Cheat’s Chicken Broth

Cheat’s Chicken Broth, although made in little more than half an hour, is full of flavour. Using commercial stock cubes and a chicken breast, it’s perfect when you or someone in your house is feeling poorly and needs food that’s easily digestible but nourishing.

Make it more filling by adding cooked pasta, rice or other grains. 

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Whether chicken soup really deserves the nickname ‘Jewish penicillin’ for its supposed healing properties, I very much doubt.

However, the feeling of comfort and well-being you get from the rich, slightly salty liquor, ideally with glossy little globules of fat floating on top, is very real.

To make a classic chicken broth you need a few hours of simmering a whole bird before you can finally settle down to a bowl of the good stuff.

But I’ve found that you can make a pretty decent substitute in a fraction of the time.

CHEAT’S CHICKEN BROTH

In the Autumn of last year I had a stinking cold.

Having next to no energy, but feeling hungry, I craved some chicken broth. Maybe with a few broken bits of spaghetti in the bowl.

I do often have homemade chicken stock in the freezer, but not that day. And even if I’d had a whole chicken in the fridge, I was in no state to hang around while it simmered away.

What I did have were skin-on chicken breasts in the freezer. As usual, I also had chicken stock cubes in the cupboard as a quick stand-by, plus onions, garlic, carrots and celery.

With these, Cheat’s Chicken Broth was born.

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BROTH

• Don’t be tempted to remove the skin from the chicken before simmering it with the stock cubes and vegetables. Not only will it add flavour and silkiness, but those calories will be important if you’re not otherwise eating much.
• If your chicken’s frozen, there’s no need to defrost it. Just increase the simmering time and make sure it’s thoroughly cooked through.
• Try to use low salt stock cubes. The broth will reduce a little as it simmers and you don’t want it too salty.
• I like my broth simply seasoned, but flavour yours how you like: try cumin, turmeric or a little chilli powder.
• Don’t bother to peel or skin the carrot, onion and garlic. The broth is going to be sieved anyway.
• Making broth or stock is a good way to use up veg a little past its best. A wonky carrot or bendy celery will make no difference.
• Vary the veg according to what you have so long as it doesn’t overpower the broth. e.g. scraggy green ends of leek you might otherwise throw in the compost are good, but parsnip is a little strong.
• If you want to add pasta, rice or other grains like bulgur wheat, cook them separately and add to the finished broth.

Cheat’s Chicken Broth will be fine for a couple of days in the fridge.

But it freezes well, so you could make a big batch and freeze it in portions for when you need a comforting bowlful.

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Cheat's Chicken Broth

Using commercial stock cubes and fresh chicken, Cheat's Chicken Broth is perfect for when you or someone in your house is feeling poorly and needs something easily digestible but nourishing. Make it more filling by adding cooked pasta, rice or other grains.

Course Soup, Lunch, Light Meal

Cuisine World

Prep Time 8 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 38 minutes

Servings 2

Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

• 2 chicken stock cubes low or very low salt if possible
• 1 litre boiling water from a kettle
• 1 large onion topped and tailed (no need to skin)
• 1 medium carrot top removed, unpeeled
• 1 stick celery
• 2 cloves garlic topped and tailed (no need to skin)
• 6 black peppercorns, whole
• small handful parsley stalks optional
• ½-1 tsp spices e.g. turmeric, cumin, chilli. optional
• salt
• 1 chicken breast, skin-on

To Serve (optional)

• cooked pasta, rice, bulgur wheat or other grain

Instructions

1. Put the stock cubes in a medium-large saucepan and pour the boiling water in.

   Stir to dissolve the stock cubes.

2. Cut the onion, carrot and celery into quarters (no need to skin or peel) and put them in the stock along with the garlic, the peppercorns plus the optional parsley stalks and/or spices if using.

   If you've used low salt stock cubes then add a pinch of salt too.

3. Put the saucepan over a high heat, give everything a stir then add the chicken breast.

   Put a lid on and bring to the boil.

4. Immediately turn down the heat and leave to simmer for 30 minutes.

5. Take out the chicken breast and cut into it to check it's fully cooked all the way through. If not, return to the pan and simmer a little longer.

   Put the fully cooked chicken on a board.

6. Put a fine sieve over a jug or bowl and carefully tip the contents of the saucepan into it.

   Push down on the contents of the sieve with a spoon, stirring it up now and then, so that all of the broth is released into the jug or bowl.

7. Discard the contents of the sieve and rinse out the saucepan.

   Pour the broth back into the saucepan. Taste and add more seasoning if needed.

8. Remove and discard the chicken skin then chop the meat into small pieces.

   Add the chicken meat to the broth in the saucepan.

   Reheat with the optional cooked pasta, rice etc. if using.

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