There are many ways to make chicken stock, but this easy roasting method is one of my favorites because it's more hands off. Plus the stock comes out of the oven richer in flavor and color!
Preheat oven to 350F and lightly oil a large lasagna or roasting pan.
Place the chicken leg quarters in the pan, then baste with a small amount of oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast chicken until it reaches 160F, about 40-50 minutes.
Let meat rest until its cool enough to handle, then pull meat and skin off and refrigerate for other recipes.
Roasted Chicken Stock
Place the bones and any drippings into a large dutch oven or roasting pan. Add carrots, celery and any other ingredients you'd like. Cover with water, leaving at least 2 inches at the top so it doesn't boil over or spill when you move it!
Roast covered 3-4 hours until the bones are breaking apart and the veggies are very cooked.
Strain broth through a fine mesh sieve and place in heat proof containers, such as mason jars.
Refrigerate up to a week or freeze up to 6 months.
Notes
For this recipe I did not add onions because I frequently add broth to our pets' food.
Instead of fresh veggies or bones, you can save herb stems, chicken necks, vegetable scraps and onion peels when you're cooking dinner and place them in a bag in your freezer. When the bag is full, it's time to make stock!
When I roast chicken for stock, I save the chicken skin for chicken skin cracklings. They are great in place of croutons in salads!