Healthy Chicken Broth Substitutes: A Complete List Of 5 Alternatives

Do you know that chicken broth is high in sodium and can lead to some severe health problems like high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease? This article will provide a list of healthy substitutes for regular chicken broth without forcing you to give up on the delicious taste of the chicken broth.

Let’s check it out!

What is chicken broth?

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Chicken broth is a liquid made from simmering chicken meat and spices, with or without aromatic vegetables like celery, carrot, and onion.

Chicken broth can be used as an ingredient in soups, stews, sauces, or to cook rice.

Chicken broth is rich in protein, minerals like iron, calcium, gelatin, and fatty acids.

It is especially good for our gut, bone, and skin health.

Chicken broth is also low in calories, that’s why it is an ideal option for people who want to eat delicious dishes without sacrificing their weight.

It is also one of the best ways to provide comfort and warmth when someone gets sick or has an upset stomach.

Chicken broth can be made at home or bought from any grocery store.

It freezes well, so people tend to stock this cooking item in their kitchens whenever the promotion season comes.

Can you substitute chicken broth in cooking recipes?

Chicken broth is a great way to add flavor and texture to a variety of dishes like stews, soups, sauces, or gravies.

However, one drawback of chicken broth, especially canned chicken broth, is that it is high in sodium and preservatives.

This is especially harmful to people with a history of heart disease if they consume canned broth in the long term.

The good news is that chicken broth can be easily substituted with many other cooking ingredients on the market.

If you are wondering what can replace chicken broth while making your diets healthier, read on to the next part.

What healthy ingredients can you substitute for chicken broth?

We all know that chicken broth is great and there are various alternatives for this cooking item.

However, what are considered healthier substitutes? Here are some:

1. Homemade chicken broth

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Homemade food is always better in terms of quality.

When making chicken broth at home, you can control the origin of the chicken, the number of spices used to make chicken broth, and there will never be preservatives or additives.

Therefore, if you want the best chicken broth that tastes delicious and healthy, spend some time making your own chicken broth.

Since chicken broth can last for a while in the fridge or freezer, you can make it on weekends when you have more free time.

2. Vegetable stock

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Vegetable stock is also a healthier alternative to regular chicken broth.

It is lower in calories, fat, while still packed with many vitamins, minerals, and sweet taste.

Vegetable stock is often made from easy-to-find ingredients like carrot, onion, and celery.

One of the main reasons why some people prefer vegetable stock is that it contains no meat, so both vegetarians and meat-lovers can enjoy it.

3. Dashi

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Dashi is a popular kind of stock in Japanese cuisine.

Therefore, it often features some Japanese staples like seaweed, dried bonito flakes, mushrooms, or dried fish.

The typical taste of dashi is umami, which is something out of the four common flavors: sweet, sour, bitter, and salty.

Dashi requires a longer cooking time, but the result is gonna be worth it.

Dashi is lower in calories and fat, contains less sodium, and has more nutrients.

4. Soy sauce

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You totally can substitute chicken broth with the simple but popular condiment in Asian cuisine like soy sauce.

Soy sauce with a bit of water will not only add flavor but also color to your dish.

Although it doesn’t taste like chicken but has a nutty, salty, and umami flavor, it still makes your dish more fragrant and flavorful.

5. Wine

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Wine, either white or red, can be used as a substitute for chicken broth.

However, cooking wine is widely used in some cuisines, from Asian to European and American cultures.

However, keep in mind that it often has an overpowering flavor, so you need to choose the mild one with low alcohol content, and use only a small amount of wine to add to your dishes.

The bottom line

Whether you are making a soup, stew, or some other dishes that call for chicken broth to make it flavorful and delicious, the aforementioned healthy alternatives will provide the perfect solution.

You don’t have to give up on your favorite dishes just because they contain sodium-laden chicken broth.

The best part is that these substitutes are all pretty simple and easy to find in any grocery store near you.

Have fun cooking with them!