Chicken Broth Vs. Bone Broth: What's The Difference?

When you add something different to your food, it tastes better. It could be a sauce, a distinct ingredient, or simply a broth. Chefs use broth as a flavouring foundation to improve the taste of the meal they are cooking.

 Read more: 6 Ways to Reuse Leftover Vegetable Broth for Maximum Nutrition

The next question is whether to use chicken broth or bone broth. When it comes to differentiating between the two broths, it's better if it is done with some explanation. Therefore, to clear all doubts, let us explore the two kinds of broth more to help you understand the difference between a chicken broth and a bone broth.

Chicken Broth

With the winter season in full flow now, chicken soup is the first dish that comes to mind when we are looking for something warm, cosy, easy, and satisfying. But to make a chicken soup recipe, you need chicken broth to begin with. A chicken broth is a mixture that is prepared by simmering raw chicken, aromatics, seasonings, and vegetables like onions and carrots.

Bone Broth

Bone broth, on the other hand, is prepared by simmering animal bones, like those of cows, goats, sheep, etc., and connective tissue for a long time.

A stock requires to be simmered for 1-6 hours, whereas when it comes to stock, it requires to be simmered for at least 12–48 hours. This allows the collagen in the bones to be released in the mixture; therefore, the longer the process of simmering is, the more nutrients you will be able to obtain.

Usually, bone broth is used as a base for sauces, stews, and sauces, but it could also be enjoyed as a standalone drink due to its nutritional profile and flavour. Simply season it with a little salt and add some herbs or lemon.

So What's The Difference?

Ingredients

A chicken broth is specifically made from roasted chicken bones and chicken meat, along with pepper and vegetables, to enhance its flavour.

A bone broth, on the other hand, is made of animal meat, roasted beef bones, and spices and herbs like pepper and garlic.

Collagen Concentration

Bone broths have a higher collagen concentration, more specifically the ones prepared from beef bones, as compared to chicken broth, where the collagen concentration is less profound.

Preparation Time

A bone broth, as mentioned earlier, could take up to 48 hours to be considered fully prepared or for the flavour to be fully released in the mixture. A chicken broth, though, doesn't require a longer period of boiling as it can be made in 6 hours.

Flavour Profile And Uses

Chicken broth is known for its subtle and mild flavour, and that's why it is commonly used as a base for various dishes like gravy, soups, and noodles.

Bone broth, on the other hand, has a profound flavour compared to chicken broth; thus, it can be used in many other dishes apart from gravies, noodles, and soups. Not only that, it can be enjoyed as a standalone drink too.

Appearance

A simple way to distinguish both broths without tasting them is to differentiate them based on their colour. Chicken broth has a lighter colour, whereas bone broth has a much darker colour.