Instant Pot Chicken Broth with 8 Grams of Protein Per Cup
Add Preferred SourceA rotisserie chicken, a pressure cooker, and about an hour is all it takes to create a rich, high-protein chicken broth. This isn’t a thin, watery stock. Using the whole chicken, meat, skin, bones, and juices gives you a broth with real body and flavor, and it’s ready in a fraction of the time a stovetop version takes. With about 8-10 grams of protein per cup, this is a delicious protein boost.
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A good chicken broth should taste like chicken, not bones. Bone broth is fine, but not if you’re looking for flavor.
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This humble and delicious broth is a perfect example of how simple ingredients, when treated properly, can transform into something amazing. The next time you buy a rotisserie chicken for dinner, grab another for the Instant Pot. Then, make a batch of this broth and freeze it and you’ll have amazing soups. After all, the best soups start from the best broth.
Chef Jenn’s Take on Instant Pot High-Protein Chicken Broth
Most people think broth needs a full day on the stove, or a whole raw chicken with a long simmer to build flavor. Neither is true once you start with a rotisserie chicken and a pressure cooker.
I shred the chicken meat before it goes into the pot instead of leaving it in big pieces. Breaking it down that way exposes more surface area, so more protein and flavor pull out of the meat during cooking. The skin stays in too. It’s not optional here. Skip it and the broth loses body and richness that come from the fat and connective tissue.
Once the broth chills, it should set up slightly gelled. That’s the collagen doing its job, and it’s the clearest sign the broth turned out right. The whole batch comes together in about an hour under pressure (plus ramping up time), using a store-bought chicken instead of starting from raw. The meat is already seasoned, and that rotisserie flavor adds a depth of flavor to the broth that’s hard to beat.
What You’ll Love About Instant Pot High-Protein Chicken Broth
- Turns a rotisserie chicken into a protein-rich broth you can drink as is or use in soups and stews.
- Comes together in about an hour under pressure instead of the half day a stovetop version takes.
- Freezes well in small portions, so you’ve got broth ready any time a soup or sauce needs it.
Ingredients
- Rotisserie chicken – Use the whole chicken: meat, skin, bones, and any juices left in the container.
- Carrot – Peeled and thinly sliced. A parsnip works if that’s what you have.
- Shallot – Thinly sliced. A small yellow onion is a fine substitute.
- Garlic – Fresh cloves, smashed. Skip the pre-minced jarred kind, it won’t hold up over the long cook.
- Cooking oil – For shallow frying.
- Water – Boiling hot, so the pot comes to pressure faster.
How to Make Instant Pot High-Protein Chicken Broth
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Start by pulling the meat off the rotisserie chicken and shredding it into bite-sized pieces. Shredding it first, rather than leaving it whole, helps more flavor and protein release into the broth as it cooks.
Add the oil to the Instant Pot and set it on sauté. When hot, add the carrots and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, then add the shallot and garlic and sauté for another 2-3 minutes, until softened. Turn off the sauté function.
Add the shredded chicken to the Instant Pot along with the bones, skin, carcass, and any juices left in the container. Don’t leave the skin out. It’s where a lot of the richness comes from. Stir in the boiling water.
Lock the lid and set the pot to High Pressure for 60 minutes. Once the cook time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 to 15 minutes, then carefully vent whatever pressure remains.
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer. Line it with cheesecloth first if you want a clearer broth. Press gently on the solids to get out as much liquid as possible, then discard them. Let the broth cool before refrigerating or freezing it.
Make It A Meal
This broth is the base I reach for anytime a recipe calls for chicken stock. Use it to build The Best Spring Minestrone, stir it into Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice, or ladle it into the filling for Biscuit-Topped Chicken Pot Pie.
If you’d rather sip it on its own, warm a mug of it alongside a classic Patty Melt for a tasty meal.
Storage
Refrigerate the broth in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat it gently on the stove or in the microwave. For longer storage, freeze it in 1- or 2-cup portions for up to 6 months, so you can thaw just what a recipe calls for.
Frequently Asked Questions
It keeps for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze it in individual portions for up to 6 months.
That’s a good sign, not a problem. The gel forms because collagen released from the bones during pressure cooking, and it melts back into liquid once the broth is reheated.
This recipe is built around a rotisserie chicken because it’s already cooked and adds flavor from the start. A raw chicken will need a longer cook time to fully break down and won’t give the same result in this method.
Yes. Cool the broth completely, then freeze it in 1- or 2-cup portions so you can pull out only what you need for soups, sauces, or sipping.
Instant Pot High-Protein Chicken Broth
Ingredients
- 1 whole rotisserie chicken
- 1 medium carrot peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 shallot thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
- 10 cups water boiling hot
- cooking oil for shallow frying
Instructions
- Remove the meat from the rotisserie chicken and shred it into bite-size pieces.
- Add the oil to the Instant Pot and set it on saute. When hot, add the carrots and saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, then add the shallot and garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes until softened. Turn off the saute function.
- Add the shredded chicken, bones, skin, carcass, and any juices from the container to the Instant Pot, and top it up with the boiling water.
- Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 60 minutes.
- Release the pressure naturally for 10 to 15 minutes, then carefully vent any remaining pressure.
- Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer, or line the strainer with cheesecloth for a clearer broth. Press gently on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible, then discard the solids.
- Cool the broth before refrigerating or freezing.
Notes
Recipe Card Tips
- Shred the chicken before it goes into the pot. More surface area means more protein and flavor pull into the broth during cooking.
- Keep the skin in. It’s where the richness and body come from, and leaving it out gives you a thinner broth.
- Freeze the broth in 1- or 2-cup portions so it’s ready to use whenever a recipe calls for it.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
