Collagen-Rich Chicken Bone Broth with Noodles & Tender Veggies (Ideal for postpartum healing)
By the QuiteRecipes team (Jamy & Kaïna) | Food Service Professional, Early Childhood Expert & Parents
A slow-simmered chicken bone broth with rice noodles and tender vegetables, built for gentle postpartum healing and easy reheating.
This is the meal I wish every new parent had cooling in the fridge: a slow-simmered bone broth rich in collagen, minerals, and easy-to-take calories, built to support healing when your body is doing the biggest repair job of its life. The noodles and soft vegetables keep it genuinely filling, and because it freezes beautifully, recovery dinner is already decided.
🥄 Ingredients
- 🫗 1 kg chicken bones (a leftover roast carcass or raw wings/drumsticks)
- 🫗 1 onion, quartered (skin on is fine)
- 🫗 2 carrots, sliced into coins
- 🫗 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 🫗 1 thumb (5cm) fresh ginger, sliced
- 🫗 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 🫗 1.5 liters water
- 🫗 150g rice vermicelli noodles
- 🫗 150g cooked chicken, shredded
- 🫗 150g baby spinach or bok choy leaves
- 🫗 Salt and white pepper
Nutrition Facts*
*Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients, brands and portion sizes. Values are provided per serving.
👨🍳 Instructions
Put the bones, onion, carrots, celery, ginger, vinegar, and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, skim off any froth, then drop to a gentle simmer.
Simmer, covered, for at least 3 hours — longer is better — until the bones crumble and the broth tastes deep and slightly gelatinous.
Strain the broth and discard the solids; season with salt and white pepper, then stir in the shredded chicken.
Cook the rice noodles per package directions (2–3 minutes for vermicelli) and divide among four bowls.
Pour the hot broth and chicken over the noodles, add the leafy greens so they wilt in the steam, and serve piping hot.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- ✕
Boiling hard, which turns the broth cloudy and slightly bitter.
- ✕
Throwing away the tender shreds of chicken in the strainer — keep every scrap for the bowls.
- ✕
Salting before straining, which makes it easy to oversalt.
🔄 Variations
Use leftover turkey or duck bones exactly the same way.
Swap rice noodles for soba or thin egg noodles when you fancy a change.
Add a handful of button mushrooms to the pot for extra B vitamins.
🧊 Storage
- 📦
Broth keeps 5 days in the fridge; any fat solidifies on top and can be lifted off before reheating.
- 📦
Freezes for up to 3 months in individual portions.
💡 Chef Tips
Tip 1: The vinegar draws calcium and minerals out of the bones — don't leave it out.
Tip 2: Cold leftover broth setting to a jelly is a good sign, not a mistake; it reheats straight back to liquid.
Tip 3: Freeze the broth in 500ml tubs so a healing meal is literally minutes away during the blur of early postpartum days.
Tip 4: A gentle simmer is the difference between a nourishing, clear broth and a cloudy, bitter one.
❓ FAQ
Q
Why bone broth after birth? It's a warm, mineral- and collagen-rich base that supports tissue repair and is gentle on a tired body — easy to sip when appetite is low.
Q
Do I have to simmer for 3 full hours? At least 3 for flavor and minerals; a pressure cooker gets you there in about 90 minutes.
Q
Can I use a store-bought rotisserie carcass? Absolutely — leftover carcasses are the most economical way to make genuinely homemade stock.
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About the Authors
This recipe and guide was developed, tested, and approved in our home kitchen and daily life. Jamy is a retired Food Service District Manager and Early Childhood Program Manager who spent his career overseeing multi-site restaurant operations, large-scale culinary production, and daycare menu management. Kaïna brings the ultimate real-world test: making sure it brings ease and joy to our kids on a busy weeknight.
Read more about our professional background and philosophy →