Basic Chicken Stock

There are two “geographical” approaches to making chicken stock. The traditional European approach, codified for most of us as the “French” approach, is to use aromatic vegetables—onions, carrots, celery, and garlic—along with the chicken. In Asia, the stocks are often simpler and rely on just the meat and bones, sometimes with ginger and scallion, as they do in China. I’m going to give recipes for both, and you can decide which you like.

The key to good chicken stock is to use all parts of the chicken, including dark meat if possible, bones, skin, and—if you can get them—the feet, which contribute not only flavor but also texture to the stock. And don’t season the stock with salt or pepper yet. You may decide to reduce the stock (boil it down to concentrate it) for a sauce and if you season it to a pleasing level now, it will be over-seasoned when reduced.