Credit: Morgan Ward; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong
The building block to so many recipes, chicken broth is an important pantry staple. It’s always wise to have some on hand, whether you’re preparing a tasty rice dish or building the foundation of a rich gumbo. And nothing is more comforting than a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter day.
We know that there are an abundance of chicken broths to choose from at the store. That’s why we selected some of the more common and readily available broths and evaluated them based on taste, texture, and overall experience, so that you can make a more informed decision next time you head to the grocery.
Our favorite broth was one that had a nice chicken flavor without being too overpowering, and was overall balanced in herb flavor and salinity. Keep reading to see how each of these chicken broths stacked up.
How We Tested
We warmed each chicken broth in the microwave, poured them into small cups, and hid the packaging, so each tester could sample the broths without seeing which brand they were tasting.
Editors sampled the chicken broths side by side, scoring them on taste, texture, and overall experience using a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. After everyone ranked their picks, we tallied the results to find the winner.
The Contenders
Pacific Foods Chicken Broth
College Inn Chicken Broth
Chef’s Cupboard Chicken Broth (ALDI)
Member’s Mark Chicken Broth (Sam’s Club)
365 Chicken Broth (Whole Foods)
Good & Gather Chicken Broth
Trader Joe’s Chicken Broth
Great Value Chicken Broth (Walmart)
How Each Brand ScoredPacific Foods Chicken Broth
“A good basic broth without an overpowering flavor,” is how one of our editors described this chicken broth. While the deeper amber color and real chicken smell were standout features of this broth, almost all of our editors said this one did not have a very strong taste.
Publix Chicken Broth
This one “tastes like Thanksgiving turkey,” said one of our editors. Others agreed, saying there was a strong herb flavor like rosemary and sage. Others said it had a very pale and cloudy appearance with a fairly neutral flavor.
Progresso Chicken broth
A “good classic broth” with a mild flavor, Progresso Chicken Broth would be “good for a variety of purposes,” wrote one of our editors. Whether it’s a creamy chicken tortilla soup or Southern-style collard greens, this broth could be a good base for an assortment of recipes.
College Inn Chicken Broth
This was another one our editors thought reminded them of Thanksgiving, specifically stuffing with its herby flavor. Several others mentioned a nice and robust chicken flavor with warm, almost toasted notes.
Swanson Chicken Broth
Swanson Chicken Broth had a much more vibrant yellow color and a stronger flavor as compared to other broths. One editor wrote that Swanson had a “deeper flavor than others and a true cooked chicken taste.” We could see this one packing a punch in a shrimp and grits recipe or adding a little extra flavor to a comforting dish of mashed potatoes.
Chef’s Cupboard Chicken Broth
This one is nice and light with a subtle chicken flavor. A mild-tasting broth with a good level of salinity, our editors thought Chef’s Cupboard, which is sold at ALDI, was a “good balance of herby flavors while also being fresh-tasting.”
Member’s Mark Chicken Broth
Another broth that reminded our editors of Thanksgiving, Member’s Mark was a bit darker in color and stronger in flavor. A golden yellow color, this broth was noted for having a great salinity and rich flavor. It would be another good contended for a comforting soup recipe like this Chicken Pot Pie Soup.
365 Chicken Broth
While some editors thought this broth had a very faint taste, others said it has a “classic chicken noodle soup taste.” It’s not overly salty, so it would work great as a base for a number of recipes, like this Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup.
Good & Gather Chicken Broth
“Tastes like chicken!” wrote one editor. Several editors felt this broth would be great in a chicken noodle soup for its classic chicken flavor. Others wrote that it had notes of poultry seasoning with an overall herbal taste.
Trader Joe’s Chicken Broth
A medium gold color with vegetable notes, Trader Joe’s Chicken Broth was a little different than some of the other broths our editors tasted. Without any strong flavors, this broth could be a good choice for a recipe where the broth doesn’t take center stage, but adds a nice layer of depth to the dish, like this Classic Hoppin’ John.
Great Value Chicken Broth
Great Value Chicken Broth has a lot of aromatic flavors, like celery, carrots, and sage. This was another broth our editors suggested for a soup base, because of its mild chicken flavor, good salinity, and herbal notes. We think it might be a nice addition to this Chicken And Drop Dumplings recipe.
The Runner-Up
Credit: Morgan Ward; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong
Our runner-up is Good & Gather Chicken Broth from Target. “This one was the closest to homemade out of the group,” wrote one editor. “It was tasty enough that I could see using it as a soup base.”
The Winner
Credit: Morgan Ward; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong
The winner of our chicken broth taste test is Swanson Chicken Broth. Our editors said this one tastes just like one you’d make at home. “This one tastes the most of chicken. It has a good color and salt content with a strong flavor without tasting artificial. It would be lovely in a soup.” Nicely balanced in terms of flavor and salinity, Swanson is the broth our editors will most likely be reaching for at the store.
Read the original article on Southern Living
Dining and Cooking