Homemade Chicken Bone Broth (for Breastfeeding and Postpartum)

Bone Broth is quite an unusual food with unusual properties. It's a food your grandmother likely used to make quite often but then stopped making it because store bought chicken and beef stocks and bouillon cubes became available - how convenient. In my generation, bone broth was pretty much forgotten about. I had no idea how to make it or why I should make it... until recently!

Bone broth is intriguing. It promises many health benefits, especially moms who are recovering from birth and/or breastfeeding. It promises to help in the healing process after giving birth, especially after a c-section. It promises to help establish a good milk supply due to its electrolyte and mineral content. It promises to promote a healthy gut flora, which in turn can help with postpartum weight loss, prevent allergies and more. It even promises to prevent saggy boobs as a result of pregnancy and breastfeeding.

I am currently working on an evidence-based review on all of these promises, so stay tuned for this upcoming article. In the meantime, let's find out how to make this supposed magical food for pregnancy, postpartum and beyond - you'll be surprised how easy and economical it is!

A Quick Note on the Chicken I Use (Please Read)

It is important to choose an organic, free range chicken for this recipe, preferably from your local, trusted farmer. The reason for that is because bones can accumulate toxins such as lead from food, water and the environment they live in. When you boil those bones, some of the toxins can leach into the broth you're making. Now, don't panic: I've already done some research on this topic for my upcoming blog post on bone broth and found studies that show the levels of toxins such as lead are very low, in the microgram per liter range and under the acceptable range for drinking water in the United States. However, to stay on the safe side, I recommend choosing organic, free range chickens and to limit the intake of bone broth to no more than a cup every other day or so.

A Quick Note on the Kitchen Scraps I Use (Please Read)

You can certainly use fresh vegetables for this recipe, but I personally think kitchen scraps are a great and economical re-use for a recipe like this because the vegetables will be strained and tossed afterwards anyway.

Here is what I do:

I save my (organic) kitchen scraps such as the cores, peels, pits, rinds and skins of carrots, parsnips, celery, onions, garlic, lemons, leech peels, onion peels, garlic peels, citrus peels, herbs etc. in a zip-lock bag in my freezer. Every time I make a recipe using vegetables like this or my kids didn't finish their carros in their lunch bags, I add them to the zip-lock bag and put it back in the freezer. Make sure your vegetables and lemons are organic to avoid pesticides in your broth.

Kitchen scraps that are NOT suitable for this recipe are things like lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, potato peels, banana peels, egg shells and anything that has already started to rot or smell.

Homemade Chicken Bone Broth

Ingredients

1 whole Rotisserie Style Chicken Carcass + Skin (I make this recipe and use the meat for other recipes)

Drippings from Rotisserie Style Chicken (see note below if you don't have drippings)

3 to 4 cups clean and organic Kitchen Scraps

1/2 inch raw Ginger, sliced

1/2 inch raw Turmeric, sliced

1 tsp Black Peppercorns

4 tbsps Apple Cider Vinegar

5 to 8 cups Water

Note: I recommend to use an organic/free range chicken or better yet, a free range chicken from your local, trusted farmer for a better quality bone broth.

Directions:

1. Add chicken carcass, skin, kitchen scraps, sliced ginger and turmeric and whole Peppercorns to a large kitchen pot or slow cooker.

2. Add enough water to just submerge the carcass and scraps.

3. Add the Apple Cider Vinegar and drippings from the rotisserie chicken. Note: if you don't have rotisserie chicken drippings, add 2 tsp Sea Salt and seasonings such as Paprika, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Cayenne Pepper and Thyme)

4. Simmer on low on the stove for about 2 to 3 hours OR in slow cooker for up to 24 hours.

5. When the broth is done, strain it through a strainer and fill it into a glass jar. It keeps for about 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and for months in the freezer.
   

About the Author

This article was written by Marina Lane, a Registered Dietitian and Certified Lactation Counselor with a passion for helping moms nourish themselves and their babies. As a mother of two who were both breastfed until age 3, Marina combines professional expertise with personal experience to provide evidence-based advice and support to breastfeeding moms. With her background in nutrition and lactation, she offers practical, science-backed insights to help you navigate your breastfeeding journey with confidence.