Cooking stewing hen in pressure cooker is the best and fastest way to prepare this kind of chicken. The meat will get melt in your mouth tender and the broth will be so rich and flavorful. Perfect for any chicken broth based recipes!
If you got a stewing hen and don't know what to with it, i have a perfect recipe for you. Making a stewing hen soup or broth is the the best way to cook this chicken. The broth is so rich and flavorful. And it can be used in so many different ways!
How to cook stewing hen in pressure cooker
Thaw hen for a few hours and then rinse under cold running water. Pick any remaining feathers if any are present.
Place chicken in the Ninja Foodi or Instant pot (or any other pressure cooker) inner pot. Add spices and vegetables you are using. I used celery, carrots and onion. I also added bay leaves, black pepper and salt.
Close the lid and lock it. Pressure cook stewing hen for an hour and a half. This time is enough to make this chicken tender and delicious.
Once cooked, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. Quick release after and carefully open the lid. Pull chicken out and strain the broth. Discard vegetables. Now you can shred chicken and put it back in to the broth and make a soup. Or just leave the broth and use it in other recipes that need chicken or bone broth. Shredded chicken can be used in Quesadillas, pastas, casseroles and in many other dishes.
What is stewing hen
A stewing hen is just a mature chicken that used to lay eggs but not anymore. Its meat has to be cooked low and slow because it becomes tough with age. Making soup is a great way to cook stewing hen, pressure cooking process will tenderize the meat and it will be shredable. Here you can find more information about stewing hens.
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Recipe tips and tricks
- Use the whole chicken for one pot of broth. Hen contain lots of connective tissue and is very lean. It has to be cooked for a long time.
- You can make this recipe in a slow cooker. Follow same instructions from the recipe card and cook on LOW for 12 hours.
- Add all your favorite vegetables and aromatics. You can add green onions, cilantro or parsley, celery root or even onion peel. Onion peel will actually add beautiful golden color to the broth.
- Once the broth is cooked, let it cool for a little and than skim some fat film formed on the top. This step is optional but it makes the broth lighter on fat for sure.
Where to buy
You can buy stewing hen in Asian markets in store or online. The bird is usually rock frozen and needs some time to thaw. Defrost it just like regular chicken. I ordered mine in online Asian grocery store and its sold in red plastic bag, at least here, in California.
Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter for a few hours. Place stewing hen in the medium size bowl to protect your fridge or counter from chicken juices. The bag is not perfect and will not hold all the liquid.
As soon as I learned how to cook stewing hen in pressure cooker i didn't look back. It is the easiest and fastest way to cook this old chicken for sure. If you have time you can make it in slow cooker or on the stove. Results will be great either way.
More chicken recipes
- Baked chicken with artichokes and capers
- Sauteed chicken gizzards and hearts
- Ninja foodi chicken breast
- Air fryer frozen chicken wings
- Air fryer frozen chicken thighs
How to cook stewing hen in pressure cooker
Cooking stewing hen in pressure cooker is probably the
best and fastest way to prepare this kind of poultry. The meat will get melt in your mouth tender and the broth will be so rich and flavorful. Perfect for any chicken broth based recipes!
Ingredients
- 1 stewing hen
- 4 celery ribs
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 bay leaves
- black pepper
- salt
- 4 quarts of water
Instructions
- Rinse hen in cold water. Add to the pot.
- Add whole onion, celery and carrots to the pot. Add seasoning and water.
- Close and lock the lid. Cook on high pressure for 90 minutes. Once done let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and than quick release.
- Strain the broth and now you can use it in any recipe. Take out chicken and shred it. Also can be used back in soup or in different recipe.
Notes
- Cook the whole chicken, do not separate it and refreeze. Whole hen will give the best broth you ever tried.
- Thaw the bird before cooking and rinse it under cold running water.
- Onion can be left in its peel. Brown onion peel will add golden color to the broth.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 18Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 154mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 1g
Trossi
I did the same for a fresh rooster. Worked well! Added some thyme and parsley stems.