How Long to Boil Chicken

5 from 7 votes

How Long to Boil Chicken

Learn how long to boil chicken, whether you've got a whole chicken, breasts, thighs, wings or legs. Boiling one of the easiest cooking methods, and you can start with fresh or frozen chicken.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: boiled chicken

Servings: servings

Calories: 188kcal

Author: TipBuzz

Equipment

Ingredients

3-4 pounds chicken whole chicken, chicken breasts, legs, wings or a combination (fresh or frozen)
cold water to cover
1-2 teaspoons salt

Vegetables (optional)

1 medium onion halved
1 large carrot or 2 medium, roughly chopped
2 stalks celery roughly chopped

Seasonings (optional)

sprigs rosemary or thyme, sage
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
parsley stems

Instructions

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.

Notes

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