Your Frozen Vegetables Deserve A Chicken Broth Bath

There's a reason just about everyone has at least a bag or two of frozen vegetables tucked away in their freezer at all times — they're a quick and convenient way to add a bit more nutrition to your meals, and you can take out just the amount you need, avoiding food waste. If you have a bit of a bias against them, it may be because you've made one of the common mistakes people make with frozen vegetables, such as defrosting them prior to cooking or overcooking them. Luckily, there are a few ways to make frozen vegetables taste amazing, and a chicken broth bath is one of them.

Basically, all you need to do is simmer about a cup of chicken broth, then add in your frozen vegetables and allow them to cook in the liquid for about five to 10 minutes, depending on the type of vegetables you're using. While cooking them in water will just yield watery vegetables when cooked, the chicken broth bath allows some of those savory flavors to soak into the vegetables, automatically making them a bit tastier.

You can make homemade chicken stock to truly level up your vegetables, but store-bought chicken broth will definitely do the trick, as well. And, while they're simmering, you might even consider tossing in a knob of butter to add yet more flavor and richness to your vegetables.

Obviously, one of the main reasons to cook any food in broth — from vegetables to grains — is that it makes the final product more flavorful than if it were just cooked in water, since the food absorbs some of the broth. For those using store-bought broth, keep in mind that you'll want to check the label and ingredients of the specific brand you're planning to use; many broths contain salt and other seasonings, so you may want to go light on the added salt. Plus, while chicken broth's flavor pairs well with a wide range of vegetables, you can always swap out chicken stock with vegetable stock if you're preparing a vegetarian meal.

Finally, when using this approach, you'll want to be mindful of how you're handling the vegetables in your dish. Peas or carrots simmered in chicken broth, for example, would make a great side dish. However, think twice about cooking vegetables in a chicken broth bath and then tossing them into a dish like casserole or shepherd's pie, where they'll be cooked even longer, especially if they're cut quite small. When doing so, you run the risk of overcooking the frozen vegetables to the point that they become mush.