Substitutions / chicken stock
What to use instead of chicken stock
Use vegetable stock in equal amounts. Lighter flavor with less savory depth; works well in most recipes but won't add the same richness.
Every option, best first
| Use instead | How much | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetable stock | 1:1 | Lighter flavor with less savory depth; works well in most recipes but won't add the same richness. |
| Chicken bouillon | 1 cube / cup water | Saltier and more concentrated, so taste before adding any extra salt. |
| Water | 1:1 | Neutral flavor — fine when the dish has plenty of other aromatics, but you'll lose background depth. |
How much is a cup of chicken stock?
Substituting by volume and weighing are different problems, and the second one has an exact answer. Weigh chicken stock in grams →
A word on how to read these
A substitution is a trade, not an equivalence. The ratio gets the quantity right; the third column is the part worth reading, because it tells you what you are giving up. In a stew, most of these are invisible. In a cake — where flour, liquid, fat and leavening are in a fixed relationship — the same swap can change the crumb.
Why baking notices and stew doesn't →
Where these came from
These substitutions were written by Gather's own kitchen model — the same one the app uses when you tap an ingredient and ask what else would work — then checked and saved as a fixed list in July 2026. Nothing on this page is generated while you read it. They are a good starting point and not a substitute for tasting as you go.