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Instant Pot All-Purpose Chicken Broth

By The Editors of America's Test Kitchen

Published on May 18, 2022

Time

2 hours 20 minutes

Yield

Makes 3 quarts

Instant Pot All-Purpose Chicken Broth

Ingredients

3 pounds chicken wings 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled12 cups water, divided½ teaspoon table salt 3 bay leaves

Instructions

  1.  Pat chicken wings dry with paper towels. Using highest sauté function, heat oil in Instant Pot for 5 minutes (or until just smoking). Brown half of chicken wings on all sides, about 10 minutes; transfer to bowl. Repeat with remaining chicken wings; transfer to bowl.
  2.  Add onion to fat left in pot and cook until softened and well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 1 cup water, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in remaining 11 cups water, salt, bay leaves, and chicken and any accumulated juices.
  3.  Lock lid in place and close pressure release valve. Select high pressure cook function and cook for 1 hour. Turn off Instant Pot and let pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Quick-release any remaining pressure, then carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
  4.  Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into large container, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Using wide, shallow spoon, skim excess fat from surface of broth. (Broth can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.)
Instant Pot All-Purpose Chicken Broth

Instant Pot All-Purpose Chicken Broth

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By The Editors of America's Test Kitchen
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Time

2 hours 20 minutes

Yield

Makes 3 quarts

Ingredients

3 pounds chicken wings
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled
12 cups water, divided
½ teaspoon table salt
3 bay leaves

Ingredients

3 pounds chicken wings
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled
12 cups water, divided
½ teaspoon table salt
3 bay leaves

Ingredients

3 pounds chicken wings
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled
12 cups water, divided
½ teaspoon table salt
3 bay leaves

Why This Recipe Works

To maximize the chicken flavor in our broth, we tested many combinations of chicken parts and found chicken wings to be the surprise winner—the Instant Pot eked out every last bit of chickeny goodness and gelatin from the bones, resulting in a broth that was remarkably clear and that had a great silky texture. Browning the chicken wings was an easy way to deepen their flavor; we also browned some onion and garlic. A few bay leaves were the only other seasoning we needed to complement the broth.

Instructions

  1.  Pat chicken wings dry with paper towels. Using highest sauté function, heat oil in Instant Pot for 5 minutes (or until just smoking). Brown half of chicken wings on all sides, about 10 minutes; transfer to bowl. Repeat with remaining chicken wings; transfer to bowl.
  2.  Add onion to fat left in pot and cook until softened and well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 1 cup water, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in remaining 11 cups water, salt, bay leaves, and chicken and any accumulated juices.
  3.  Lock lid in place and close pressure release valve. Select high pressure cook function and cook for 1 hour. Turn off Instant Pot and let pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Quick-release any remaining pressure, then carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
  4.  Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into large container, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Using wide, shallow spoon, skim excess fat from surface of broth. (Broth can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.)

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