Sipping on bone broth is one of my favorite winter rituals (especially in my bone broth hot chocolate which I literally drink every night) and there is nothing quite like homemade bone broth (the flavor is so much better and you get way more bang for your buck!)

When it tastes this good, it makes such a great protein-rich sipper on it’s own (love it first thing in the morning or for a midday pick-me-up) but it also adds an abundance of flavor and gut-healthy nutrients to soups, stews, grains and, did I mention, bone broth hot chocolate?!

While the process might seem intimidating, I promise you it is SO easy, especially when you cook it in an instant pot! Plus it’s so much less expensive than store bought bone broth. 

Snag all of the details and tips for this super simple, super delicious, instant pot bone broth recipe below. 

WHAT IS CHICKEN BONE BROTH?

Chicken bone broth is made by simmering the bones, skin or the carcass of a chicken for hours. This slow cooking process breaks down the connective tissues, naturally increasing the amount of bioavailable protein, gelatin, collagen, minerals and amino acids in the broth. These nutrients are all linked to an array of hormone supportive and gut-healthy ingredients. 

 

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CHICKEN BONE BROTH

As you just learned, chicken bone broth is loaded with nutrients linked to an array of hormone supportive and gut healthy benefits. These include:

+ BOOSTS GUT HEALTH

Bone broth contains compounds and amino acids such as glutamine, glycine, proline, gelatin and collagen that reduce intestinal inflammation and boost digestion and nutrient absorption. 

+ SUPPORTS MENSTRUAL CYCLE HEALTH

Bone broth is rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium and potassium that aid in several hormonal and reproductive processes, including stimulating ovulation (necessary for fertility and a healthy cycle!) and reducing PMS. 

+ BOOSTS THYROID/METABOLISM

Calcium, magnesium and potassium also boost thyroid conversion, helping you convert inactive T4 to its active T3 form. This works to boost your metabolism and also regulate your menstrual cycle. 

+ PROMOTES HEALTHY SKIN, NAILS + HAIR 

Bone broth is an amazing source of collagen, which helps to strengthen and repair our tissues like skin, bones, muscles and tendons. 

+ REDUCES INFLAMMATION

Bone broth is loaded with minerals and amino acids like proline that boost your immune system and flight inflammation!

+ PROMOTES RELAXATION + OPTIMAL SLEEP

Both broth is high in magnesium, which promotes optimal muscle relaxation. Additionally bone broth contains glycine, an amino acid that has been linked to deep, restorative sleep. 

 

HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT BONE BROTH 

Making chicken bone broth is super simple, especially when you make it in an instant pot. Here are the steps:

1) Add the chicken carcass (including skin and fat) to your instant pot. Cover with filtered cold water, around 3 quarts or 12 cups, then add in apple cider vinegar and optional vegetables and garlic.

2) Seal and pressure cook manually on high for 120 minutes. I then recommend running another cycle on low for 120 minutes (this helps create more of that gelatinous, nutrient-rich texture by providing more time for the collagen to break down). Let pressure release naturally for 20-30 minutes. 

3) Open and toss in optional herbs, allowing them to steep for 10 minutes.

4) Once finished, season with sea salt, then strain through a fine mesh sieve or strainer and quickly cool via an ice bath (see tips under storage). Transfer into wide mouth glass jars  or silicone souper cubes. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze (see notes below on how to freeze). 

 

IS COOKING BONE BROTH IN AN INSTANT POT AS HEALTHY?

Because bone broth is typically simmered low and slow to allow ample time for the carcass to break down into bioavailable nutrients (collagen, protein, amino acids, minerals, etc.) I wondered if cooking it for a shorter amount of time (i.e. in an instant pot) would be as effective?

Luckily for everyone, the short answer is mostly, yes! An instant pot (aka pressure cooker) uses high pressure and high temperatures to break down the connective tissues and accelerate the conversion of collagen to gelatin as well as force nutrients out of the bones and into the liquid, creating a nutrient-dense broth.

That being said, I’ve found that when I only run my bone broth through one, 120-minute cycle of high pressure cooking the broth isn’t as gelatinous as I’d like, however when I run it through a second, 120-minute cycle on low pressure it gives the collagen more time to break down, resulting in a superior taste and texture. 

 

Once cooled to room temp, you can then pour the broth into wide mouth glass jars with sealable lids to store in the fridge, or pour into silicone souper cubes to store in the freezer (you can also store in glass jars in the freezer but please read tips below to ensure the glass doesn’t break). 

 

HOW TO FREEZE INSTANT POT BONE BROTH

+ Silicone Tray

Personally, I think the easiest way to store turkey bone broth in the freezer is in these silicone souper cubes. This way you can remove individual serving sizes easily and let defrost slowly in the fridge, or add them to a cup and place the cup in a bowl of hot water to defrost quickly. You can also pour piping hot water over the cubes, but note this will dilute the bone broth concentration a bit. 

To use this method, make sure your bone broth has cooled to room temp (see tips under storage for how to cool quickly), then pour into the silicone tray evenly. Cover with the lid and place in the freezer until ready to use. 

+ Glass Jar Method

You can also store your bone broth in glass jars in the freezer, but there are a few steps you must do to make sure the glass doesn’t break!

First, make sure your bone broth has cooled to room temp (see steps under storage for how to cool quickly). Pour into a wide mouth glass jar with a sealable lid, making sure to leave at least 1 inch of room at the top (this gives the liquid room to “expand” without breaking the jar). When ready to place in your freezer, make sure the jar is standing upright, otherwise the ice can’t “expand up” and could break the jar. 

 

HOW TO USE CHICKEN BONE BROTH

This instant pot chicken bone broth recipe is extremely versatile and tastes good in SO many recipes (especially when you keep it unflavored, which I typically do)! I love using it the following ways:

+ Use as A Cooking Liquid In Soups, Stews & Grains

+ Use to Make Bone Broth Hot Chocolate

+ Drink On It’s Own As A Sipper *try adding turmeric, ginger + garlic

+ Use it In Casseroles, Stuffings Or Pot Pies

+ As A Braising Liquid For Cooking Meat

 

GUT-HEALTHY RECIPES TO USE YOUR CHICKEN BONE BROTH

+ Bone Broth Hot Chocolate 

+ Immunity Boosting Chicken Chickpea Noodle Soup

+ Thanksgiving Stuffing With Brussels, Butternut Squash + Pecans

+ Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

+ Healthy White Chicken Chili

+ Smoky Sweet Potato + Turkey Chili

+ Cozy Coconut Curry Chicken Stew

+ Gut-Healthy Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad (use to cook the quinoa!)

+ Cozy Beef Stew

+ Super Saucy Shredded Chicken Tacos

+ BBQ Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

+ Gut-Friendly Sweet Potato, Pesto + Quinoa Bowl (use as a liquid to cook the quinoa)

+ Gut-Friendly Paleo Butter Chicken

+ Eggplant Curry + Cardamom Spiced Quinoa

+ Stuffed Acorn Squash Bowls (use to cook the quinoa)

+ Gut-Healing Chicken Korma

+ Spiced Chickpea Sweet Potato + Cauliflower Curry

MORE GUT-HEALTHY RECIPES + RESOURCES 

+ Gut-Health & Hormones — How To Improve Both Naturally

+ Gut-Healthy Homemade Marshmallows

+ Gut-Healthy Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

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