All this time, you’ve been drinking tea made out of dried twigs and leaves, when you could’ve been drinking double chicken tea made from bones and meat. This is a very concentrated version of what our parents would’ve called “chicken bouillon.” Whether you’re looking to enjoy a chicken in liquid form or crush that cold, or maybe your soul just needs a warm hug, I hope you give this a try soon. Serve with hot buttered crackers if desired!
Double Chicken Tea
All this time, you've been drinking tea made out of dried twigs and leaves, when you could've been drinking double chicken tea made from bones and meat. This is a very concentrated version of what our parents would've called "chicken bouillon." Whether you're looking to enjoy a chicken in liquid form or crush that cold, or maybe your soul just needs a warm hug, I hope you give this a try soon. Serve with hot buttered crackers if desired!
Ingredients
- 4.5 pound whole chickens
- 3 large carrots peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 ribs celery cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 yellow onions roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic unpeeled and halved
- 2 small bay leaves
- 10 whole black peppercorns
- 7 quarts cold water or as needed
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Slice breast meat off chickens by cutting along either side of each breastbone, across the ribcage, and down to the wing joints. Cut off meat and save for another meal, reserving skin for chicken tea.
- Transfer whole chickens and skin from breasts into 1 extra large or 2 standard (5 1/2- to 6-quart) pots. Divide carrots, celery, and onions between the pots, followed by garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Fill each pot to the top with cold water.
- Place the pots over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, watching carefully. Immediately reduce heat to low. Skim off any foam from the tops with a spoon. Adjust heat to maintain a very gentle simmer where only small bubbles poke up through the surface. Continue to simmer for 8 to 12 hours.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the solids into a strainer set over a large bowl; discard chunks and pour strained broth back into a pot. Combine all the liquid into one pot. Strain broth again through a fine-mesh strainer into whichever pot was emptied.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming fat from the top; boil until reduced by half. Turn off heat and season with salt, tasting and adjusting as needed.
- Strain broth through a cheesecloth or nut milk bag into a container. Serve steaming hot in a pot as you would tea, or let cool and refrigerate until ready to serve.
