Many soup recipes call for chicken base.
Chicken base refers to a concentrated chicken stock used in many recipes for soups, stews, risottos and meat dishes. You can buy pre-made chicken bases at the grocery store in powdered or cube form. You can also make a concentrated chicken base at home and store in the freezer. Chicken base takes a long time to cook -- one reason why cooks keep pre-made chicken base in the pantry. You can save money and control what goes into your chicken base if you make it at home from a list of simple ingredients.
Additives and Fillers
You can use the scraps from roasted chicken for a rich chicken base.
Some commercial chicken bases have monosodium glutamate (MSG) on their list of ingredients. MSG is a flavor enhancer found in processed foods, which can cause adverse effects in some individuals. Some people also have allergies to MSG, a common additive in soups, canned broths, Chinese food and chicken bases. Another filler ingredient in some commercial brand chicken bases includes wheat gluten. People with gluten allergies need to avoid wheat gluten. Some organic certified brands do not contain additives or fillers.
Salt
Chicken bases contain sodium. You can find low-sodium chicken bases, but many brands use excess sodium to add flavor. Excess sodium consumption may contribute to the risk of heart disease and stroke. However, you can avoid excess salt by making your own chicken base at home with a list of simple ingredients. You can add table salt to season the base to taste.
Chicken
Chicken base should have chicken as a primary ingredient. Chicken meat, bones, fat and juices are slowly cooked for a rich broth. The primary use for chicken base is as a concentrated ingredient to add flavor, fat and richness to dishes. For chicken base at home, boil an entire chicken. Add roasted chicken bones when the stock reduces to a thick, dark colored chicken base.
Vegetables
Use the green tops of vegetables for chicken base.
In addition to chicken, vegetables are added to chicken bases. In the early stages of cooking, onions, celery, carrots, broccoli, parsley and other vegetable scraps are added. The vegetables cook slowly, helping to make a thick and richly-flavored stock. As the liquid reduces, the vegetables disintegrate into the stock. Cooks strain the stock and allow it to reduce by half for a chicken base.
Spices
Many chicken bases contain natural herbs and spices for flavor. Most cooks add bay leaves to concentrated while cooking. Fresh or dried thyme and oregano are also added. Whole pepper corns are commonly added to concentrated chicken stock. Some chicken bases contain garlic, which adds a savory flavor and aroma to the chicken stock.
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