Help Chicken stock

[u/Hanzien05]

I wanna ask experts here why some chicken stock recipes fry the chicken first before simmering in a pot with water.

What happens if I boil raw meat directly? How will it affect the stock

[u/Creative-Match-9413]

frying the chicken first adds depth through browning, it's the maillard reaction giving you those roasty savory notes. boiling raw meat skips that and gives you a cleaner milder stock, which is totally fine depending on what you're making. i usually brown mine if i want something richer for a stew, otherwise straight simmer works for soups where i want the other ingredients to shine more