Instant Pot Chicken Stock (small batch).
Would you be surprised if I told you that Santa brought me an Instant Pot for Christmas? Did you know they make a mini Instant Pot? It's called the Instant Pot Duo Mini, and I feel like it was made just for me!
The Instant Pot Duo Mini holds just 3 quarts, and is specifically for smaller households looking to serve 3-4 people. Basically, I heard the phrase 'small batch' and jumped all over it.
I spent an entire day reading the instruction manual, joining Instant Pot Facebook groups, and reading other bloggers' guides on how to use this amazing machine. I truly loved Heidi's guide the best.
Heidi suggested to pick one function to master, and then go from there. I started with pressure cooking, because the real reason I wanted an Instant Pot is to make beans.
I love love love beans---more than the average person. Before I had a baby, I would soak one or two varieties of beans each week, and slowly simmer them on the stove top. Looking back, I can't believe I had so much free time! But, it's true what they say about being a Mom--you have less time to accomplish the same amount of stuff, so you're forced to be efficient with your time.
Not wanting to give up homemade beans for canned ones, I knew the Instant Pot was my solution. The first two things I made in my Instant Pot were: a pot of chickpeas and a pot of black beans. My instant pot chickpeas were perfection at 15 minutes on HIGH after a 6-hour soak. However, I overcooked instant pot black beans using the same method, so next time will be better.
Anyway, another reason I was excited for the Instant Pot is to make stocks and broths of all kinds! I'm a big believer in bone broth, both for our immunity and gut health benefits (seriously, the protein levels amaze me--I'm a borderline vegetarian, you probably remember).
So, I had this vision of being able to make a small batch of chicken stock in the Instant Pot Mini while I was cleaning up the kitchen. Into the Instant Pot would go odds and ends from the fridge, and out would come perfectly flavorful stock to use the next night.
I did just that. I tossed in 2 chicken thighs from a big pack of local chicken that I was portioning out into FoodSaver bags destined for the freezer. I added one carrot, two stalks of celery, one small onion (washed very well but not peeled--onion skin contributes color to the stock), a bay leaf, and two peppercorns. I heeded the instruction manual warning and only added enough water to come up to the max fill line. I popped the lid on, and set it to 30 minutes at HIGH pressure.
I scrubbed pans, I wiped counters, I loaded the dishwasher. And then BAM! Thirty minutes later, I had homemade Instant Pot chicken stock. One full quart of chicken stock! It smelled like it had simmered on the stove all afternoon. It was so freaking good that I drank a mug by the fire. (Does it freak you out that I drink bone broth like coffee? I've done it for years!)
One little note: after years of making homemade broths and stocks, I have learned to never add salt until the end. So, I made my stock, released the pressure, strained it, and then stirred in the salt. (My salt is pink because I'm a Himalayan pink salt cult member. Sorry). I used 1 teaspoon of salt for one quart of this instant pot chicken stock.
Ok, friends, I just wanted to introduce you to my new little machine. You'll be seeing more small batch Instant Pot recipes for two from me soon, especially recipes that use this Instant Pot chicken stock as the base, because I think good stock is the foundation of good cooking. In the meantime, leave any requests in the comment section!
I'm making a new category of recipes for the Instant Pot, but will still file them under my Dinners for Two section so they don't get lost in all the sugar around here, ok?
Instant Pot Chicken Stock (small batch)
An easy homemade stock made in the pressure cooker.
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 small onion, washed well and chopped in half
- 1 large carrot
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Layer all ingredients (except salt) in the Instant Pot (or other pressure cooker).*
- Add water to the max fill line.
- Place the lid on the instant pot, and lock it in place. Close the steam release valve (set it to seal), and then press 'manual.' Make sure it is on 'high' for high pressure.
- Use the arrows to set it for 30 minutes. After a few seconds, it will start pressurizing. (The countdown of 30 minutes doesn't begin until it reaches pressure, which can take 10-15 minutes).
- After the 30 minute cook time is up, you can manually release the pressure or let it naturally release (be careful!).
- Open the lid, and strain the mixture into a bowl with a pour spout, and discard the solids. Stir the salt into the broth until dissolved.
- Pour the broth into a 1-quart mason jar container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. (Or, pack it in freezer-safe bags, and lay flat in the freezer for longer storage).
Notes
*Please read the instructions that accompany your pressure cooker before attempting any pressure cooker recipe!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 346Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 166mgSodium: 2435mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 5gSugar: 6gProtein: 33g
Nicole says
I have the bigger Instant Pot and a bigger family...how would you scale this up to make a larger quantity?
Verona L Burns says
So looking forward to your instant pot recipes. I am only one person cooking and only have the 6 Qt pot. Don't really want to buy the mini for another hundred dollars. Assuming I would just use the 6 qt for my recipes for 2 .
sylvia says
looking forward to your Beef bone broth in your Instant Pot.
Gloria says
WILL YOUR RECIPE WORK IN A 4 QUART INSTANT POT ?
Christina Lane says
I don't think a 4-quart instant pot exists...It goes 3, 6, 8...correct me if I'm wrong.
Margaret in Toronto says
At last. Recipes for the Duo Mini. So many recipes are for the larger pots (to feed an army) so it's great to have recipes for my lil'pot.
Christina Lane says
Yay! So glad you're a fellow Duo Mini lover like me :)
Terry Abrahamson says
My new baby (Ultra Mini) just arrived and I'm so glad I found your site. I'm wanting to do dried Lima beans, any idea on how long to cook them? Thanks!
Christina Lane says
yay! If they're soaked overnight, just 10 minutes on high pressure, and then check them. If they're completely dry, it's closer to 25. Good luck :) It took me a few tries to get beans just right :)
Valerie says
Borrowed my daughter’ 8-qt. Power Pressure Cooker XL and love it, but need something smaller. There are just two of us, and I’ve filled the storage space in my kitchen. Searched for a recipe for chicken broth in the little Instant Pot and there you were! Perfect! Now I can buy my own Instant Pot!
Hank D says
I was debating between the 3qt or 6 qt. It's just me, so only cooking for 1 person. Love that I found this recipe for broth in the mini pot. I feel the 6qt is just too big for one person.
KATHRYN THOMPSON says
I am single and have the 6qt Instant Pot. I prefer it over the 3qt. The only real difference is the size. I cook most things pot in pot, but at leaat I have the option to cook a bigger batch of something, such as a whole chicken.
Danielle says
Hi my name is danielle and I was wondering if instead of the fresh thighs could I use the bones from a previous roast chicken?
Christina Lane says
Yes, absolutely! I do that frequently! Enjoy, Danielle :)
gingergene says
Do you just throw the meat away?
Christina Lane says
Usually not.I always try to work it into some other meal. I just can't throw away food like that.
This is a good question. I see Ina Garten on TV throwing away entire chicken carcasses after making chicken stock, and it makes my eye twitch. It's true that the meat is overly soft after being used to make stock, but I'll use it in a soup, fold it into tacos, or otherwise share it with my dogs. I just hate food waste, don't you?