No chicken stock cubes ... what can I use instead?

[BigSandyBalls2015]

I'm doing a recipe tonight which requires a chicken stock cube, just realised I don't have any and I'm isolating so can't go out. I don't have any stock cubes at all, just a pot of bisto gravy granules ... but presume that wouldn't work? Any ideas?

I’d just use water, the flavour will be coming from the fajita spices anyway!

Actual chicken stock is water that chicken and maybe some veg have been simmered in...therefore if you just add water to it, it turns into a kind of chicken stock anyway! Look at the ingredients on stock cubes, it's mainly salt and a few dried herbs. just season the dish well and it will be ok

Thanks for all your suggestions, I did think about neighbours but they have been very kind shopping for us this week so don't want to bother them again, same with friends. I'll make do, using some of your ideas, and report back.

The main contribution of the chicken stock cube in that sort of recipe is salt. So you could just use that or, if you want to include a more meaty/chickeny flavour either a bit of marmite or the chicken gravy granules would be fine. You will be getting umami type flavours from the meat (so long as there is salt with it) you are using plus the onion so I wouldnt worry too much about that personally but as others have suggested a bit of lea and perrins or marmite would help. I wouldnt overthink it though!

Althougn if you were a PROPER mumsnetter you would still have the remains of a chicken you and your family had been feasting on since Sunday so could have made stock from the carcass of that! (tuts)

I always do loads of stock type recipes (stew/goulash/soup) and my serbian friend (this is all they eat) said to just try not using stock and its honestly nicer. They were right. Stocks a con. Use it if you like it but if run out just dont worry about it

Stock is the basis of many restaurant dishes and the stock made in restaurants is a world away from stock cubes.

id agree with that, wowfudge, id maybe revise my opinion to dont bother with stock unless you're doing it the whole proper way, cos cubes just taste like salt and not much else. It is useful for couscous though.

It was gorgeous! Used garlic, salt, pepper and it was lush

Looks great! I might have to try the recipe myself! No stock cube of course.