Chicken stock is used to add flavor to certain dishes such as rice, stews, and dumplings. It adds nutrition and richness to dishes as well. Some cooks prefer to add plain water but it lacks the flavor and nutrition found in chicken stock. Using chicken stock is an inexpensive way of adding flavor to your food. However, as delicious and beneficial as it is, still it cannot satisfy everyone's taste. When that happens, you may require a chicken stock substitute when chicken is unavailable or undesirable.
7 Excellent Chicken Stock Substitutes to Try
If you run out chicken stock or do not like its taste, you can use any of the substitutes outlined below to add flavor and richness to your food.
1. Juices
Juices can be used in place of chicken stock for some recipes. However, you must be careful when using juices as substitutes because they are not as versatile as other substitutes. Some of the juices that you can use to flavor your food include apple, orange, cranberry, and white or traditional grape juices. Tomato juice is mostly used in meats, vegetable soups, stews, and grains. It adds flavor and color to these dishes. Another suitable substitute for chicken stock is mixed vegetable cocktails, which are also used as to make sauce.
2. Flavored Water
Sometimes it is impractical to use some of the chicken stock substitutes when preparing food. In such cases, you can use flavored water or add plain water and increase your seasoning. Court-bouillon is a French liquid made from simmered bay leaves, cracked peppercorns and onions among other flavors. The simmered ingredients are drained off and the flavored water is used in cooking.
You can prepare a similar liquid by simmering your favorite herbs and spices. Prepared mixes are also available, which can be used when cooking meat and vegetables. You should allow the mix of herbs and spices to simmer for half an hour. You can adjust your seasoning based on the taste and flavor of the dishes after adding the liquid.
3. Wine or Beer
Alcohol is often used a substitute to beef and chicken stock when preparing meat, rice or stews. If you want to use beer or wine in place of chicken stock, mix half a cup of beer or wine with half a cup of water. Add this mixture to your recipe. You can use alcohol in place of beef stock by mixing red wine with water in the same ratio. Ensure that your dish boils if you are serving it to children. Boiling it allows the alcohol to cook out of your dish without losing the flavor.
4. Store-Bought Vegetable Stock
You can find vegetable stock on the same aisle as chicken and beef stock in the grocery store. Vegetable stock is usable as an alternative stock in many recipes. You can convert your recipe to a vegetarian recipe and maintain the chicken or beef stock flavor. For such a recipe, add a tablespoon of soy sauce or miso paste in every cup of vegetable stock. Soy sauce and miso paste have an intense flavor that adds to the richness of vegetable stock.
5. Homemade Vegetable Stock
You can also make your own vegetable stock.
Recipe 1:
Veggie bisqueis a usable chicken stock substitute.
- ŸTo prepare this broth, add one sLiced onion, carrots, slices of celery, and bay leaf to a pot of water.
- ŸBoil the mixture for a few minutes and then add garlic salt, butter and onion powder. Boil until the mixture is reduced.
- ŸStrain the vegetables and use the liquid as an alternative to chicken stock. Avoid adding soup mix because you will lose the taste and flavor of veggie bisque.
Recipe 2:
- ŸAdd chopped onions, celery, carrots, and garlic into a slow cooker.Allow the vegetables to cook for a while and then add herbs, thyme, pepper, and salt to taste. You may use rosemary leaves as herbs.
- Add enough water to cover the mixture and leave it to cook on low heat for some hours. You can use a stovetop in place of a slow cooker.
- ŸOnce the stock is ready, allow it to cool to room temperature. Put the stock in quart-sized container and freeze it for up to six months.
Note:You make use of the ends and peels of vegetables. Place the peels and ends of vegetables that you throw away when preparing food in a zip-top bag and then put it in a freezer. Once the bag is full, you start making the stock.
6. Bouillon Cubes
Flavor cubes are handy when chicken stock is unavailable. They can last for a year. If you want to prepare one cup of stock, add one bouillon cube to a cup of water and simmer the mixture until the cube dissolves completely. Use this broth as a chicken stock substitute in your recipe.
7. Light Veal Stock
You can use a different type of stock or broth as chicken stock substitute. One versatile stock is light veal stock, which has a mild flavor and usable in many dishes. You can prepare veal stock at home or buy it from your local store.
