This chicken yakhni recipe is a light, spice-infused broth that has many uses. Sip it on its own (so warm and cozy!), use it as a base for soups and stews (as I’ve done in my chicken haleem recipe), or flavor rice to make pulao/pilaf. Plus, it’s great for meal prep!
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What Is Yakhni?
Before we talk about what we need and how to make the best, easiest chicken yakhni soup, let’s first talk about what exactly it is.
Yakhni, or broth, is a soup made by simmering animal bones, vegetables, and aromatics in water. Although I am sharing the recipe for chicken yakhni, you can also make yakhni with beef, mutton, or goat bones. This is the base for popular Pakistani dishes like Nihari (beef stew) and Paya (goat trotters).
Yakhni was a staple at my grandparents’ home in Pakistan, and growing up, I remember my grandfather (nana) insisting we drink it daily. Although the yakhni I grew up eating was similar to Western bone broth, this chicken yakhni recipe is quicker and may not be as nutrient-dense. However, it still has immune-boosting benefits.
Speaking of Immune-boosting, here are some other recipes that can help you boost your immunity naturally.
- Homemade Immunity Shots: A potent blend of ginger, turmeric, and citrus. Homemade and cheaper than store-bought!
- Immunity Bombs: Frozen ginger and citrus-infused cubes that you can use in multiple ways.
- Turmeric Paste: A golden paste made of ginger, turmeric, and coconut oil.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
⏲️Ready In: 2 hours
👪Yield: 6 cups
🍽 Calories and Protein: 118 kcal + 15 g
📋 Main Ingredients: Chicken, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, carrots, and onion.
📖 Dietary Notes: High Protein.
⭐ Why You’ll Love It: It’s tasty enough on its own and meal prep-friendly as it saves time in the kitchen when you need a quick base for rice dishes, curries, and soups on weeknights.
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“I love this broth on its own and use it as a base for many of my soup recipes! Halal stock/broth is hard to find, but with this recipe and a pot, you're set!” Zeeshan
Ingredient Notes
Chicken: This recipe calls for boiling a whole chicken, either the entire bird or the thighs, legs, back, and neck. The chicken available at my local butcher comes preweighed and cut up into 12-16 pieces in trays, and I switch between using the thighs and legs and the whole chicken. These usually weigh between 1.5 and 2 pounds.
Back home in Pakistan, my mom would boil the feet too, as these are considered the richest in collagen. So if you can find them, feel free to throw those in as well!
Coconut Aminos: Optional but recommended for that elevated, umami flavor and to keep it gluten-free. You can use soy sauce instead.
How to Make Chicken Yakhni
Step 1: In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, boil the chicken with all the ingredients on medium-high heat until it reaches a rolling boil. Remove the white foam that rises to the top, aka “scum,” and then lower the heat to a simmer, partially cover the pot, and let it simmer for at least an hour.
Step 2: Next, strain the broth into another medium bowl and transfer the chicken pieces for use later. I mash the veggies against the sieve with the back of a wooden spoon or stainless steel soup ladle. This adds to the flavor and structure of the broth.
Step 3: The broth is ready as is or
Step 4: Store in airtight glass jars for use later.
Pro Tips
- For a clear soup, don’t mash the vegetables and just strain everything together. If you do mash the veggies, note that some residue will settle in the soup. Simply stir or shake before consuming.
- Adjust the salt and pepper to taste, as different salts (Himalayan, kosher) vary in intensity. I cook with Himalayan pink salt, and a little goes a long way!
- I like to prep a few mason jars at a time when I make a batch like this and refrigerate or freeze them for later. Half-pint jars work best for a single serving. You can even freeze them in silicone molds for use as a base for my Butternut Squash Soup Recipe.
- The leftover chicken can be shredded or diced and used to make Pakistani Club Sandwiches.
Chicken Yakhni FAQs
In a word, no. Western bone broth is made by simmering bones in water for a much longer period (12-48 hours). So, although chicken broth and yakhni are synonymous, bone broth has more time to extract the collagen, glucosamine, calcium, and other potent nutrients from the bones. Bone broth can be made with just bones and water, while chicken yakhni also includes meat.
Yes, chicken broth is a healthy, nutritious, immune-boosting liquid, especially if it is homemade, where you control the amount of sodium. Most store-bought varieties have higher sodium content, preservatives, and artificial ingredients.
You can store the yakhni/broth in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for several months. When ready to eat, simply defrost overnight in the fridge, or thaw the jar in a bowl of lukewarm water and heat it on the stovetop or in the microwave.
More Brothy Soups & Stews to Try
If you tried this chicken yakhni or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments. I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Pinterest or subscribe to my newsletter to get more deliciousness straight to your inbox!
Chicken Yakhni – Chicken Broth
Equipment
- 1 fine mesh sieve
Ingredients
- 2 pound chicken legs and thighs
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 inch ginger root
- 3 carrots roughly chopped
- 2 small tomatoes roughly chopped
- 1 medium onion roughly chopped
- 8 peppercorns
- 1 inch cinnamon stick I use Ceylon Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 6 cups water or enough to fully submerge all ingredients
- 2 tsp coconut aminos or soy sauce optional. See note
Instructions
- Put everything in a stock pot and let come to a boil on medium high heat. Once the yakhni comes to a rolling boil, lower the heat to medium low and remove any scum (white foam) that has risen to the top. Next, cover the pot and let the yakhni cook for at least 1 hour.
- Once ready, remove the chicken pieces and set aside for use later. Strain everything through a fine mesh sieve mashing the vegetables along the sieve to maximize the flavor of the broth. The broth is ready to use.
- To store, pour the yakhni into airtight glass jars and refrigerate for upto 5 days or freeze for longer.
Notes
- For a clear soup, don’t mash the vegetables and just strain everything together. If you do mash the veggies, note that some residue will settle in the soup. Simply stir or shake before consuming.
- Use soy sauce or coconut aminos (gluten-free) for an extra kick. This is completely optional, but I find it adds an umami flavor to the yakhni that my family and friends really enjoy.
- If I use salt in this recipe, I use Himalayan pink salt. If using table salt, you usually need to add more, so adjust accordingly.
- I like to prep a few mason jars at a time when I make a batch like this and refrigerate or freeze them for later. Half-pint jars work best for a single serving. You can even freeze them in silicone molds for use as a base for my Butternut Squash Soup Recipe. The leftover chicken can be shredded or diced and used to make Pakistani Club Sandwiches.
Nutrition
Shah Zeeshan says
I love this broth on it’s own and use it as a base for many of my soup recipes! halal stock/broth is hard to find but with this recipe and a pot, you’re set!