Chicken broth, often associated with comfort and healing, extends its benefits beyond a simple bowl of chicken noodle soup. It serves as a versatile base for various recipes and can be a cornerstone of a liquid diet. This article explores the nuances of chicken broth, from homemade recipes to store-bought options, to help you make the best choice for your dietary needs.
Why Chicken Broth for a Liquid Diet?
A liquid diet often requires easily digestible and nutrient-rich options. Chicken broth fits this description perfectly. It provides hydration, electrolytes, and essential nutrients in an easily consumable form. Whether recovering from an illness or preparing for a medical procedure, chicken broth can be a soothing and nourishing choice.
Making Chicken Broth from Scratch: A Step-by-Step Guide
Creating your own chicken broth allows for complete control over ingredients and sodium content. The secret to flavorful broth lies in a low and slow cooking process, extracting maximum flavor and creating a silky texture.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Garlic cloves
- Onions
- Carrots
- Celery
- Sea salt
- Freshly cracked pepper
- Organic chicken and chicken bones
- Parsley
- Celery leaves
- Bay leaf
- Thyme
- Tarragon
- Butcher’s twine
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add crushed garlic cloves and sauté for 2 minutes until golden. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Season the vegetables with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper.
- Prepare Chicken: Cut the organic chicken and chicken bones into pieces to expose the marrow. Add chicken pieces and bones to the pot.
- Add Herbs: Tie the parsley, celery leaves, bay leaf, thyme, and tarragon into a bouquet using butcher’s twine and add to the pot.
- Simmer: Once the broth begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer.
- Strain: Strain the chicken broth through a cheesecloth. Reserve the chicken meat for other recipes.
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate the broth overnight to allow the fat to solidify for easy removal.
Enhancing Your Homemade Broth
- Vary Herbs and Spices: Experiment with different herbs and spices based on your preference.
- Use Leftover Chicken: Utilize leftover chicken parts like wing tips or rotisserie chicken carcasses.
- Include Pan Drippings: Add pan drippings from roast chicken for a richer flavor.
- Concentrate Flavors: After cooking, simmer the broth to reduce it by one-third, intensifying the flavors.
- Add Veggie Scraps: You can add veggie scraps to the soup kettle from frozen.
Storing Homemade Broth
- Refrigerate: Store in a tightly covered container for up to five days.
- Freeze: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to one year.
- Chicken Fat: Store chicken fat in a tightly sealed container in the fridge.
Clear Chicken Soup Recipe
This recipe is also a clear chicken broth recipe. The reason why clear chicken soup is clear is because we remove the impurities with a fine mesh food strainer.
Ingredients
- Chicken (2 quarters of a chicken - about 1 kg or 2.2 lb)
- Water (5 litres/ 21 US cups)
- Vegetables
- Salt
Instructions
- Remove the chicken from the packaging; take a large stockpot, place the chicken in and add water. Bring to boil.
- When it starts boiling the dark grey impurities will start rising to the top and then you start removing it with a fine mesh food strainer (or spoon). This will last about 10-20 minutes depending on the chicken. Once the water seems mostly clear (no grey) you can add the vegetables.
- Add the vegetables and salt and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce to the lowest heat, cover and simmer the soup for a minimum of 2 hours or however long you want. You can let it simmer for the whole day, it will just be tastier and the chicken will be so soft.
- Once the 2 hours pass, take a pot that is a similar size and drain the soup. Take the chicken and shred it and add any carrots or any other vegetables you want to use in the pot. The chicken should be falling off the bones. You can always heat up some homemade or store-bought noodles and add to the soup.
- Store in fridge for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Store-Bought Chicken Broth: A Convenient Alternative
For those who prefer convenience, numerous store-bought chicken broth options are available. However, the quality and flavor profiles can vary significantly. Here's a breakdown of some popular choices:
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Top Picks
- Target Good & Gather Organic Chicken Broth: This broth stands out for its robust chicken flavor, reminiscent of homemade broth made from roasted chicken. It's a versatile option for braises, soups, and side dishes. However, its assertive flavor might be too pungent for some.
- Imagine Organic Free Range Chicken Broth: If you prefer a lighter and brighter flavor, this broth is an excellent choice. Its clean and subtle chicken flavor makes it ideal for braises, poached fish, sauces, and soups, allowing other ingredients to shine.
- Target Good & Gather Organic Chicken Stock: This affordable option offers a more robust flavor than the Imagine broth, with a slightly vegetal taste. It's well-suited for meat braises and stuffing. Note that it contains 1 gram of added sugars per serving.
Other Good Options
- Pacific Foods Organic Bone Broth Chicken Unsalted: A lighter bone broth with transparent ingredient labeling. It offers a rounded flavor profile with vegetables, herbs, and spices, suitable as a soup base.
- College Inn Unsalted Chicken Stock: A decent and economical supermarket option with a pleasant and clean chicken flavor.
- Swanson Unsalted Chicken Cooking Stock: An inoffensive option with a slightly gamey flavor, widely available in supermarkets.
Broths to Avoid
- Swanson Organic Low-Sodium Free-Range Chicken Broth: Lacks significant flavor and is often described as insipid and thin.
- Pacific Foods Organic Free Range Chicken Broth Low Sodium: Weak chicken flavor and aroma, with an overpowering onion-powder flavor.
- Target Good & Gather Organic No Salt Added Chicken Broth: Watery and lacking in flavor.
- Whole Foods 365 Organic Chicken Broth Low Sodium: Bland and lacking in both flavor and color.
- Progresso Chicken Broth Unsalted: Tastes artificial, with a plasticky flavor.
- Swanson Unsalted Chicken Broth: Overpowering onion flavor due to yeast extract.
- Rachael Ray Stock-in-a-Box Low-Sodium Chicken Stock: Watery and plasticky, with an unidentifiable off-flavor.
- Kitchen Basics Unsalted Chicken Stock: Sour taste due to an unknown "natural flavor."
Taste Test Results: Ranking Store-Bought Broths
A recent taste test evaluated several mainstream chicken broths, considering flavor depth, sodium content, herbal notes, and viscosity. Here are the results:
- Swanson Chicken Broth: Praised for its vegetal, earthy, and onion-forward flavor, resembling a chef-prepared broth.
- College Inn Chicken Broth: Rich and chicken-forward, ideal for risottos, stews, and pilafs. It is also the saltiest of the bunch.
- Campbell’s Condensed Chicken Broth: Evokes nostalgia with its homemade taste and umami flavor.
- Happy Belly Chicken Broth: A decent option with some onion and sweetness, suitable as a soup base with added ingredients.
- 365 Whole Foods Market Organic Chicken Broth: Lacking in flavor, resembling water with a faint taste of chicken.
- Progresso Chicken Broth, Original: An artificial taste, reminiscent of the carton it comes in.
Understanding Broth, Stock, and Bone Broth
While the terms "broth" and "stock" are often used interchangeably, subtle differences exist. Broth is typically made from meat, while stock is made from bones and simmers for a longer duration. Bone broth is a richer, more concentrated version of stock.
Ingredients Commonly Found in Store-Bought Broths
- Chicken broth or stock: The primary ingredient, often without detailed breakdown.
- Yeast extract: A flavor enhancer used to replace sodium and add savory flavor.
- Onion powder: A potent seasoning that can impart a roasted- or charred-onion aftertaste.
- Natural flavor: A broad term that can include ingredients derived from plants, eggs, poultry, or meats.
- Natural chicken flavor: Likely derived from poultry fat, contributing to the overall flavor.
Tips for Choosing the Best Chicken Broth
- Low Sodium: Opt for low-sodium or no-salt-added varieties to control your sodium intake.
- Ingredient List: Examine the ingredient list for transparency and avoid broths with excessive additives or artificial flavors.
- Flavor Profile: Consider your intended use and choose a broth with a flavor profile that complements your recipe.
- Organic Options: If organic ingredients are a priority, select certified organic broths.
Chicken Broth as a Meal Replacement
For a liquid diet, chicken broth can be more than just a base. Adding shredded chicken, soft vegetables, or even pureed ingredients can transform it into a more substantial and satisfying meal replacement.
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