# What do you do with Chicken Base



## GB (Oct 4, 2004)

OK I just bought some chicken base, but have never used it before. What are some of your favorite things to use this with?


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## PolishedTopaz (Oct 4, 2004)

I use it when I saute veggies..... brown them lightly in saucepan with shallots, garlic and EVOO. Add base {a tsp or so} then add some water 1/4 cup? Cover and let them finish cooking. You can add some butter at the end of cooking time for a richer sauce.


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## marmalady (Oct 4, 2004)

Use it anywhere you want some flavor; just be careful, it's usually pretty salty!


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## kitchenelf (Oct 4, 2004)

Anytime a recipe calls for chicken stock you can use the chicken base.  Or enhance your own homemade chicken stock.  Sometimes when I make chicken and dumplings I feel there's not enough flavor in the broth and I will add some base.


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## Otter (Oct 5, 2004)

I like using it to enhance the flavor of chicken soup.


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## jennyema (Oct 5, 2004)

Usually where I need just a bit of chix broth, but I also put a tad in vinaigrette salad dressing and in asian sauces.  

The owner of an excellent chinese restaurant once told me that one of the secrets to her dippeing sauce was a small hit of chix broth.


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## choclatechef (Oct 5, 2004)

I use it when I am making everything from beef stew to gravies.  

Yes, some brands are tremendously salty, so you do have to be real careful.


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## GB (Oct 5, 2004)

Thank you all for these great suggestions (and please keep em coming). I was going to use it last night, but decided to make scallops for dinner so maybe tonight I will make something and use the base. all I know is it smells so good in the jar and I can't wait to try it.


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## Yakuta (Oct 6, 2004)

GB I use mine when I make stir fry's for a more concentrated flavor than what stock adds.  

I also add it to rice pilafs for a subtle flavor.  I also use it along with chicken stock as others mentioned in soups.


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## Psiguyy (Oct 7, 2004)

I use it to make a lazy man's quick rice pilaf.  I just put some chicken base and a pinch of saffron in the water I use to boil the rice.  

GB, is this the kind of base you get from the restaurant supplier?  The paste in the can with the chicken fat?  If it is, just add it to hot water and you have a pretty good chicken soup.  All you need to add are the diced veggies.


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## GB (Oct 7, 2004)

Psiguyy, I got it from Penzys. It is a thick paste. I bet that it would be great just added to water. I think I just may try that tonight as a test.


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## cafeandy (Oct 7, 2004)

it should have the ratios on the jar...like 1 tsp to 1 cup of water for broth.  i also keep a jar of beef and lobster bases in my fridge.  they are very concentrated and liven up all kinds of dishes.  shelf life in the fridge is months.


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## Psiguyy (Oct 7, 2004)

GB said:
			
		

> Psiguyy, I got it from Penzys. It is a thick paste. I bet that it would be great just added to water. I think I just may try that tonight as a test.



Yeah, that's most likely similar to the kind of stuff I buy.  First time I bought it I was stunned that it was a paste and not a powder.  It's good stuff.  Wouldn't use any other.  

If I make a stew and something seems to be missing, I add some base.  Either Chicken or Beef.  Sometimes a bit of both.


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## GB (Oct 8, 2004)

OK here is my update. I made general tsao chicken last night over rice. I added chicken base to the rice, even though it didn't need it because of the gen tsao sauce. I basically just added it so I could taste the rice first without the gen tsao sauce. It really gave the rice a fantastic chicken flavor, but I used too much. I used about a tablespoon and the rice became very salty as you guys mentioned it might. The flavor itself was great though. Once I mixed everything together, the sauce overpowered the chicken base, so the meal turned out fine. Now I will know how much to use next time and I wont waste it unless it will really help the dish. Thank you everyone for your suggestions. They have been quite helpful!


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## pst1can (Oct 10, 2004)

*What to do with chicken base...*

I use chicken base when we have a fondue night. Instead of frying in oil we fry in beef or chicken base to help eliminate some of the calories without sacrificing the taste. You must be aware as mentioned the brand toy are using because of the salt. Sometimes you get that batch of boneless chicken that seems tasteless...with that I saute in a chicken base and then "hot it up" with a Frank's hot sauce or whatever.


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## GaArt (Oct 16, 2004)

kitchenelf said:
			
		

> Anytime a recipe calls for chicken stock you can use the chicken base.  Or enhance your own homemade chicken stock.  Sometimes when I make chicken and dumplings I feel there's not enough flavor in the broth and I will add some base.



what they said.. it adds a stronger flavor to chicken based dishes.. but do be careful, you can get way too much.


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## luvs (Oct 17, 2004)

i make lazy-woman's chicken soup sometimes when i'm too busy too worry about making stock.
make a broth by taste with the base and some water. season with fresh-cracked black pepper, ground sage, dried parsley, a little oregano, dried onion, celery leaves, smashed garlic cloves, and bay leaf.
 add sliced carrots and celery, and simmer till tender. add shredded rotissere chicken or chicken breast.

 boil some noodles in a seperate pot if you want to, add the drained noodles just before serving. skim off the celery leaves before dishing out.
on REALLY busy days, i just make the broth and sip that instead of making a soup.


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## Lifter (Oct 17, 2004)

Try eliminating the milk/cream/butter and mashing it in with your potato's, with whatever you like to thin it out, if or as necessary...you will probably need to work on this a bit, but that's my first instinct...

Lifter


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## southerncook (Oct 21, 2004)

I have chicken, beef and ham base in the fridge and use them all the time.
they add a nice rich flavor, and are excellent for cheating-like when your making chicken soup with a pre-cooked chicken!! I also use vegetable and fish bullion cubes to liven up soups and gumbo's. great stuff.


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## Psiguyy (Oct 26, 2004)

I like this place.  People here appreciate shortcuts using premade stuff.  On the other board, if you even hint about using bases, much less boullion cubes, you'd get slammed left and right.  

I think I need to get out more.  I have never seen ham base.  So many chinese soup recipes use ham that using a ham base would make things so much easier!


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## GB (Oct 27, 2004)

Psiguyy, Penzys has ham base along with others such as beef, chicken, fish, turkey, and maybe one or two others as well.


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## luvs (Oct 27, 2004)

hey, psi...  
ham base is pretty common around here.
if you buy some, it can add a lot to beans, bean soup, or a pot of quick greens, amongst other things.


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## choclatechef (Oct 27, 2004)

Psiguyy said:
			
		

> I like this place.  People here appreciate shortcuts using premade stuff.  On the other board, if you even hint about using bases, much less boullion cubes, you'd get slammed left and right.
> 
> I think I need to get out more.  I have never seen ham base.  So many chinese soup recipes use ham that using a ham base would make things so much easier!



What other board is that?


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## thier1754 (Oct 27, 2004)

What a lot of good ideas for chicken base.  May I use some of them to share with our customers?  We also have two good bases, one from Redi-Base and Glace de Poulet from More Than Gourmet.  They both have their devoted fans.  Our consulting chef much prefers Redi-Base, but other chefs swear by the other...


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