This Middle Eastern Style Chicken Broth recipe is incredibly easy to prepare and so much better than store-bought. I recommend using a whole chicken, which will also give you a good amount of meat to use in other ways like soups and sandwiches.
Use it as a base in many of my recipes including Mediterranean Yellow Rice, Hashweh (Spiced Rice with ground Beef) and Pulled Lamb. More serving ideas listed below!
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Ingredients
Once you make your own chicken broth from scratch, you’ll wonder why you haven’t done it sooner! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Whole Chicken: Using a whole chicken, skin-on and bone-in, ensures a rich, flavorful broth. The bones and connective tissue release collagen, which gives the broth a luscious texture. If you don’t have a whole chicken, you can use chicken parts like wings, drumsticks, or even a carcass leftover from a roast. But the best part of using a whole chicken is that you get a lot of meat to enjoy afterwards.
- Whole spices: I always recommend using whole spices when making broth. They will impart so much flavor, but also won’t cloud the finish broth when you strain it. I love using bay leaves, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, a cinnamon stick and cardamom pods for that Middle Eastern flavor profile. Do try to use whole spices, but if you don’t have them, you can use ground instead. You will find the same spice profile in many of my Levantine Recipes.
Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for a full listing of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Middle Eastern-Style Chicken Broth
This is a very straightforward recipe. Check out the steps below with photos for reference.
Step 1. Fry the Chicken in Oil. Start by heating a tablespoon of olive oil or vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken pieces on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. Work in batches. The goal is to get some color on the chicken, but not cook it through. This step helps to develop a deeper flavor by caramelizing the skin and rendering some of the fat. As you work in batches, keep the seared chicken on a plate on the side.
Step 2. Add the Water and Aromatics. Once the chicken is lightly browned, place all the seared pieces back in the pot and pour in enough water to fully cover it, typically about 10-12 cups. Add the halved onion, whole garlic head, and all the spices. Add a big pinch of salt. Bring everything to a gentle boil.
Step 3. Simmer for One Hour. Reduce the heat to low and let the broth simmer with the pot lid placed ajar for about an hour. Every now and then, skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface using a spoon. This step ensures a clear and clean-tasting broth. Taste the broth and decide if you want to add more salt now, or wait until you use it in other recipes.
Step 4. Strain. Once the broth is deeply golden and aromatic, remove the chicken and strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot or large bowl. Discard the spent spices and aromatics. Don’t throw out that chicken! Let it cool slightly, then shred the meat for use in soups, salads, sandwiches, or even a quick weeknight meal.
Expert Tips
- Don’t Skip the Searing. Browning the chicken first creates a deeper, more robust flavor. Skipping this step results in a lighter broth, which is still delicious but lacks depth.
- Skim the Impurities. The key to a clear broth is regularly skimming off the foam and scum that rise to the surface during simmering.
- Go Low and Slow. A gentle simmer extracts the best flavors without making the broth cloudy.
- Adjust the Spices to Taste. If you prefer a milder broth, reduce the amount of black pepper and cardamom.
- Use a Large Pot. Overcrowding the pot can result in uneven cooking and a less flavorful broth.
How to Use this Homemade Chicken Broth
You can obviously use this homemade chicken broth any way you choose to. It’s perfect for soups, stews and other recipes.
But I would certainly recommend that you use it to make some of my spiced rice dishes like Hashweh (spiced rice with ground beef) or Mediterranean Yellow Rice. It can also be used in other rice dishes that call for water.
Using chicken broth will amp up the flavor. Try it in my Maqluba (upside down chicken and rice), Qidreh (Lamb and spiced rice) as well as with my Maftoul (Palestinian couscous).
It can also used in braises and slow roasted recipes like my Pulled Lamb and soups like my kofta meatball soup.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! This broth actually tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Once cooled, store the broth in airtight containers in the fridge. For longer storage, freeze in portion-sized containers or ice cube trays for easy use. Frozen broth keeps well for up to 3 months.
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Recipe Card
Middle Eastern Style Chicken Broth (Using Whole Chicken)
Ingredients
- 1 Whole chicken, cut into quarters
- 1-2 tablespoon Vegetable or olive oil
- 8-10 cups Water (or enough to fill the pot)
- 1 Onion (cut in half)
- 1 Whole head of garlic (cut in half)
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Whole cumin seed
- 1 teaspoon Whole coriander
- 10-15 Cardamom pods
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Fry the Chicken in Oil. Start by heating 1-2 tablespoon Vegetable or olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sear 1 Whole chicken, cut into quarters on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. Work in batches. The goal is to get some color on the chicken, but not cook it through. This step helps to develop a deeper flavor by caramelizing the skin and rendering some of the fat. As you work in batches, keep the seared chicken on a plate on the side.
- Add the Water and Aromatics. Once the chicken is lightly browned, place all the seared pieces back in the pot and pour in 8-10 cups Water (or enough to fill the pot). Add 1 Onion (cut in half), 1 Whole head of garlic (cut in half), 1 Cinnamon stick, 2 Bay leaves, 1 teaspoon Black pepper, 1 teaspoon Whole cumin seed, 1 teaspoon Whole coriander and 10-15 Cardamom pods. Add a big pinch of salt. Bring everything to a gentle boil.
- Simmer for One Hour. Reduce the heat to low and let the broth simmer with the pot lid placed ajar for about an hour. Every now and then, skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface using a spoon. This step ensures a clear and clean-tasting broth. Taste the broth and decide if you want to add more salt now, or wait until you use it in other recipes.
- Strain. Once the broth is deeply golden and aromatic, remove the chicken and strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot or large bowl. Discard the spent spices and aromatics. Don’t throw out that chicken! Let it cool slightly, then shred the meat for use in soups, salads, sandwiches, or even a quick weeknight meal.
Notes
- Whole Chicken: Using a whole skin-on and bone-in chicken ensures a rich, flavorful broth. The bones and connective tissue release collagen, which gives the broth a luscious texture. If you don’t have a whole chicken, you can use chicken parts like wings, drumsticks, or even a carcass leftover from a roast. The best part of using a whole chicken is that you get a lot of meat to enjoy afterwards.
- Whole spices: I always recommend using whole spices when making broth. They will impart so much flavor, but also won’t cloud the finish broth when you strain it. I love using bay leaves, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, a cinnamon stick and cardamom pods for that Middle Eastern flavor profile. Do try to use whole spices, but if you don’t have them, you can use ground instead.
Michel says
Ended up using it for soup!