Homemade or store-bought, chicken broth or stock is liquid gold in the kitchen. But what happens when you’ve got a little extra on hand? Instead of letting it go to waste, try one of these five easy, flavorful ways to use up your leftover broth/ stock and take your cooking to the next level.
Whether you’re working with chicken stock, chicken broth, or even vegetable stock, these ideas will help you stretch every drop.
1. Freeze It for Later
The easiest option? Freeze it! Pour leftover stock into ice cube trays or small containers and freeze for quick use in sauces, sautés, or recipes that only need a splash. It’s a lifesaver for busy weeknights and helps you avoid waste. After it’s frozen, you can even take it out and put it in ziplock bags for easier storage.
💡 Tip: Label your containers with the date and portion size for easy grab-and-go cooking.
Bonus tip: If you have the large ice cube trays (like for cocktail ice), those tend to make better portion sizes.
2. Make a Quick Soup
Stock is the perfect base for a fast, cozy soup. Toss in some leftover veggies, cooked noodles, and protein (rotisserie chicken works great!) for a satisfying meal in minutes. This is where homemade stock really shines with rich, deep flavor.
3. Cook Grains with More Flavor
Why cook rice, quinoa, or couscous in water when you can use stock? Simmering grains in stock infuses them with savory depth, especially great for meal prepping or building bowls.
🧂 Bonus: If your stock is already seasoned, you may not need extra salt.
4. Deglaze the Pan
After searing meat or sautéing vegetables, add a splash of stock to the hot pan to lift up those flavorful brown bits. This creates an easy pan sauce or a delicious base for gravy, stews, or braises.
5. Use It in Mashed Potatoes
For a lighter, more savory spin on mashed potatoes, replace some (or all) of the milk or cream with stock. It adds great flavor without extra fat, which is perfect for a weeknight dinner. Sometimes I’ll even add stock during the cooking process instead of cooking completely in water.
Stock Up on Flavor
These are just a few of the many ways to make the most of your chicken stock, vegetable broth, or homemade bone broth. Once you start using it in creative ways, you might find yourself making extra stock on purpose!
I also created a list of ways to use left over buttermilk, since I always seem to buy a bottle and use just a little bit at a time.