This is my absolute favorite sauce for roast chicken. It's a simplified version of the chicken jus I learned to make while working at Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bistro. The final sauce is unbelievably savory, silky, and incredibly flavorful. It's perfect for roast chicken, drizzled over home fries or mashed potatoes, or as a base for a rich chicken soup. The jus is an excellent substitute for demi-glace that's naturally gluten-free. And the secret is in the bones.
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The Story
The chicken jus at Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bistro is exceptional. It begins with scratch-made chicken stock. Then after days of roasting bones, simmering, and endless straining, it's served with the bistro's infamous roast chicken.
It's unbelievably savory, herbal, and delicious. And a lot of work. So here's the way I teach my Cozymeal clients to create a similarly rich, savory, downright delicious chicken jus. It's adapted from the same techniques the chefs at Bouchon use. And ready in a couple of hours, instead of a couple of days.
Drizzle it over home fries for a poutine-style dish and of course over any kind of chicken dish. Or enjoy it straight outta the mug as a soul-warming sipper (don't knock it 'till you try it).
The Ingredients
The secret to chicken jus worthy of rave reviews is in the bones. By roasting and then simmering the carcass of a roasted or rotisserie chicken, you are lightyears ahead on flavor right from the start.
So when you roast chicken or bring one home from the store, freeze the carcass once all the meat is eaten and picked off. I wrap mine tightly in plastic wrap, then freeze them in a zipper food storage bag. I even carve the meat off of the leg bones so I can save those, too. In the absence of leftover roasted chicken bones, chicken wings or necks (or both) work great.
- Leftover roasted or rotisserie chicken carcass (or chicken bones, necks, or wings)
- Unsalted or low-sodium chicken bone broth or stock
- Yellow onion
- Celery stalks
- Carrots
- Garlic cloves
- Whole peppercorns
- Fresh herbs such as Italian parsley, thyme sprigs, and tarragon
- Leeks, optional
- Bay leaves, fresh or dried, optional
- Apple cider vinegar, optional
- Kosher salt (or table salt, if that's what you have)
- On the broth. I recommend a nice bone broth or chicken stock with minimal ingredients and no added flavorings or salt. Brands to look for are Bare Bones, Bonafide, Pacific Foods, and Kettle & Fire. Many grocery chains sell their own, which are typically easier on the wallet. The most important label to look for is that it's low sodium or better yet, unsalted.
- Types of vegetables. The aromatic vegetables and herbs you use are really up to you. Take this list as a guide, not the end-all-be-all of great chicken jus. The onion, celery, and carrot are classic mirepoix in French cooking. But use any root vegetables you enjoy or whatever you have on hand.
- Why the vinegar? The apple cider vinegar is optional, but it does help the bones break down their collagen into gelatin. Gelatin equals a full-bodied sauce with that satisfying silkiness.
The Formula
This ratio for successful chicken jus is based on classical French cooking formulas with hundreds of years of trial and error. I seriously don't argue with the French when it comes to savory sauces.
Chicken Jus Ratio
1 quart of stock or broth + 8 ounces of bones
And when it comes to procuring your main ingredients, one rotisserie chicken carcass is about 8 ounces. And a standard box of stock contains one quart (32 ounces). Clearly, a match made in culinary heaven!
The Method
This chicken jus comes together faster than a traditional recipe because the bones have already been cooked once. So they don't need extended roasting to become caramelized, only 15 or 20 minutes. The deeper the color of the roasted bones, the richer the flavor of the finished jus.
Once you caramelize the bones and bring them to a simmer with your stock or broth, reduction is the name of game. So aim for a nice simmer that cuts the volume of broth by at least two-thirds. This concentrates the flavors and naturally thickens the sauce.
For a silky, pure chicken jus worth of any restaurant menu, strain the jus through a fine-mesh sieve. For an extremely smooth, shiny sauce, line the sieve with cheesecloth.
The Steps
Before you begin, gather all of your ingredients and equipment. This is a chef's mise en place. Which in English means everything in place. It makes the cooking much smoother when you have everything you need at your fingertips.
- Clean your bones. Remove as much leftover meat as possible from the roast chicken carcasses. If you're using wings and necks, they don't need any special preparation.
- Roast the bones until deeply browned. Place the bones on a baking pan and drizzle with a high-heat oil like avocado, sunflower, or canola. I like to line the pan with parchment paper to keep it clean(ish). Roast the bones at 450° F until they are a beautiful, deep golden brown and on the verge of blackening. The deeper the color of the roasted bones, the more flavor in the finished sauce. This takes between 15 and 25 minutes for the rotosserie chicken leftovers, a bit longer if you're starting with raw bones.
- Chop the aromatics and prepare the herbs. While the bones roast, chop the celery, onions, and carrots into inch-sized pieces. Smash the garlic cloves but leave the skin on. Cut the stems off the bottom of fresh parsley and reserve the leaves for garnish. Chop any fresh herbs like Italian parsley, thyme, tarragon, chives, or rosemary and set them aside.
- Simmer the broth and roasted bones. Place the caramelized bones in a large pot, dutch oven, or even Instant Pot, and add your broth and apple cider vinegar. Bring the ingredients to a strong simmer, then turn the heat down to maintain a gentle but steady bubbling. I like to place the pot slightly off the center of the burner. This creates a small amount of convection (heat circulation) in the pot.
- Add the aromatics and reduce. After you have the broth at a solid simmer, add the vegetables, herbs, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Simmer the chicken jus until it reduces down to about one-quarter of what you started with. If you look at the inside rim of the pot you can usually see the level where the liquid began. And from there judge how much it's reduced down. This takes about an hour over medium heat.
- Strain. Strain the chicken jus through a fine mesh sieve into a heat-proof bowl or container. If you don't have a mesh strainer, you can line a colander with cheesecloth to catch all the bits of vegetables, bones, and herbs (or in a pinch paper towels, but it may take a bit of trial and error). I like to strain any liquid over the sink for safety.
- Finish with herbs and seasonings. Stir in any fresh herbs you are using and taste the chicken jus to see if it needs salt. If you simmered rotisserie or roast chicken carcasses, you may not need to add any salt since they were previously seasoned. If the sauce does need salt, add a few granules and stir to dissolve it. Then taste and repeat until you reach the right level of saltiness for you.
Chef's Tips
- Don't hesitate to experiment with or use any aromatic root vegetables you have on hand. I love using fennel leftover from when I make homemade pizza sauce and sliced leeks. More to try include shallots, turnips, roasted mushrooms, or even parsnips.
- Don't throw out the juices in the bottom of the pan or rotisserie chicken container. It's liquid gold! While it is mostly rendered chicken fat, it'll add body to your sauce. And better yet more flavor. I like to pour it off into a small dish and chill it. Then I skim the murkier part off the top before adding it to the pot.
- Fresh Italian parsley and thyme are textbook herbs for any sauce. But don't stop there. As always, cook with what you have in your fridge. Rosemary, chives, and tarragon are all easy enough to find and wonderfully fragrant.
Chicken Jus Pairings
This chicken jus is perfect for serving with any kind of chicken recipe or even pork. It's also divine poured over baked potatoes, home fries, mashed potatoes, or any vegetables. It's a delicious base for restorative chicken soup.
- Chef Thomas Keller's Roast Chicken
- Olive Tapenade-Stuffed Pork Loin
- How to Make Irresistible Home Fries for All Diets
- Simple Sautéed Spinach
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts
Dietary Accommodations
The recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and of course nut-free. But of course, read the ingredient list on the rotisserie chicken when you buy it. Since some contain added sugar and seasonings with wheat and/or dairy derivatives which aren't safe for celiac or allergy sufferers.
GAPS Diet Protocol. For a chicken jus safe for the GAPS Diet protocol, begin with your own homemade roasted chicken carcasses, or fresh chicken necks and wings. Then simmer the roasted bones in your GAPS broth with the added vegetables and herbs.
Vegan or Vegetarian. For anyone who follows a vegan or vegetarian diet, a rich, delicious vegetable jus can be made with the same method. Simply roast your root vegetables to a deep golden brown in place of the chicken bones. Then simmer them in vegetable stock or broth with smashed garlic, peppercorns, and plenty of fresh herbs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! The roasted chicken bones are so flavorful, even simmering them with water and the aromatic vegetables and herbs will create a lovely sauce. If you use water, you may want to increase the ratio of bones to liquid to make up for the flavor you'll miss from not using broth.
Chicken jus can last up to a week (seven days) in the refrigerator (a professional, food safety standard). But it also freezes great and thaws quickly. So don't hesitate to freeze any leftovers.
I like to cool chicken jus, seal it in a large zipper bag, and lay it flat in the freezer so it hardens in a thin layer. It takes up much less space that way. And then breaking off pieces of it for heating and serving is quick and easy.
Chicken broth and chicken stock are made in similar ways, but the ingredients differ. Chicken stock is made by simmering roasted bones in water with aromatic vegetables and herbs. While chicken broth is classically made by simmering mostly meat and perhaps bones in stock, also with added herbs and aromatics for more flavor.
Any kind of broth can be served as a finished dish. But stock is typically used as a base for sauces and soups. Although a carefully-made bone broth is wonderful enjoyed as is.
Edible Epilogue
Now I love old-fashioned chicken jus as much as the next chef. But I love this version more. It can simmer while your chicken roasts (or your spouse runs to the store to buy a bargain rotisserie one).
And it allows for a little finesse but requires little fuss. And if there's one thing I learned from Chef Keller's team, it's that excellent food is all about finesse.
📖 Recipe
Roast Chicken Jus
My absolute favorite sauce to serve with roast chicken! Take a trip to Napa Valley and enjoy this Bouchon Bistro-inspired sauce with your favorite roast chicken.
This chicken jus is savory, rich, silky, and simple to simmer up. And the recipe calls for leftover roasted or rotisserie chicken bones, a great way to reduce food waste. Best of all, it's a great substitute for time-consuming demi-glace and is naturally grain and gluten-free.
The original recipe serves four people, allowing for about two ounces of chicken jus each. Use the buttons on the side of the recipe to scale it up to serve a crowd.
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 32-ounce box of unsalted chicken bone broth or stock (or 1 quart of water)
- ½ of a pound or 8 ounces of chicken bones and/or rotisserie chicken carcasses
- ½ of a yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
- 1 tablespoon of whole peppercorns, any cole
- ½ bundle of fresh Italian parsley
- 5 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, optional
- ¼ of a teaspoon of kosher salt (if even necessary, taste the finished jus before adding salt)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450° F. Allow frozen or chilled bones to come to room temperature.
- Remove as much leftover meat as possible from the roast chicken carcasses. Wings and necks don't need any special preparation.
- Place the bones on a baking pan and drizzle with a high-heat oil like avocado, sunflower, or canola. Then roast the bones until they are a beautiful, deep golden brown, about twenty minutes for previously-roasted carcasses, or about forty minutes for wings and necks.
- While the bones roast, chop the celery and onions into inch-sized pieces. Peel and chop the carrots the same. Smash the garlic cloves but leave the skin on. Cut the stems off the bottom of the parsley and chop and reserve the leaves for garnish.
- Place the caramelized bones in a large pot, dutch oven, or even Instant Pot, and add your broth, stock, or water and the apple cider vinegar. Bring the ingredients to a strong simmer, then turn the heat down to medium. I like to place the pot slightly off the center of the burner. This creates a small amount of convection (heat movement) in the pot.
- Once the broth comes to a steady simmer with bubbles breaking the surface consistently, add the vegetables, herbs, and any whole spices like peppercorns. Simmer for an hour, or until the volume reduces down to a quarter of what you started with (about a cup of liquid for every quart of broth).
- Once the vegetables are soft and the broth has reduced to a quarter of its original volume, strain the chicken jus through a fine mesh sieve into a heat-proof bowl or container. You can also strain the jus into a smaller pot to keep it warm for serving. If you don't have a mesh strainer, you can line a colander with cheesecloth to catch all the bits of vegetables, bones, and herbs (or in a pinch paper towels, but it may take a bit of trial and error). I like to strain any liquid over the sink for safety.
- Stir in any fresh chopped herbs you are using and taste the chicken jus to see if it needs salt. If you simmered rotisserie or roast chicken carcasses, you may not need to add any salt since they were seasoned previously. If the sauce does need salt, add a few granules and stir to dissolve it. Then taste and repeat until you reach the right level of saltiness for you.
- Store any leftover chicken jus in the refrigerator for up to a week. Or cool it, seal it in an airtight food storage bag, and freeze it. I like to lay bags of sauce flat in the freezer so they harden in a thin layer. It makes them easier to store once frozen solid and saves space.
Notes
The Technique of Roasting the Vegetables
If you'd like to roast and caramelize the celery, onion, and carrots along with the bones you can. It's a classical technique and will add more flavor. I don't call for it specifically in this recipe for the sake of keeping it simple. The bones and vegetables will roast at different speeds and require more attention. I also like the fresh, light flavor of simmering the raw vegetables in the broth. But your kitchen, you're the boss.
Dietary Accommodations
The recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and of course nut-free. It's safe for nearly all meat-eating diets including those following a paleo-style or ketogenic diet. But of course, read the ingredient list on any rotisserie chicken you buy.
GAPS Diet Protocol. For a chicken jus safe for the GAPS Diet protocol, begin with your own homemade roasted chicken carcasses, or fresh chicken necks and wings. Then simmer the roasted bones in your GAPS broth with the added vegetables and herbs.
Vegan or Vegetarian. For anyone who follows a vegan or vegetarian diet, a rich, delicious vegetable jus can be made with the same method. Simply roast your root vegetables to a deep golden brown in place of the chicken bones. Then simmer them in vegetable stock or broth with smashed garlic, peppercorns, and plenty of fresh herbs.
On the Nutrition Information
The counts below are based on the recipe as written using water, not stock or broth. Depending on which brand of broth you choose and what type of bones, the protein, nutrient, and salt amounts will differ.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 327
- Sugar: 20.1 g
- Sodium: 4028.9 mg
- Fat: 1.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 55.5 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: roast chicken jus, Bouchon chicken jus recipe, substitute for demi-glace
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Cynthia R.
This looks super easy and super delicious. Will definitely give it a try with my left over chicken bones.
Christina
It is a fair amount of ingredients, but pretty hands off!
Veronica
So much YUM
Christina
So true! Wish I could take full credit for this on, because it's so yummy.;)
Jane
I used the leftovers for sandwiches and they were amazing. The jus goes great with fries!!
Christina
One of my favorite ways to eat up the leftovers, Jane!