CALDO DE POLLO BASICO (Basic Homemade Chicken Broth)

By LaLaCooks

Rick Bayless

Chicken broth in Mexico is typically gentle in flavor and used to weave in a light richness. You can add carrots if you wish - some Mexican cooks even add celery - though a simple, chicken-y broth is favored by most - which explains the large quantity of chicken in the following recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 medium 3 1/2–pound chicken, (preferably a good-tasting
• free-range one) - cut into pieces
• [OR substitute 3 pounds, chicken wings, necks and/or other trimmings)
• 1 medium, white onion -sliced
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves - peeled and cut in half
• 3 to 4 bay leaves (use the skinny Mexican bay laurel leaves for the most authentic flavor).
• 2 to 3 sprigs EACH, fresh marjoram and thyme
• OR substitute a generous 1/2 teaspoon EACH, dried marjoram and thyme

Details

Servings 2
Adapted from melindalee.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a medium (6-quart) soup pot, combine the chicken, onion, garlic, bay leaves , marjoram and thyme. Add 4 quarts of water, set the pot over medium-high heat and allow the liquid to come to a simmer. Skim off (and discard) the grayish foam that rises during the first few minutes of simmering, then partially cover the pot, and reduce the heat to keep the liquid at a very gentle simmer. If using a cut-up whole chicken, cook for 45 minutes. If using chicken wings and other trimmings, simmer for 2 hours.

If using a cut up whole chicken, remove the chicken pieces (after 45 minutes), allow them to stand until cool enough to handle, and pull the meat from the bone (reserve it for enchiladas or another use); then return the bones to the simmering broth for another hour.

If using chicken wings or bones, allow them to simmer for 2 hours, then discard the chicken wings and bones when straining (as described below).

Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the solids. Allow the broth to stand long enough for the fat to rise to the top, then spoon off and discard the fat. Covered and refrigerated, the broth will keep for several days in the refrigerator. It freezes beautifully