Looking for a chicken broth substitute? We’ve all had those moments when we realize that we don’t have the ingredients that we need in the pantry. If you are out of chicken broth, fear not! Discover the top replacements for chicken broth in your recipes right here.

We’ll detail each chicken broth substitute below. But first, here’s a quick list of our top substitutes.

Key: c = cup

1 Cup of Chicken Broth =
*Vegetable broth in a 1:1 ratio*
*Herb-infused water in a 1:1 ratio*
*Bouillon cubes = 1 cube + 1 c of water for every c*
½ c wine + ½ c water for ever 1 c
Mushroom broth in a 1:1 ratio

Best estimates and ratios based on recent kitchen testing by us.

Chicken Broth Flavor

Chicken broth’s meaty flavor gets better with the herbs and veggies you add. The more ingredients you add to your broth, the more flavorful it’s going to be.

Are Chicken Broth and Chicken Stock the Same Thing?

No, they’re not the same thing!

Chicken broth is made by simmering chicken meat and bones in water with some veggies, such as carrots, onions, and celery, and herbs for some time. It has a more subtle yet finished flavor than chicken stock.

On the other hand, chicken stock is prepared slowly by simmering roasted chicken bones and veggies in water. It is cooked for about 4 hours. It has a distinct chicken flavor and slightly gelatinous and rich texture thanks to the collagen from the bones.

Chicken Broth Substitutes

Here are some items that you can use instead of chicken broth:

Homemade Vegetable Broth

Vegetarians love this chicken broth replacement. You can use vegetable broth in various dishes that call for chicken broth and use your favorite vegetables and seasonings to make it. Just don’t boil the vegetables too much, or they’ll get too soft..

Choose flavorful veggies such as onions, parsley, carrots, turnips, and celery to make your broth. Complement these veggies with herbs such as basil, thyme, bay leaves, and more.

Simmer the herbs and veggies in water for about 40 minutes to make your vegetable broth. Use the same quantity of vegetable broth as the quantity of chicken broth.

Use Vegetable broth in a 1:1 ratio

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Boiled Water Infused With Herbs

You can also use herb-infused water as a chicken broth substitute. Use dry herbs rather than fresh ones as they’re more concentrated. Put some flavorful herbs such as basil, thyme, oregano, tarragon, etc., in boiling water and let them simmer for about 10 minutes.

Don’t steep herbs like oregano too long; they can make the broth bitter.

Use herb-infused water in a 1:1 ratio.

Bouillon Cubes

The word “Bouillon” is French for broth, and bouillon cubes are small, flavorful cubes of chicken broth. You can add one bouillon cube in a cup of hot water to make a cup of chicken broth. Just make sure to whisk it properly so that the cube dissolves in the water completely.

Since many bouillon cubes are quite salty, make sure to taste the prepared broth before adding it to your dish so that you are aware of the salt content.

Use Bouillon cubes in a 1 cube + 1 cup of water for every cup of chicken broth. (Be careful about adding any additional salt to the recipe because Bouillon cubes are salty.)

Red or White Wine

If you want a burst of flavors in your food, then you can add wine in your food as a chicken broth substitute. White or red wine has its own distinct and strong flavor that can overpower the flavor of your dish if you add too much to it.

Add equal amounts of a mixture of wine and water or wine and vegetable broth to make a flavorful glaze for your food.

Mushroom Broth

Mushroom broth is an excellent replacement for chicken broth because it has a rich and earthy flavor. If you have some mushrooms and a few vegetables and herbs, you can make your own mushroom broth at home.

Use mushroom broth in a 1:1 ratio

The Bottom Line

The options listed above each have unique flavors and are great as chicken broth substitutes. With that said, some of these replacements can be used as flavor enhancers, while some of them can be used when you need a rich blend of flavors in your dish. Do follow the tips that I’ve mentioned to use these substitutes correctly.