Chicken broth and shredded chicken meal prep
A mostly hands-off process yields lots of rich chicken stock and shredded chicken that allows you to be flexible with your week’s meals while also being prepared for busy weeknights.
Chicken broth and shredded chicken meal prep
Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes, mostly hands off +15 minutes for straining
Yield: 11 cups stock, 4 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 chicken, cut into pieces (about 3½-4½ lbs), or the equivalent in bone-in, skin-on chicken parts such as thighs, breasts, and drumsticks
1 large bag frozen veggie and aromatic leftovers (save everything from the previous month or several week’s cooking in the freezer including onion skins, garlic skins, tiny cloves of garlic, leek and fennel fronds, lemon rinds, dried up fresh herbs, unused parts of celery, carrot peels, potato peels, etc) —OR— 2 very large carrots; 2-3 large celery sticks; 1 medium onion, quartered; and 5 large garlic cloves, smashed; plus whatever herbs you like best
14-18 cups water (enough to cover the chicken and veggies entirely, but the full amount will depend on how much chicken and veggies you use)
3 Tbsp kosher salt
Place everything into a large stockpot and bring to a boil over a high flame, about 20 minutes.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low or just high enough to achieve a low rolling boil. Cook, uncovered, until the water has reduced by ¼, about 1 hour.
Add enough water to return to roughly the original amount (about 4 cups) and turn the flame back to high. Stir the mixture and check the seasoning. Add more salt if necessary. Bring the mixture back to a boil and then reduce back to a low rolling boil.
Boil for 20 more minutes. Let cool.
Remove the large pieces of veggies and chicken bones. Strain the broth into a large container.
Pick all of the cooked chicken meat off of the bones and save for meals throughout the week.
