# Chicken Base?



## DietitianInTraining (Oct 14, 2008)

If a recipe calls for chicken base... what is that? It says to put a whole chicken in large pot with celery, carrots, onion, salt, pepper and *chicken base*.

Anyone know?


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## GB (Oct 14, 2008)

Chicken Base is concentrated chicken stock. It is a paste that usually comes in a little tub. I get Minors brand soup bases at BJ's.

Here is it on Amazon.


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## Andy M. (Oct 14, 2008)

It's along the same lines as bullion cubes or granules.  It's a super concentrated chicken paste.  A teaspoon to a cup of water gives you broth.  You can use bullion cubes instead.  You could also use canned broth in place of the water and chicken base.


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## pacanis (Oct 14, 2008)

I have a jar of something called chicken flavored soup base. It is basically like chicken bullion (sp?) with chicken type spices in it, like a poultry seasoning.
That might be what they're after.


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## pacanis (Oct 14, 2008)

OK. What GB and Andy said


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## DietitianInTraining (Oct 14, 2008)

I see..

It says to use 2 Tablespoons of it.. So how much chicken broth should I use? I also have 3 bullion cubes..


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## DietitianInTraining (Oct 14, 2008)

I wonder if I should wait till I can get to the store to make this..


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## GB (Oct 14, 2008)

I would use 2 bullion cubes in place of it. I like base MUCH better than bullion cubes. If you are going to the store anyway then see if they have base. If you do not want to wait then a couple of bullion cubes will do just fine.

Base has a much more chickeny flavor where bullion taste more artificial to me at least.


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## pacanis (Oct 14, 2008)

If it was me.... I would add all three cubes and break out the poultry seasoning if you have any, if not, grab the sage, parsley, onion powder, turmeric and other "chicken type" spices you may have on hand, but that's me.


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## DietitianInTraining (Oct 14, 2008)

Well, I have an apointment at 3:30, so i'll stop by our grocery store and look for it. We don't have a wal mart in our small town, and the grocery store we have, usually doesn't have alot of things I need... but i'll check before I use the bullion cubes.

Thanks for the help!


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## jennyema (Oct 14, 2008)

What are you making?  Chicken soup?  

I assume that water also goes in the pot.  In which case, you can just substitute chicken broth for the water and the chicken base.  Or use half plain water and half chicken broth.  

Make sure you taste before adding salt if you use either chicken base or canned chicken broth, as both are pretty salty.


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## DietitianInTraining (Oct 14, 2008)

I'm making chicken and dumplings


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## Andy M. (Oct 14, 2008)

The chicken base flavors the water to make chicken broth.  

If you want to use broth instead, use the same as the water amount and skip the base.


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## jennyema (Oct 14, 2008)

Andy M. said:


> The chicken base flavors the water to make chicken broth.
> 
> If you want to use broth instead, use the same as the water amount and skip the base.


 

Yep.  Chicken base is just an easy way to make up chicken broth when you need it.  Especially when you only need a little bit of it.

There's no reason to buy it unless you are intrigued by it.  Just use chicken broth.


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## AllenOK (Oct 14, 2008)

I make and freeze my own chicken stock.  However, right now, I'm out!  Imagine the horror!  I've been making chicken rice soup lately, and using the broth that results from poaching the chicken.  However, I will save the skin, chop it up with a knife, and caramelize that to render the fat for sauteing the veggies, as well as put a layer of chicken fond in the bottom of the pan.

If you're using raw chicken, dice it up, and brown it in the pan before you start anything else.  It will add a layer of chicken flavor to the soup.


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