5 Chicken Bouillon Uses to Boost Your Cooking’s Flavor

If you’ve ever wandered down the soups or condiments aisle at the grocery store, you’ve probably noticed something called chicken bouillon. What is chicken bullion, and what is it used for?

Is it a difficult ingredient that only experienced chefs should employ, or can anyone who knows the basics make dishes with chicken bouillon?  The good news is that anyone can use chicken bouillon, and it’s an excellent ingredient for dozens of recipes.

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What Is Chicken Bouillon?

Chicken bouillon is the French way of saying chicken broth, but it’s normally found in cube form rather than in a jar or box of liquid. Chicken bouillon is also produced as a powder, paste, or liquid. Most chicken bouillon manufacturers create granules or cubes, which cooks can mix into their dishes.

Chicken bouillon is made from condensed chicken stock or chicken broth. Many companies that make bouillon do so by making cubes that you can drop into a pot or mix into the food while it’s cooking. Many manufacturers sell their chicken bouillon as granules, which you can add to dishes like soup.

According to Serious Eats, the predecessor of chicken bouillon was made of bones and meat trimmings and was a solidified chicken stock that a British loyalist invented in the 18th century, around the time of the American Revolution. A century later, several companies began making bouillon cubes as an inexpensive option for seasoning soup. 

What is Chicken Bouillon Used For?

Bouillon is an easy and flavorful way to enhance stew, gravy, or soup, and it’s a popular ingredient in sauce. Mixing bouillon into the water used to boil quinoa, rice, or pasta adds flavor to the finished product.

Bouillon is a tasty and flavorful part of the cooking process, and it’s fun to experiment with it to see how the flavors turn out when you prepare a meal. Overall, chicken bouillon is a versatile option for enhancing the flavor of your cooking, and it’s easily accessible at any grocery store.

All you have to do to use it in a recipe that includes a sauce or broth is drop it in the put as you start to cook the ingredients. Bouillon is also an excellent ingredient for slow cooker recipes.

Choosing Between Chicken Stock, Broth, and Bouillon

How do you choose between chicken bouillon, chicken stock, or chicken broth? Sometimes, you’ll see these terms used interchangeably, but they’re not identical. The main thing to remember is that chicken stock is a rather thick substance with more flavor than broth or bouillon. Chicken stock is an excellent ingredient for dishes like dumplings or soup.

Meanwhile, chicken broth is thinner, and it’s available in other varieties beyond chicken. Broth makers also offer fish and beef versions. Chicken broth is a good, subtle base when you’re using other flavors in your dish that are more intense or that feature cream. Chicken broth works well in gravy and sauces that have a cream base.

Bouillon, meanwhile, since it’s a dehydrated version of chicken stock, is usable in all sorts of dishes that benefit from enhanced flavor. One of the benefits of bouillon, too, is that it lasts for months, whereas chicken broth and stock only last a few days after opening.

Can You Make Chicken Bouillon at Home?

Technically, you could make chicken bouillon at home, but it’s much easier to buy traditional bouillon from the store due to the complexity of creating it. Most homemade recipes are faux chicken bouillon and use nutritional yeast as one of the flavor agents.

Other ingredients required to make a form of chicken bouillon at home include salt, onion powder, parsley, and celery seed. Recipes also call for dried thyme, paprika, ground pepper, and turmeric. If you have all of these spices in your spice cabinet already, you might want to try your hand at homemade chicken bouillon.

Using Chicken Bouillon with a Salt Sensitivity

Following a low-salt diet means choosing carefully when it comes to chicken bouillon. Chicken bouillon usually has a rather high salt content, and some varieties include monosodium glutamate (MSG). If you’re on a low-salt diet, or you don’t want to increase the taste of salt in your dish, look for a low-salt bouillon option.

In most cases, a single serving of bouillon adds more than 40 percent of your daily recommended amount of salt, assuming you’re not on a low-salt diet. Therefore, if you’re trying to avoid a lot of salt in your dishes, make sure that you check out the salt content on your bouillon cubes or granules.

In addition to noticing a high salt content and MSG within the ingredients of chicken bouillon, you may also see ingredients like disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, which enhance the MSG. Not all brands use MSG in their bouillon, but it’s something to watch out for if you’d rather avoid it in your cooking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is chicken broth and chicken bouillon the same thing?

Chicken broth and chicken bouillon are not the same thing. Chicken bouillon is a term used for a condensed form of broth that can be found in cubes, granules, powders, pastes, or liquids. While both chicken broth and chicken bouillon are made from chicken, bouillon refers specifically to the condensed form of broth.

Is it okay to use chicken bouillon instead of chicken broth?

It is acceptable to substitute chicken bouillon for chicken broth. Chicken bouillon cubes are dehydrated chicken broth that can be used as a replacement. To use it as broth, simply dissolve one cube in one cup of hot water, stir, and then use it as a 1:1 replacement in any recipe.

Can you drink bouillon?

Yes, you can drink bouillon by mixing bouillon cubes or jars with boiling hot water and adding fresh parsley or herbs. This quick solution is available in vegetable, beef, or chicken flavors and can be used in dishes as well.

Is bouillon just broth?

Bouillon is not just broth; it is the French term for broth. The terms bouillon and broth are frequently used interchangeably, both denoting the clear, tasty liquid obtained by simmering beef, chicken, vegetables, and other ingredients.

What does bouillon do?

Bouillon serves the purpose of enhancing the flavor of various dishes such as curry, soup, stew, rice, and BBQ sauce by adding a boost of umami and spice. Additionally, it can be dissolved in water to create a flavorful broth. Some people even grate the cubes to produce a concentrated powder that can be used as a seasoning, similar to salt, for popcorn or other food items.

What is chicken bouillon made out of?

Chicken bouillon is made out of dehydrated chicken stock, vegetables, salt, fat, and chicken bouillon seasoning. It is commonly found in liquid form.

What is the main ingredient in bouillon?

The main ingredient in bouillon is usually dehydrated vegetables or meat stock, along with a small amount of fat, MSG, salt, and seasonings, all formed into a compact cube. Additionally, vegetarian and vegan variations of bouillon are also produced. Bouillon can be found in granular, powdered, liquid, and paste formats.

Is chicken bouillon as healthy as chicken broth?

Chicken bouillon is not as healthy as chicken broth because it contains fewer calories, lower amounts of protein, and essential minerals compared to homemade chicken broth.

Can you eat a bouillon cube?

Bouillon cubes can be consumed, but they are not typically enjoyable due to their bitter taste, similar to salt cubes.

Is chicken bouillon cubes broth?

Chicken bouillon cubes are indeed a form of broth. They are essentially dehydrated chicken broth that can be easily reconstituted by dissolving one cube in one cup of hot water. After a quick stir, it can be used as a direct substitute for chicken broth in any recipe, maintaining a 1:1 ratio.

Does bouillon have meat?

Bouillon is typically made from meat, such as chicken or beef, and is commonly referred to as stock.

What is the difference between a bouillon cube and a stock cube?

The difference between a bouillon cube and a stock cube lies in their preparation and usage. A bouillon cube is a compressed form of stock that requires dissolution before use, while a stock cube is a slow-cooked liquid with a more intense flavor than broth. In the past, making homemade stock was necessary but time-consuming.

What is bouillon powder used for?

Bouillon powder is used to create an instant stock and is available in various types such as vegetable, meat, or chicken bouillon. It is commonly used to quickly enhance the flavor of broths when preparing soups, stews, grains, risottos, curries, and similar dishes.

Is bouillon made from bone broth?

Bouillon is not made from bone broth. Instead, bouillon cubes are created by dehydrating stock or meat, which can then be used to quickly make a flavorful broth by boiling water.

What can I substitute for chicken bouillon?

You can substitute chicken bouillon with chicken broth, whether it is store-bought or homemade. Using chicken broth will provide your recipe with a comforting, flavorful essence of poultry, similar to what you would achieve with bouillon cubes. I particularly enjoy our homemade chicken broth recipe.

What spices can I use if I don’t have bouillon?

If you don’t have bouillon, you can use a combination of rosemary, oregano, and basil as a substitute for chicken broth. These herbs are readily available in most grocery stores and are typically affordable. When used in the broth, they impart a pleasant herby flavor.

How do you make flavor without bouillon?

To make flavor without bouillon, you can enhance the savory richness of your broth by incorporating ingredients such as roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These additions infuse the broth with umami flavor and depth, providing a satisfying taste experience.

Can you replace bouillon cubes with stock?

You can replace bouillon cubes with stock. In cooking, broth, stock, and bouillon can usually be used interchangeably. If the flavor of the liquid is important in your recipe, choose broth or bouillon. If you want to enhance the depth of a well-seasoned dish, opt for stock.

What is equivalent to bouillon powder?

The equivalent of bouillon powder is vegetable stock cubes, which are essentially the same but shaped into cubes. If a recipe calls for bouillon powder, you can crush stock cubes and use it as a powder, measuring the required amount as specified in the recipe.

What is better than bouillon made of?

Better Than Bouillon is made of cooked meat and/or vegetables and is a concentrated food base that can be used in various ways, such as making a simple soup or enhancing the flavor of your favorite dish.

Can you substitute beef broth for chicken bouillon?

Yes, it is possible to replace chicken bouillon with beef broth. However, it is important to note that beef broth has a stronger and more robust flavor compared to chicken. This means that if you are preparing a delicate dish, the beef broth may overpower the flavors. On the other hand, beef broth works exceptionally well as a substitute in hearty stews or soups.

Can I substitute chicken bouillon for chicken seasoning?

You cannot substitute chicken bouillon for chicken seasoning entirely, as they serve different purposes. However, you can enhance your seasoning by adding bouillon to it. Chicken bouillon is primarily a concentrated essence of chicken flavor and salt.

Is bouillon powder the same as a stock cube?

Bouillon powder is not the same as a stock cube. Bouillon is created through the process of boiling meat, fish, or vegetables in water to extract flavor, resulting in a concentrated liquid that is strained and commonly used as a foundation for soups or sauces. Conversely, stock cubes are produced by dehydrating the stock, resulting in a more intensified flavor.

What is a substitute for chicken bouillon broth?

A substitute for chicken bouillon broth is using bouillon cubes or granules. To make a broth substitute, combine 1 cube or 1 teaspoon of granules with 1 cup of boiling water and mix until the bouillon dissolves. This will create the equivalent of 1 cup of broth.

Are a bouillon and a broth basically the same thing?

A bouillon and a broth are essentially the same thing. They are both terms used to describe the clear and tasty liquid that is created by simmering various ingredients like beef, chicken, and vegetables. In everyday language, bouillon is often used to refer to the broth that is produced from powdered or cubed forms of bouillon.

Are bouillon and broth interchangeable?

Bouillon and broth can be used interchangeably. In certain cases, fast recipes may require broth or granules as they are more convenient than bouillon cubes. Nevertheless, if needed, one bouillon cube or 1 teaspoon of granules dissolved in 1 cup of boiling water can be used as a substitute for 1 cup of broth in any recipe.

What’s the difference between bone broth and chicken bouillon?

The difference between bone broth and chicken bouillon is that they are essentially the same thing. They are typically made by simmering meat-based ingredients such as bones, vegetables, and fragrant herbs in water. The resulting liquid can be referred to as broth or stock in English, brodo in Italian, and bouillon in French.

How do you use bouillon cubes?

You can use bouillon cubes by melting one cube into one cup of boiling water to create a flavorful broth. Alternatively, you can also dissolve a bouillon cube directly into a sauce to enhance its taste with meatiness and umami-rich flavors.