Are Chicken Bouillon Cubes Gluten Free?

Last Updated on April 22, 2022

Today, we’re going to be answering the question: are chicken bouillon cubes gluten free? And taking a look at which popular brands of bouillon cubes are suitable when following a gluten-free lifestyle. Chicken bouillon cubes are incredibly popular, and probably not even a product you would have ever thought could contain gluten. However, they absolutely can and many brands are not gluten-free. Let’s take a closer look at all things chicken bouillon cubes.

What Are Chicken Bouillon Cubes?

To put it simply, bouillon cubes are dehydrated stock. They come in individual small cube shapes that you add water to, to create a delicious broth. They come in a range of flavors, with chicken being the most popular.

Learn more about: Is Kroger Chicken Broth Gluten-Free?

Ingredients In Chicken Bouillon Cubes

The ingredients in chicken bouillon cubes can vary depending on which brand you buy and the seasonings that have been added to the bouillon. The most common ingredients you’ll find in bouillon cubes are:

• chicken (or whichever flavor you’re buying) stock
• vegetables
• fat
• salt
• seasonings
• spices
• MSG (sometimes)

Nutritional Information Of Chicken Bouillon Cubes

You may be wondering what the nutritional value is. In one cup of prepared chicken bouillon with water, it contains the following nutrition:

• Calories: 10
• Protein: 1g
• Fat: 0.5g
• Carbohydrates: 1g
• Sodium: 42% of your daily intake

As you can see, bouillon cubes are incredibly high in sodium!

Are Chicken Bouillon Cubes Gluten Free?

The answer to this can be quite tricky. The answer is: sometimes. Chicken bouillon cubes can contain wheat as an ingredient, and can also be derived from barley or wheat. Not only that but they can also be made in an area that manufactures gluten-containing foods too, meaning we can not be sure of the gluten-free status of the bouillon cubes.

Some ingredients you may want to look out for when buying bouillon cubes are:

• wheat
• wheat protein
• natural flavors
• yeast extract

Yeast extract and natural flavors will not always contain gluten, but it’s best to check where those ingredients are derived from, so you can be sure the product is gluten-free.

However, there are plenty of gluten-free alternatives when it comes to bouillon cubes, so don’t feel too disheartened!

Gluten Free Bouillon Brands

BOU

BOU has a range of gluten-free products available, including bouillon cubes. They confirm in their FAQ that all of their bouillon cubes are suitable for a gluten-free lifestyle. They offer the following flavors:

• Vegetable Flavored Bouillon Cubes
• Beef Flavored Bouillon Cubes
• Chicken Flavored Bouillon Cubes

It’s worth noting that all of their World Flavor products are gluten-free too.

Knorr

Many Knorr products do not contain any gluten ingredients but are not labeled gluten-free. However, recently (in the UK at least) they’ve released their stock cubes with a gluten-free option available. So if you can, always opt for the gluten-free choice – however, they will likely be more expensive.

They offer the following flavors in their exclusively gluten-free range:

• Chicken Cubes Gluten Free

• Beef Cubes Gluten Free
• Vegetable Cubes Gluten Free
• Lamb Cubes Gluten Free

Orrington Farms

Orrington Farms have a huge selection of gluten-free products, with a whole host of flavors. If you’re looking for a choice – this is definitely the brand for you. Orrington Farms currently offers the following options:

• Beef Flavored Broth Base
• Chicken Flavored Broth Base
• Ham Flavored Broth Base
• Low Sodium Beef Flavored Broth Base
• Low Sodium Chicken Flavored Broth Base
• Vegan Beef Flavored Base
• Vegan Chicken Flavored Base
• Vegetable Flavored Broth Base
• Vegan Ham Flavored Base
• Vegan Vegetable Flavored Base

Gluten Free Chicken Bouillon Powder Recipe

It’s super quick to make your own chicken bouillon powder, and this recipe from Healthy Slow Cooking is not just gluten-free, but also vegan too!

Ingredients

The ingredients you’ll need for this recipe are:

• 1/2 cup of nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon of dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon of marjoram
• 1 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground celery seed

Recipe

This recipe is so simple, it only has one step! All you need to do is:

Place all of the above ingredients into a blender, food processor, or even a spice grinder. Grind, pulse, or blend well. Keep in a container and your powder will last for up to 6 months! It really is that easy.

You can use the bouillon any way you wish – but it tastes best in stews and soups, and really packs in that flavor.

Read more about: Is Top Ramen Gluten-Free?

Conclusion

I hope this article has helped to answer the question: are chicken bouillon cubes gluten-free? And also helped you to find the best gluten-free brands available. While gluten can be found in bouillon cubes, it’s super easy to find gluten-free alternatives.

Do you know of any other gluten-free brands? Or would you like to share your own recipe? If so, please feel free to let me know in the comments below. Sharing is caring!

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