Chicken Stock 101

I was cleaning out my refrigerator the other day and, lo and behold, I found four frozen chicken breasts that were hidding all the way in the back of the freezer. I didn't recall when I placed those breasts there so, instead of risking cooking these into tough, rubbery, no-flavor chicken, I decided to do the honorable thing and turn these frozen chickies into stock. Mind you, I've never made chicken stock, or any type of stock for that matter; this was my first time. I was also surprised that while I cleaned out the fridge, I found a half of an onion, an anahein pepper and garlic cloves. I think I had enough for stock, don't you think? Some other stock recipes call for celery, carrots and even leeks, but I found that even with a few veggies and some really good herbs, your chicken stock will come out fantastic. I used a bouquet garni, which I McGivered out of a tea bag and kitchen string. Pretty good, huh? The outcome? Really good stock that was not greasy at all. I used it for a Ropa Vieja recipe I made and the homemade chicken stock made all the difference in the flavor!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tsp. Olive Oil
• 4 Chicken Breasts
• 1/2 Onion, unpeeled
• 1 Anaheim chile pepper, seeded
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 1 qt. Water
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• 1 Bouquet Garni with 1 tsp. thyme, oregano, basil, dried parsley, 1/2 tsp. coarse pepper and 1 bay leaf

Place a large pot on the stove and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the olive oil. When it starts to sizzle a little, add the chicken breasts, onion, Anaheim chile and the garlic. Sear them until breasts are lightly brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil. Add the bouquet garni and simmer for an hour. Strain stock and pour into containers use within two days or freeze, up to 2 months.