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Quick Chicken Stock with Sauteed Breast Meat

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 24, 2009

Yield

Makes about 2 quarts

Quick Chicken Stock with Sauteed Breast Meat

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 whole chickens, (about 4 pounds), breast meat removed on the bone, split, and reserved; remaining chicken cut into 2-inch pieces1 medium onion, chopped medium2 teaspoons salt 2 bay leaves 2 quarts boiling water

Before You Begin

Chicken pieces are sauteed and then sweated before being cooked in water for a rich but very quick stock. This is our favorite all-purpose stock. It takes about an hour to prepare. Choose this stock when you want to have some breast meat in your soup.

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers and starts to smoke, add the chicken breast halves; saute both sides until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken breast pieces and set aside. Add the onion; saute until colored and softened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the onion to a large bowl.
  2. Add half of the chicken pieces to the pot; saute both sides until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked chicken to the bowl with the onions. Saute the remaining chicken pieces. Return the onions and chicken pieces (excluding the breasts) to the pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes.
  3. Increase the heat to high; add the boiling water, the chicken breasts, salt, and bay leaves. Return to a simmer, then cover and barely simmer until the chicken breasts are cooked through and the stock is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes.
  4. Remove the chicken breasts from the pot. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin from the breasts, then remove the meat from the bones and shred into bite-sized pieces; discard the skin and bones. Strain the stock; discard the solids. Before using, defat the stock. The stock can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days or frozen for several months.
Quick Chicken Stock with Sauteed Breast Meat

Quick Chicken Stock with Sauteed Breast Meat

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Yield

Makes about 2 quarts

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 whole chickens, (about 4 pounds), breast meat removed on the bone, split, and reserved; remaining chicken cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped medium
2 teaspoons salt
2 bay leaves
2 quarts boiling water

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 whole chickens, (about 4 pounds), breast meat removed on the bone, split, and reserved; remaining chicken cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped medium
2 teaspoons salt
2 bay leaves
2 quarts boiling water

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 whole chickens, (about 4 pounds), breast meat removed on the bone, split, and reserved; remaining chicken cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped medium
2 teaspoons salt
2 bay leaves
2 quarts boiling water

Test Kitchen Techniques

Before You Begin

Chicken pieces are sauteed and then sweated before being cooked in water for a rich but very quick stock. This is our favorite all-purpose stock. It takes about an hour to prepare. Choose this stock when you want to have some breast meat in your soup.

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers and starts to smoke, add the chicken breast halves; saute both sides until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken breast pieces and set aside. Add the onion; saute until colored and softened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the onion to a large bowl.
  2. Add half of the chicken pieces to the pot; saute both sides until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked chicken to the bowl with the onions. Saute the remaining chicken pieces. Return the onions and chicken pieces (excluding the breasts) to the pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes.
  3. Increase the heat to high; add the boiling water, the chicken breasts, salt, and bay leaves. Return to a simmer, then cover and barely simmer until the chicken breasts are cooked through and the stock is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes.
  4. Remove the chicken breasts from the pot. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin from the breasts, then remove the meat from the bones and shred into bite-sized pieces; discard the skin and bones. Strain the stock; discard the solids. Before using, defat the stock. The stock can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days or frozen for several months.

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