop the bird breast-side down into the crockpot.

If desired, shove 4 whole garlic cloves and a quartered onion inside the bird.

Do not add water.

Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 8. The meat is done when it is fully cooked and has reached desired tenderness. The longer you cook it, the more tender the meat.

***Update: I just made chicken in my crockpot today but was in a rush so instead of the above seasonings, I just dumped Old Bay Seasoning all over the chicken and added some pepper. It really tasted good, it is a great alternative for those days you just don’t feel like measuring!

Bone Stock
Chicken bones or carcass
Water to cover (about 6 cups)
1 tsp vinegar for every 4 cups of water (helps extract the good stuff from the bones)
Optional:
onion, cut in large chunks
2 carrots, cut in large chunks
2 stalks celery, cut in large chunks
2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1 T. Italian seasoning
Dump all into the crockpot. Cover and cook 8-10 hours. (I do overnight) Remove from heat and cool completely. Strain the stock. Pour into jars or freezer bags in manageable portions. If using ziplock, lay on a cookie sheet to freeze flat, they will be much easier to fit into your freezer. I have also seen people freeze their stock in ice cube trays and dump the cubes into a large ziplock.

There is no salt added to this recipe, but the stock will need salt for flavor. When I use it in my recipes, I will taste and salt as needed. The overall sodium content will be much lower than store bought broths/stocks.

I’m happy to know that there will be healthy, homemade stock in my freezer, so the next time one of my little boos get sick, I will be able to make the soup that same day!

Click here for how-to make the above Chicken Soup.