Not to get cocky or anything…but this is the best broth I’ve ever had in my life. Maybe it’s because it’s my own recipe, maybe because when I was really, really sick and recovering from a sh*tstorm of leaky gut, adrenal fatigue, thyroid issues, and the whole 9 yards, I literally made a huge a** batch of this broth every. single. week. for about 6 months…so I guess you could say I had a little time to perfect it. I was also doing the autoimmune protocol AND low FODMAP at that time, so I did a lot of experimenting with the limited flavors I could work with due to those dietary restrictions.
The day I could add onions and garlic back to this gut healing chicken broth, WAS A GAME CHANGER. I felt like a new human with totally new tastebuds. Because onions and garlic make EVERYTHING better. It’s my italian roots coming out, I know. But I do not make any savory dish without adding some form of onions and garlic. It’s a thing. Vampires won’t be coming in my kitchen any time soon, that’s for sure.
What’s the difference between broth and stock, you ask? Broth is made with uncooked bones (like when I spatchcock my thanksgiving turkey and take out the backbone before cooking it!), and stock is made from cooked bones (think you just made a rotisserie chicken, then you strip all the meat off and save the bones to make stock.)
*Any* time I work with someone who has gut health issues, whether it’s intestinal permeability (aka leaky gut), a bacterial or parasite overgrowth, SIBO, SIFO, IBS symptoms…literally anything, I “prescribe” bone broth. It’s so nourishing, filled with healthy minerals, fat and protein, and the glutamine in the broth is the preferred fuel for your gut cells. So if they have some healing to do, this is the food that’ll help them do it.
Plus, it’s just delicious. And pretty much the only thing I ever want to eat if I get sick. How do I eat it? In soups, or honestly, I’ll just drink it on it’s own instead of a tea in the morning. *the best*.
- About 3 lbs chicken bones (raw or cooked)
- enough water to cover the bones by 2 inches (about 3 quarts)
- 1 medium onion, chopped into large chunks
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 tsp herbs de provence (optional)
- Combine the bones, onion, apple cider vinegar, garlic, sea salt, and bay leaves in a slow cooker or instant pot. Pour enough water on top to cover the bones by about 2 inches (but don’t overflow your pot! Make sure you leave at least an inch of space from the top.)
- Secure the lid.
- For a SLOW COOKER, cook on LOW for 24 hours.
- For the INSTANT POT, press manual and set the timer to 90 minutes. Once it’s done cooking, allow the pressure to come down for about 10-15 minutes before quick releasing the steam (you could also let the pressure naturally release on its own).
- Transfer the bones, bay leaves, onion, and leftover garlic from the broth to a bowl using a slotted spoon. Allow them to cool before throwing them away.
- In batches, transfer the broth from your pot to a large bowl by straining it through a wire mesh sieve (or large strainer). Allow to cool in the bowl slightly before transferring to glass jars to store in the refrigerator.
Don’t like making your own broth? I buy mine from Bare Bones Broth!
Recipes to use your gut healing chicken broth!
Coconut Red Curry Shrimp Soup
Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Pancetta & Truffle Salt
Smoky Butternut Squash Soup
One-Pan Herb Chicken with Grapes & Apples
Slow Cooker Chipotle-Chocolate Sweet Potato Chili
This broth is so incredible and so easy! I was almost nervous it was going to be so-so because it was so easy but man was I wrong. Delicious.
Thanks so much, Amanda!
Hi! Was wondering if the ACV can be omitted? I am battling a terrible ulcer and ACV is a no no for me. ALSO, it doesn’t specify for the pressure cooker method- would it be 90 mins on HIGH or LOW pressure??? Thank you!!
Sure! You definitely don’t want to be doing ACV with an ulcer. My Instant Pot does 90 minutes on MANUAL – it’s actually the middle setting between high and low. Sorry that doesn’t help!
Hey Dana, Thankyou so much for this. I’ve been looking for a recipe everywhere, just a quick question, if I was to make this with chicken on the bone and not just the bones, would it have the same effects?
Yes! You can do that. I wouldn’t recommend eating the chicken after, because it’ll be pretty dry after cooking for that long though!
I’d love to try this broth but I’m nervous to because it has onions and garlic in it (which I normally love and know are good for you) but I’ve been having so many gut issues and have been trying low FODMAP which neither of those are… have you tried this still for clients who avoid high FODMAPs?
Hi Rebecca, totally understand! You can take out the onions and garlic. It won’t have quite the same flavor, but you’ll still be getting a ton of minerals from the bones 🙂 Hope your symptoms are getting better!
Could I pressure can the broth afterwards to increase the shelf life?
Hi Trish, I’m not sure – I’ve never tried that before.
Hi! Just wondering if this is “clear” enough to have before a colonoscopy? Thanks in advance!
I would check with your doctor, but as long as everything is strained completely, you could be ok!
Hi, A little confused – you said you were on a FODMAP diet to begin with and you were drinking the broth and were so happy when you could add onions and garlic. So if you are sensitive to something about the onions and garlic, why does the recipe not say they are optional? Were you making this recipe without onions and garlic to begin with? And can you cook chicken thighs just as well as the bones alone. I mean I haven’t seen chicken bones at the store to buy. I don’t want to remove bones from my chicken meat, I’d rather cook the broth using chicken and give the cooked chicken to other family members and I use the broth. Is that okay?
Hi yes, I was originally on a low FODMAP diet to help manage symptoms – meaning the broth was made without garlic and onions. You can remove them, it will just taste different. I used the bones alone because cooking the chicken for that long would make it pretty tasteless. But the next time you cook bone-in chicken, save the bones and freeze them until you’re ready to make broth!
Oh, by the way – I’ve made bone broth at home from beef bones and sometimes I get the gel and sometimes I don’t. And is that necessary to end up with gelatin in the broth? I cooked it for hours w onions and it made me queasy and my Dr said I was reacting to something about it and to avoid it.??
It’s not necessary to end up with gelatin, you’ll still get a ton of the mineral benefits! You could be reacting to histamines (which are high in broth) or any of the ingredients; unfortunately I can’t be sure because I don’t know your health history. But if you didn’t feel well after drinking it, it’s definitely something to look into and avoid until you can figure out what’s going on.
can you make this on the stove if you don’t have a slow cooker or insta pot?
Definitely!