Say goodbye to bland bouillon cubes – these homemade freezer tray chicken stock pots deliver rich, savory flavor straight from your freezer.
As a busy home cook, I used to dread reaching for those bland, salt-loaded bouillon cubes. One evening, frustrated by their artificial taste, I had a lightbulb moment in my warm kitchen. Surrounded by onion peels, carrot tops, and my roast chicken carcass, I decided to make my own stock. After simmering bones and veggies into a concentrated broth and freezing it into convenient cubes, I realized I’d created the ultimate flavor hack: freezer tray chicken stock pots. This simple trick saved me trips to the store, cut out unwanted additives, and gave my soups and stews restaurant-quality taste. You’re going to love how easy and delicious this is!
Why This Recipe Actually Works
- Pure, Intense Flavor: By simmering bones and vegetables for an hour, you extract deep chicken flavor and natural gelatin. When you reduce the liquid, each stock pot is a tiny flavor bomb. One cube in a pot of soup adds more richness than a whole Knorr cube.
- Zero Artificial Junk: I ditched store-bought bouillon long ago after learning how much junk they pack in – “salt, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and … trans fat”. With homemade stock pots, you control exactly what goes in. No MSG, no preservatives, just honest ingredients.
- Nutrient-Packed: Unlike thinned-out broth, this concentrated stock is rich in collagen, minerals, and amino acids. Nutrition experts note that stock (made from bones) “contains more nutrients, as well as collagen, marrow, amino acids and minerals” that can support gut and joint health. In short, it’s liquid nourishment in every cube.
- Super Convenient: Once frozen, these portable stock pots are ready whenever you need them. Whether I’m making rice, gravy, or a last-minute soup, I just drop in a cube or two. It’s like having homemade broth on demand—no defrosting giant portions or waiting for a simmer.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken bones or leftover chicken carcass (for collagen and flavor)
- Carrots, celery, onion, and garlic (a classic aromatic base)
- Bay leaves, peppercorns, and parsley (simple herbs/spices for depth)
- Salt (optional)
- Cold water
Think of this as a basic mise en place. You don’t need fancy equipment—just the ingredients in the fridge plus a pot. (P.S. Silly bonus: I always keep a spare silicone ice tray just for freezing broth cubes—so handy!)
My Keys to the Perfect Freezer Tray Chicken Stock Pots
Every home cook has a secret sauce (mine is lots of garlic!), but here are the crucial techniques I’ve honed:
Start with Quality Bones and a Roasted Base
The foundation of flavor is your chicken bones (or carcass). Whenever I’m done with a roast chicken, I set aside the carcass (skin removed) and chuck it in the freezer. Whenever I have a few of these, I roast them briefly in the oven. Roasting before simmering browns the bones and veggies, giving your stock a rich amber color and deeper umami. The collagen in the bones will turn into gelatin as you simmer, giving these cubes that silky, satisfying mouthfeel. Even if I skip roasting, I always include some meat or skin (if available) for extra flavor.
Use Plenty of Aromatics
A stock is only as good as its aromatics. I never skip carrot, celery, onion, and crushed garlic—that classic “mirepoix.” These vegetables add sweetness and depth. I toss in whole bay leaves and a few peppercorns for a subtle spice note. Sometimes I’ll even add a piece of ginger or a few parsley sprigs for extra anti-inflammatory goodness (and to match that Hainanese chicken rice vibe). Remember: you can customize here. More garlic for kick, or herbs like thyme instead of parsley.
Simmer Low and Slow (But Not Too Long)
After adding water, I bring everything to a boil, then immediately lower to a gentle simmer. This gentle simmering for about an hour is key – enough to extract flavor and collagen without evaporating away too much liquid. Resist the urge to rush it at high heat; gentle is best for clarity (no cloudy foam). I keep the pot partially covered. If foam appears, I skim it off for a cleaner-tasting stock.
Reduce for Concentration
Here’s where the magic happens: I let the stock gently reduce while simmering. The longer it simmers uncovered, the more it concentrates. For super-rich cubes, I simmer until the volume is a bit less (about 1 to 1.2 liters from 1.5L water). This means each stock pot is like a mini demi-glace. You’ll notice after cooling that the stock might gel slightly – a good sign of all that collagen (gelatin) in action! Don’t rush this step!
Season Last, Freeze Fresh
If you add salt too early, the water release can stop the reduction. I usually add only a pinch of salt at the start and wait to adjust after straining. Once I have the strained stock, I taste and add more salt if needed. Then I pour it into my silicone tray while still warm (so it flows easily). After filling the tray, I let it cool to room temp before sealing and freezing. This avoids ice crystals from steam. I always label the bag with the date and contents – these stock pots stay good for ~3 months.
Serving Suggestions and Expert Tips
Using these stock pots is as easy as can be. Here are a few ideas:
- Instant Soup Base: For a quick soup, dissolve 1–2 cubes in a pot of simmering water or coconut milk. Add leftover veggies and a protein (tofu or chicken) for an instant meal.
- Rice and Grains: Swap water for chicken broth cubes when cooking rice or quinoa. For example, add one cube to the rice cooker along with your rinsed rice and water – it infuses the grains with savory flavor (great for chicken rice!).
- Sauces and Gravy: Make a quick gravy by melting a cube in a saucepan and whisking in a spoonful of flour or cornstarch for thickening. This homemade stock intensifies gravies and sauces better than plain water or store broth.
- Stir-Fries: Before stir-frying veggies or noodles, dissolve a cube in a splash of hot water to create a flavorful sauce base. It’s a great shortcut for Asian-style dishes.
- Storage/Substitutions: Feel free to swap in other aromatics (ginger for an extra zing, or thyme/rosemary for earthy notes). If you have leftover ginger from the Rice Cooker Hainanese Chicken Rice recipe, add a knob to the stock for an East-meets-West twist. Store used cubes together – I stack my silicone trays in the freezer or transfer cubes to a zip-top bag to save space.
More Recipes You’ll Love!
If you enjoyed making these homemade stock pots, check out some of my other favorite recipes that use stock and bold flavors. Try our easy Rice Cooker Hainanese Chicken Rice – it uses chicken stock for extra depth and is perfect for busy weeknights. Also don’t miss the fiery kick of our Chili Crisp (Homemade Lao Gan Ma) recipe; a spoonful of that on top of a soup made with your stock cubes is simply heavenly. These recipes pair beautifully with your rich homemade stock and will make your meals pop.
Conclusion: From my kitchen to yours, I promise once you make these freezer chicken stock pots, you’ll never go back to store bouillon. They’ve saved me time on busy nights and made my homemade dishes taste so much better. Give it a try and let me know how it goes! Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions or just want to share how you’re using your stock pots. Happy cooking, friends!
Easy Freezer Tray Chicken Stock Pots (Better Than Knorr!)
Make flavorful soups and sauces with these easy, healthy freezer tray chicken stock pots - better than store bouillon. Rich, savory flavor anytime.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Step 1: Prepare the Stock Base
Place the chicken bones, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, salt, and parsley in a large pot. Pour in the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, skimming any foam from the surface as needed. (You can also roast the bones and veggies in the oven first for 20 minutes at 450°F to deepen the flavor.)
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Step 2: Strain and Cool
After simmering, remove the pot from heat and let the stock cool slightly (about 15 minutes). Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a heatproof container, discarding the solids. (For extra clarity, refrigerate briefly and skim off any solidified fat from the surface.)
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Step 3: Portion and Freeze
Carefully pour the warm stock into a silicone ice cube tray or multi-cavity mold (about 60 mL/¼ cup per cavity). Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and place in the freezer. Once fully frozen (4–6 hours), pop out the stock pots and store them in an airtight freezer bag or container. Use one or more stock pots as needed to flavor soups, sauces, and grains.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 16
Serving Size 60ml
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 25kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 2g4%
- Sodium 15mg1%
- Total Carbohydrate 2g1%
- Sugars 1g
- Protein 2g4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Worked really well thanks!
Will give it a try