Homemade Chicken Broth

I think rotisserie chicken is just about the best invention ever. My mom used to have one of those large tabletop rotisserie ovens that would roast two or three chickens at a time. In fact, just a few days before she passed away unexpectedly, my parents dropped by our house so that my mom could deliver a homemade rotisserie chicken to me. She had never brought me a chicken before, and it struck me at the time that she was so intentional about placing it in my hands.  I've always felt like my mom knew something was going to happen to her soon, and bringing me food was her way of taking care of me during the very rough week that was to come.

So for the longest time I associated rotisserie chicken with my mom and of course, I still do. It's taken me some time to come around to store-bought rotisserie chicken, but now I buy them often. The added flavor really enhances soups and salads. And trust me, my soups and salads could use a little enhancing! :)

Since rotisserie chickens can be kind of expensive, I like to get as much value as I can from them. Time permitting, I put the carcass (eww, I hate that word!) in water to make chicken broth. Now that I have lots of herbs growing, I add whatever is available to the pot (such as sage and rosemary) and set it to boil. If you have leftover celery or carrots, throw them in the pot, too. (Warning: This operation will attract hungry kitties to the kitchen!!)

After awhile, most of the remaining bits of meat fall off the bone and you're left with a broth that can be strained for recipes.

Last week I was able to get four containers of broth from one chicken! The broth is very handy to have around for all kinds of recipes and it's more flavorful than store-bought chicken broth. I labeled the containers and popped them in the freezer for future use.

If you're using rotisserie chicken, I'd definitely suggest giving homemade chicken broth a try. It's a great way to get more value for your money, and I know my mom would approve. :)

jp