What's the Best Chicken Broth to Buy? A Shopper's Guide

November 3, 2025 •

5 min read

According to culinary experts, many commercial chicken broths are simply reconstituted concentrates, making flavor profiles vary widely. To find what's the best chicken broth to buy for your kitchen, you need to look beyond the packaging and focus on ingredients, sodium levels, and intended use.

Quick Summary

This guide compares popular store-bought brands, explains the differences between broth, stock, and bone broth, and provides tips for selecting the ideal option based on your recipe and dietary needs.

Key Points

Low Sodium is Best: Opt for low-sodium or unsalted broth to fully control the flavor of your dish, especially when reducing the liquid.
Bone Broth for Collagen: Choose bone broth for a richer flavor, silky texture, and potential benefits from collagen and gelatin.
Concentrates Offer Value: Consider concentrates like Better Than Bouillon for a long shelf life, intense flavor, and significant cost savings over liquid cartons.
Read the Ingredients: The best broths have simple, recognizable ingredients. Be wary of additives like yeast extract or artificial flavorings.
Flavor Profile Matters: Brands vary in taste; some are robust and 'chicken-y', while others are cleaner and more subtle. Match the broth to your recipe.
Stock vs. Broth in a Box: Don't rely solely on the label, as commercial broths and stocks are often interchangeable. Read the ingredients and check sodium levels.

Navigating the grocery store aisle for chicken broth can be overwhelming. There's a wide array of options, including traditional broths, rich stocks, and nutrient-dense bone broths, all from different brands and price points. The "best" choice depends heavily on your specific culinary application and personal preferences. This guide breaks down the different types of products available and highlights top-rated options so you can make an informed decision and elevate your cooking.

Understanding Your Options: Broth, Stock, and Bone Broth

While the USDA allows manufacturers to label broth and stock interchangeably, classically, there are important distinctions based on how they are made and what they are used for.

Chicken Broth

Traditionally, chicken broth is made by simmering meaty chicken parts in water with vegetables and seasonings for a shorter period. It is lighter in body and flavor compared to stock and is often seasoned before packaging, making it ready to serve or use in recipes.

Chicken Stock

Stock is typically made from chicken bones simmered for a longer duration, which extracts gelatin and creates a richer, silkier texture. It is often unseasoned, making it an ideal base for gravies, sauces, and reductions where you want to control the final flavor without risk of over-salting.

Bone Broth

Simmered for an even longer time (often 24+ hours) and typically made with roasted bones, bone broth is the most nutrient-dense of the three. It has a high collagen content, a richer taste, and a gelatinous texture when chilled. It can be used in recipes but is also popular for sipping on its own.

Factors for Choosing the Best Chicken Broth

Choosing the right broth goes beyond simply picking up the nearest carton. Consider these key factors before you buy.

Ingredients: Look for simple, recognizable ingredients. A robust broth should contain chicken, vegetables (like carrots, celery, and onion), and aromatics. Be cautious of brands with artificial ingredients, added sugars, or thickeners.
Sodium Content: The sodium in standard chicken broth can be extremely high, sometimes making up 40% of your daily intake in a single cup. For cooking, especially when making reductions, a low-sodium or unsalted option is almost always the best choice. This gives you complete control over the final seasoning of your dish.
Flavor Profile: The taste of store-bought broths varies considerably. Some are bright and chicken-forward, while others might taste more heavily of vegetables or herbs. Some blind taste tests have shown strong preferences for specific brands based on their flavor complexity.
Format: Broth is available in several forms, each with pros and cons. Liquid cartons are convenient but have a limited shelf life once opened. Concentrates (pastes or powders) like Better Than Bouillon offer long-term storage, cost-effectiveness, and intense flavor.

The Top Contenders: A Comparison of Popular Chicken Broths

Here's a look at some of the most highly-regarded chicken broth brands on the market, each with its own set of strengths.

Comparing Store-Bought Chicken Broth and Stock Brands


Brand	Type	Key Attributes	Best For
Kettle & Fire	Bone Broth	Rich, savory flavor; clean ingredients from free-range chickens; gelatinous body.	Sipping, nourishing soups, dishes needing luxurious mouthfeel.
Imagine Organic Free-Range	Low-Sodium Broth	Excellent, clean chicken flavor; organic ingredients; robust enough for soups.	All-purpose cooking, soups, sauces where other ingredients should shine.
Swanson	Various Broths/Stocks	Widely available; good standard flavor, but watch sodium content; stock has slightly more body.	Budget-friendly everyday cooking, when convenience is key.
Better Than Bouillon	Concentrate (Paste)	Intense flavor, highly concentrated; excellent value; long shelf life.	Sauces, gravy, pan deglazing, enhancing flavor; ideal pantry staple.
Pacific Foods	Organic Broth	Lighter, cleaner flavor; transparent ingredient lists; unsalted options available.	Risottos, poached fish, delicate soups, or for those sensitive to intense flavors.
Good & Gather (Target)	Bone Broth	Robust, roasty chicken flavor; available in unsalted options.	Hearty braises, rich soups, dishes needing strong flavor backbone.

Detailed Review of Leading Brands

Kettle & Fire Chicken Bone Broth: Hailed by food experts for its quality, Kettle & Fire delivers a rich, flavorful, and clean bone broth made from organic, free-range chicken bones. Its noticeable body and silky mouthfeel make it ideal for recipes that need depth, or simply for sipping. While pricier, the quality ingredients and flavor justify the cost for many consumers seeking a gourmet product.

Imagine Organic Free-Range Chicken Broth: This low-sodium option is a consistent winner in taste tests for its authentic chicken flavor that reminds many of homemade soup. Its clean and simple profile makes it incredibly versatile, suitable for a wide range of recipes where you don't want the broth to overpower other ingredients. Opt for the low-sodium version to maintain control over your final dish's seasoning.

Swanson Chicken Broth/Stock: As one of the most recognized brands, Swanson is a reliable and affordable option found in nearly every supermarket. Taste tests have noted its pleasantly savory flavor and good body in the stock variety. However, traditional versions can be high in sodium, so reach for their lower-sodium or unsalted products if you are monitoring salt intake or planning a reduction.

Better Than Bouillon Premium Roasted Chicken Base: For a powerhouse of flavor in a small jar, Better Than Bouillon is a go-to concentrate. It provides immense umami and savory notes that can enrich sauces and gravies, or simply be reconstituted for a flavorful base. Its long shelf life and low cost-per-serving make it a frugal and convenient choice, though its engineered flavor profile is different from a pure, homemade-style broth.

Pacific Foods Organic Bone Broth Chicken Unsalted: A strong runner-up to top bone broth brands, Pacific offers a lighter body and a more vegetable-forward flavor profile. It's a great option for those who prefer transparent ingredient lists and a less intense chicken flavor. Its versatility works well for many applications, and the unsalted variety is perfect for seasoning from scratch.

Conclusion: Making the Right Choice for Your Kitchen

The "best" chicken broth to buy is ultimately the one that meets your needs. For rich, restorative soups or sipping, a high-quality bone broth like Kettle & Fire is an excellent choice. For general cooking where you want robust, controlled seasoning, a low-sodium liquid broth from a brand like Imagine or a concentrate like Better Than Bouillon offers great flavor and versatility. If budget and availability are your main concerns, Swanson remains a solid, accessible choice, but prioritize their lower-sodium options. Always remember to check the ingredient list and be wary of deceptive 'broth' and 'stock' labels; your cooking will be better for it.

For additional insights into cooking with and understanding the nuances of different kitchen bases, consider reading articles from trusted culinary sources like Serious Eats.

Frequently Asked Questions

While classical culinary definitions differ based on ingredients (broth from meat, stock from bones) and viscosity, the USDA allows manufacturers to label them interchangeably. For store-bought options, the best way to determine the product's profile is to check the ingredients and sodium content, as stock is traditionally less seasoned.

Choosing a low-sodium or unsalted broth gives you greater control over the seasoning of your final dish. Many standard broths contain up to 40% of the daily recommended sodium intake in a single cup, which can lead to over-salting, especially when reducing the liquid.

Concentrates like Better Than Bouillon offer intense flavor, a long shelf life, and are more cost-effective than liquid cartons because you aren't paying for water. However, some concentrates use more additives than clean, high-quality liquid broths. It's a great choice for pantry storage and strong, savory flavor.

For sauces and gravies, stock is often preferred due to the gelatin extracted from the bones, which gives the finished product a thicker, silkier texture. When using store-bought products, look for an unsalted or low-sodium option to allow for controlled reduction.

Organic and free-range broths are often made from healthier, more nutrient-rich bones due to better farming practices. While organic options are a clean choice, remember that health benefits like collagen and amino acids are present in all quality bone broths, regardless of the label.

For sipping, most people prefer a bone broth due to its richer flavor, higher nutritional density, and silky mouthfeel. Brands like Kettle & Fire or homemade versions are often recommended for their deep flavor and body. A good sipping broth should taste satisfying and well-seasoned, but not overly salty.

No, the color of a broth is not a reliable indicator of quality. A dark broth could be the result of a long simmer with roasted bones or the addition of coloring agents like turmeric. Some of the best broths are quite light in color, so it is more important to read the ingredients list than to rely on visual cues.