Unlike Western chicken stocks and broths, which use a mix of vegetables and herbs, this is a clear, pure-tasting Chinese chicken broth, flavored just with ginger and scallions.
It’s the perfect canvas for all the recipes on the blog that call for chicken stock, from soups to wontons and noodles. It will also up your game for stir-fries and braises!
While we have posted a Chinese chicken broth recipe you can make on the stove, this version is even faster with an Instant Pot! Making a big batch means you always have some on hand, and it couldn’t be easier.
3-Ingredient Chicken Broth
All you need for an incredible stock or broth is chicken, scallions, and ginger. This is technically a broth, which includes meat, whereas a stock is made primarily from bones. You’ll need a total of 3 pounds of meat and bones.
Because you’re making it in an Instant Pot, you don’t have to heat up your kitchen with the stove on for hours.
Note on Instant Pot Size!
We made this recipe in a large 8 qt. Instant Pot. If your pot is smaller, you’ll have to scale down the recipe accordingly. You can do that by clicking/tapping the number of servings in the recipe card at the bottom of the recipe card, and using the slider to scale it down.
The result is a surprisingly clear chicken broth with great flavor. Check out our other tips for making clear broths!
What cuts of chicken should you use for broth?
We like to use chicken drumsticks, which are inexpensive and can stand up to long cooking times. We used 2½ pounds of meat, and ½ pound of chicken thigh bones (which we had leftover from deboning chicken thighs).
Other recipes also suggest chicken wings, but wings are actually quite expensive these days, and why would you use wings for broth or stock when you could make Baked White Pepper Chicken Wings, Three Cup Chicken, or Takeout Chicken Wings?!
What do I do with the leftover meat?
Depending on your tastes, there is a chance that the chicken meat can be salvaged, shredded for noodles, a Kou Shui Ji, or Poached Chicken with Ginger Scallion Sauce.
If you let the soup cook for longer (see instructions), the chicken meat will most likely end up too overcooked.
But don’t throw it away! With some of this shredded meat, finicky Barley joins the clean plate club every time!
Alliums are poisonous to dogs at levels more than 0.5% of a dog’s body weight, and we avoid giving them to Barley when treating her to leftovers. For example, this would equate to a 30 lb dog ingesting about 2.5 ounces of allium. As a large dog, we consider the 2 scallions in this entire pot of stock safe for her, especially if it means that the chicken meat won’t go to waste.
Instant Pot Chinese Chicken Broth: Recipe Instructions
Add the raw chicken drumsticks and bones, ginger, and scallions to your Instant Pot. Add 12 cups of water.
(We have an 8 qt. Instant Pot. If yours is smaller, scale down the recipe accordingly. Make sure your liquid levels do not exceed the max-fill line.)
Seal the lid of your Instant Pot. Set it to manual high pressure for 45 minutes. Once it beeps, it’s on, but it will take about 15-20 minutes to come up to high pressure, in addition to the 45 minutes of cooking time.
When it’s done, allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for at least 30 minutes and carefully turn the venting knob to “venting” to finish releasing pressure. Alternatively, just let the pressure release gradually until the float valve/pressure indicator drops.
When it’s safe to do so, carefully remove the lid. If you’re using the stock right away, carefully ladle the broth out to ensure it’s clear. If you’re planning on storing it, remove the chicken, let the broth cool, and let the sediment settle. Then transfer it to reusable freezer containers for later use.
The broth will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Freeze for up to 6 months, though it tastes best when used within 3 months.
Instant Pot Chinese Chicken Broth
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds chicken drumsticks
- 8 ounces chicken bones (such as trimmed thigh bones, chicken necks, backs, breast bones, etc.)
- 3 large slices ginger (1/8 inch thick)
- 2 large scallions (or 3 small scallions, washed and halved)
- 12 cups water
Instructions
- Add the raw chicken drumsticks and bones, ginger, and scallions to your Instant Pot. Add 12 cups of water. (We have an 8 qt. Instant Pot. If yours is smaller, scale down the recipe accordingly. Make sure your liquid levels do not exceed the max-fill line.)
- Seal the lid of your Instant Pot. Set it to manual high pressure for 45 minutes. Once it beeps, it’s on, but it will take about 15-20 minutes to come up to high pressure, in addition to the 45 minutes of cooking time.
- When it’s done, allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for at least 30 minutes and carefully turn the venting knob to “venting” to finish releasing pressure. Alternatively, just let the pressure release gradually until the float valve/pressure indicator drops.
- When it’s safe to do so, carefully remove the lid. If you’re using the stock right away, carefully ladle the broth out to ensure it’s clear. If you’re planning on storing it, remove the chicken, let the broth cool, and let the sediment settle. Then transfer it to reusable freezer containers for later use.
- The broth will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Freeze for up to 6 months, though it tastes best when used within 3 months.
I will echo Darlene all members of the Allum / onion family including garlic are toxic to dogs and cats and cause red blood cell dysfunction. Please remove the recommendation!!!
Hi Martha, Barley only eats the chicken, not the scallions. While the scallions are infused in the broth, they are at such minor concentration that it is safe for her at her size and weight.
Hi Martha – and Darlene and Stuart if you are all reading — the post has been updated with a disclaimer, and the formal recommendation removed. Thanks for looking out for furry friends!
This would need to be strained, cooled in fridge and defatted. There would be tons of grease especially if using skin-on chicken pieces.
Hi Darlene, it’s up to the individual, but personally, we kept most of the fat, as there actually wasn’t all that much, and it really adds to the flavor for noodle soups and wontons. Of course this all depends on your health preferences.
Shocked that you suggest giving the chicken meat to the dog. This broth has scallions and scallions are dangerous for dogs
Hi Darlene, we generally feel safe giving our dog very tiny amounts of alliums as with this broth. There’s hardly anything in this recipe relative to her weight, and we’d rather not the chicken go to waste. Thank you for the call out, however, we’re very mindful of not giving her toxic foods when we set aside scraps for her!
“Ingestions of onions or garlic of more than 0.5% of dog’s body weight are potentially toxic. For example, this would equate to a 30 lb dog ingesting about 2.5 ounces of onion or garlic.”
Can I use a slow cooker?
Hi Zoe, we don’t usually use slow cookers, so unfortunately, I can’t advise on that.
So easy and quick.
Thanks, Jocelyn!