What Exactly Is in Store-Bought Chicken Stock?

Most home cooks know, on some level, that they really should make their own homemade chicken stock. Of course, the convenience of buying a box of chicken broth or stock often outweighs the impulse to make your own broth. But what’s in store-bought chicken stock? That’s the question that author Noah Galuten recently asked in Eater, and that question launched him into a weeks-long investigation. It’s one of the most-discussed articles in the food world right now.

Yet when Galuten contacted broth brands like Progresso, Swanson, College Inn, Kitchen Basics, Kirkland Signature and 365—as well as their parent companies like General Mills, Campbell Soup Company and Del Monte Foods—he got no answers. When Galuten asked a spokesperson at the United States Food and Drug Administration for the legal difference between stock, broth and bone broth, the agency replied that “the FDA does not have specific regulatory definitions for ‘stock,’ ‘broth,’ or ‘bone broth’ … it is the responsibility of the manufacturer of a food to comply with current food labeling regulations.”

What’s the Difference Between Homemade and Store-Bought Chicken Stock?

J. Kenji López-Alt, the best-selling cookbook author and New York Times recipe columnist, told Easter that there are big differences between homemade and store-bought chicken stock. “The biggest one is the protein and specifically the gelatin content of boxed [versus] homemade stock. Boxed stock has virtually no gelatin, which means that it does not have the viscosity and richness of a homemade stock. A homemade stock will thicken and intensify as it reduces, while a store-bought stock will remain thin and watery until it completely boils away,” he said.

What’s the Difference Between Chicken Stock and Chicken Broth?

So many recipes use chicken stock and/or broth. But one major difference exists between broth and stock: Broth is made from meat and vegetables, but stock is made with bones. While both are flavorful, broth tends to be thinner. It’s cooked for less time, and it doesn’t contain stock’s thick, viscous texture. When collagen-rich bones are simmered for hours, the heat coaxes out all kinds of flavor, along with gelatin. That’s why stock is usually solid (like Jell-O) when it’s refrigerated, while broth keeps a liquid form.

So, What’s In Store-Bought Chicken Stock?

Store-bought chicken stock begins with a highly concentrated stock. It’s then diluted with water and mixed with seasonings, according to an article by Epicurious.

While he was mostly stone-walled, Galuten was able to confirm this from at least one major producer. A General Mills representative told him that the Progresso Chicken Broth recipe starts with a broth concentrate. Then they add in water and additional ingredients to create what you buy in the store. Or, Galuten, says “just buy literally any box of chicken stock because they are probably all the same.”