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Ingredient

chicken broth

Also known as: chicken stock

A savory liquid made by simmering chicken (and often bones, vegetables, and aromatics); a common base for soups, sauces, and braises. Stock is simmered from bones and is richer in gelatin -- it may set like jelly in the fridge, which is a good sign -- while broth is made from meat and is thinner.

Buying guidance

Low-sodium or unsalted, which matters far more than the brand: any dish that reduces concentrates the salt along with everything else, and starting from full-salt stock can leave you with no way to fix it. A 32 oz box is 4 cups.

Substitutions

  • Homemade stock -- the best option whenever you have it.
  • Bouillon cubes or stock concentrate -- dissolve in hot water, but use about three-quarters of the recommended amount so it behaves like low-sodium stock, and hold back added salt until you taste at the end.
  • Turkey stock -- excellent, especially after a holiday.
  • Vegetable stock -- fine, slightly less savory.
  • Plain water -- genuinely acceptable in a long-simmered dish with meat in it, which makes its own broth as it cooks; add a little more salt and expect a lighter result.

Tips & common mistakes

Broth and stock aren't quite interchangeable when body matters: broth reduced down for a sauce stays relatively thin, since it lacks the gelatin real stock develops from simmered bones. Reconstituting bouillon or concentrate at full strength on top of a recipe that already calls for broth as one ingredient, rather than water plus bouillon, can double up the sodium without it being obvious.

Storage

Homemade or bone-rich stock that's genuinely gelatin-heavy will set into a soft, jiggly gel once refrigerated -- that's a sign of a well-made stock, not spoilage, and it turns liquid again as soon as it's reheated.

Used in 30 recipes