How Long To Boil Whole Chicken Breast?

Whether you are cooking chicken breasts, thighs, or a whole chicken, find out how long to boil chicken for for juicy, tender meat. Boiling chicken can be sliced or shredded and used in a variety of dishes, including salads and sandwiches.

A delicious, healthy, and simple dish that is a kitchen staple is boiled chicken. To make a fantastic lunch, simply slice the meat and serve it with some rice and vegetables. Alternatively, shred it and use it to make pulled chicken or chicken roll-up sandwiches, chicken noodle soup, or salad. Even my neighbor boils chicken for their dog to eat. The possibilities are truly endless!.

You can begin by using fresh or frozen chicken for the simple cooking process. However, you’ll need to adhere to a few straightforward guidelines to prevent getting rubbery meat. So let’s get started!.

Reasons for Boiling Chicken

For a variety of reasons, boiling chicken is a beloved tradition around the world.

Simple: It’s easy to prepare with no special equipment other than a large pot.

Fast: Boiling is one of the quickest ways to cook chicken.

Frozen: You can boil frozen chicken directly without thawing.

Healthier: No added fat is required unlike with fried or baked chicken.

Extra Broth: You also get homemade chicken broth to use for soup or other recipes.

The meat will become juicy and tender if you don’t overcook it!

How to Boil Chicken

Choose a large enough pot for boiling chicken so that it only partially overflows. Next, incorporate optional seasonings like bay leaves, black peppercorns, and/or fresh herbs along with chopped carrots, celery, and onions.

Put enough cold water or broth on the chicken to cover it by about an inch. Then bring to a boil over high heat. When it boils, cover the pan and lower the heat to a low simmer. Remove the surface-level brown froth using a skimmer.

When the chicken is finished cooking, move it to a carving board and let it cool for a while before shredding or slicing.

How Long Do You Boil Chicken

To determine how long to boil chicken after the water comes to a boil, use the chart below:

Boiling Time	Fresh	Frozen
Chicken Breasts	15-20 minutes	20-30 minutes
Chicken Thighs/Wings/Legs	20-30 minutes	30-40 minutes
Whole Chicken (< 4 lbs)	30-40 minutes	60 minutes
Whole Chicken (> 4 lbs)	40-60 minutes	60-90 minutes
Chicken Tenders (fillets)	5-10 minutes	10-15 minutes

In the ranges above, larger, bone-in pieces will fall at the upper end while smaller, boneless pieces will fall at the lower end.

How to determine whether meat is fully cooked: If in doubt, place an instant-read thermometer in the center of the meat. As soon as it reads 165°F, the chicken is done.

How to Avoid Rubbery Chicken

Rubbery chicken is a sign of overcooking. Here are a few tips to keep boiled chicken tender:

Temperature: Don’t allow chicken to boil over high heat. Instead, reduce the heat to a low simmer once the liquid reaches a boil.

Choose Bone-in: Bone-in, skin-on chicken is less likely to overcook than boneless meat.

Salt: Add 1-2 teaspoons of salt to the water, as it will act as a tenderizer during boiling.

If you’re really game, you could brine the chicken for several hours to overnight to keep the meat moist while it cooks.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Make Flavorful Chicken Broth? Simply add fragrant vegetables such as chopped carrots, celery and onion along with seasonings such as fresh rosemary, thyme or sage and black peppercorns. Keep the onion skin on for added color. After boiling, pour it through a fine-mesh strainer and/or cheesecloth to clarify. Also consider putting it through a fat separator.

How Long Can I Store Cooked Chicken? It will last for up to 2 hours at room temperature and 3-4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

More Tips on Cooking Chicken:

View more chicken recipes

How Long to Boil Chicken

▢ 3-4 pounds chicken, whole chicken, chicken breasts, legs, wings or a combination (fresh or frozen)

▢ cold water, to cover

▢ 1-2 teaspoons salt

▢ 1 medium onion, halved

▢ 1 large carrot, or 2 medium, roughly chopped

▢ 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped

▢ sprigs rosemary, or thyme, sage

▢ 2 bay leaves

▢ 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

▢ parsley stems

Place the chicken in a large pot (see note) along with the optional vegetables and seasonings. Add the salt and enough water or broth to cover.

Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Remove the grey residues that float to the surface using a skimmer/spoon and discard.

Reduce heat to low and simmer until cooked: 15-20 minutes for chicken breasts, 20-30 minutes for thighs/legs/wings, and 40-60 minutes for a whole chicken depending on size. (For frozen chicken, see notes.)

Remove the chicken to a plate to cool for several minutes. Use a fork and knife to cut up the meat or two forks to shred it.

Pot: The chicken should take up 1/2 to 2/3 of the pot. Too small of a pot could lead to spillage, while too large of a pot will take a long time to boil.

Frozen Chicken: Boiling times are: 20-30 minutes for chicken breasts, 30-40 minutes for chicken thighs/legs/wings, and 60-90 minutes for a whole chicken depending on size. To verify doneness, you can always insert an instant-read thermometer into a large piece and look for a reading of 165°F.

Tips for Making Broth: Homemade chicken broth as an added benefit of boiling chicken. To make it flavorful, be sure to add as many of the suggested vegetables and seasonings as possible. Also, using bone-in meat will add flavor, while leaving onion skins on will add beautiful color. To concentrate the flavor, you can continue boiling after the chicken has been removed until volume is reduced by half. To clarify the broth, pour it through a cheesecloth and use a fat separator.

Nutrition Facts How Long to Boil Chicken Amount Per Serving (4 oz)

Please read our nutrition disclaimer.

FAQ

How long does it take to boil chicken breast?

Skinless, boneless chicken breast halves should be cooked for 12 to 15 minutes in a pot of water. (Accordingly, it would take 18 to 22 minutes to boil frozen chicken. (Cutting the chicken into 2-inch pieces and cooking it for eight to ten minutes will make the poached chicken even more quickly.

Can you boil chicken breasts too long?

It won’t be dry as long as you cook it to 165. Water boils at 212, so if you leave it in the water for an extended period of time, it will eventually overcook and become dry. However, if you start checking it after 12 to 15 minutes, you should be fine.

How long does it take to boil 3 chicken breasts?

• Cover all of the chicken in a big pot with water or broth.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Depending on their size, three chicken breasts typically take 8 to 15 minutes, while six chicken breasts typically take 25 to 30 minutes.
• Always check the temperature with a meat thermometer.
• Do not overcook.

How much does it take to boil a chicken breast?

How Long To Boil Chicken. Thinner chicken breast cutlets are ready in about 8 minutes. Larger chicken breasts can take up to 15 minutes. Large bone-in chicken breasts will take about 20 minutes.