If you’ve ever wanted to make a rich, flavorful, and nutrient-packed chicken bone broth from scratch, this recipe is for you. We’re using every part of the chicken — bones, skin, fat, and even those “unwanted” bits — to create a broth that’s silky, deeply savory, and amazing for gut health and immunity.
Ingredients
-
1 whole chicken carcass (bones, skin, and fat saved after roasting or cooking)
-
2 tablespoons olive oil or reserved chicken fat
-
2 carrots, roughly chopped
-
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
-
1 onion, quartered (leave the skin on for color)
-
3 garlic cloves, smashed
-
1–2 bay leaves
-
A handful of fresh parsley or thyme stems (optional)
-
1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (helps extract minerals from the bones)
-
Salt and pepper to taste
-
Water (enough to cover the bones, about 10–12 cups)
Step 1: Roast the Bones
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Spread the chicken bones, fat, and skin on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil or reserved chicken fat. Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, turning once halfway through, until everything is golden brown and aromatic. This step builds deep, roasted flavor and gives your bone broth that beautiful amber color.
Step 2: Simmer the Broth
Transfer the roasted bones and drippings into a large stock pot. Add your vegetable scraps, bay leaves, herbs, and apple cider vinegar. Cover with water.
Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then lower the heat and let it simmer low and slow for 12 to 24 hours. The longer it simmers, the more nutrients and gelatin you’ll extract.
👉 Pro tip: Don’t boil — keep it at a gentle simmer to get a clear, silky broth instead of a cloudy one.
Step 3: Strain and Store
Once done, strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a large bowl or jars. Discard the solids.
Let it cool, then refrigerate. As it cools, you’ll notice it turns gelatinous — that’s the good stuff!
💡 Fun fact: Bone broth gives you gelatin, not collagen — but gelatin provides the amino acids your body uses to build collagen naturally. It’s what gives your broth that silky texture and makes it so soothing for your gut.
How to Use Homemade Bone Broth
Use this roasted chicken bone broth as a base for soups, stews, sauces, or just sip it warm with a pinch of sea salt. It’s perfect for:
-
Supporting gut health
-
Boosting collagen production naturally
-
Nourishing your skin, joints, and immunity
****If you live in the bay area, definitely go check out BE.Steak.a and try their bone broth!
The misconception surrounding bone broth and collagen largely stems from how these two substances are marketed and understood. The idea is that drinking bone broth directly provides collagen to the body, but this isn’t entirely accurate. Let’s break it down:
Bone Broth and Collagen:
-
Bone broth is made by simmering animal bones (often with connective tissue) for extended periods, which allows the collagen in those tissues to break down into gelatin.
-
Gelatin is the cooked form of collagen, and it’s what gives bone broth its characteristic gel-like consistency when cooled.
The Misconception:
People often think that because bone broth contains collagen, drinking it directly translates to an increase in collagen in their bodies, especially in the skin, joints, or hair. However, here’s why this is misleading:
-
Collagen Breaks Down into Amino Acids:
When you consume bone broth, your digestive system breaks down the gelatin (which is derived from collagen) into its individual amino acids, like proline, glycine, and hydroxyproline. These amino acids are building blocks for collagen, but they don’t automatically turn into collagen in your body. Your body uses these amino acids where it sees fit, which means they might not necessarily go to your skin or joints. -
Gelatin vs. Collagen:
-
Collagen is a large, complex protein, while gelatin is simply collagen that has been broken down by heat.
-
Gelatin contains some of the same amino acids as collagen but is not the same thing. It’s easier for your body to digest and use the amino acids from gelatin, but it doesn’t directly “give you” collagen the way the marketing may suggest.
-
-
Collagen Synthesis in the Body:
Your body doesn’t just absorb collagen from food and place it where it’s needed. Instead, it uses the amino acids from gelatin (and other protein sources) to help your body produce its own collagen. So, while consuming gelatin from bone broth provides the necessary building blocks, it doesn’t directly mean your body will create more collagen unless it has the proper conditions (like other vitamins and minerals). -
Does Bone Broth Help with Skin, Joints, and Hair?:
There is some evidence suggesting that consuming collagen (through supplements, or foods like bone broth) can help support skin elasticity and joint health. However, it’s more about providing the necessary amino acids for your body to produce collagen on its own, rather than giving you ready-made collagen. The body can use the amino acids to make collagen wherever it’s needed, but it’s not a direct “collagen delivery.”
Why the Misconception Exists:
-
Marketing: Bone broth is often marketed as a “collagen-boosting” superfood. The word “collagen” has strong associations with benefits for skin, joints, and hair, so it’s an easy marketing hook.
-
Nutrition Trends: Collagen supplements have become very popular, and bone broth is often marketed alongside them as a more natural alternative. However, this can blur the lines between what is actually happening in the body when you consume bone broth.
In short, while bone broth is rich in gelatin, which provides amino acids that are important for collagen production, it doesn’t directly provide collagen in the form that your body can just absorb and use as-is. Instead, the body uses the amino acids from gelatin to produce its own collagen where needed.
