Boiled chicken may sound boring, but the beauty is in how basic it is: boiling can provide a perfectly tender piece of chicken that can be easily added to countless
weeknight dinners. Our foolproof guide for boiling chicken will be your new saving grace: it’s the perfect way to get tender, juicy chicken that’s easy to shred for almost any recipe. While it’s practically as easy as bringing a pot of water to a boil, there are some tricks for success. Keep reading on to discover our four easy steps for boiling chicken perfectly every time, for any recipe:
How to boil chicken:
— Pick your liquid. Sure, you could boil your chicken in water, but that seems kind of boring, right? Boiling your chicken in chicken broth is how to instantly up the flavor.
— Season it. Place your chicken breasts in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid and add enough liquid to cover the chicken. Season your liquid well with salt and pepper—this is very crucial. It’s really no different than boiling a pot of pasta. If you have some carrots, onions, or fresh herbs you can add them to the pot as well. All of your flavor is going to come from what you put in the pot, so the more the merrier.
— Bring it to a boil. Once you have all of your flavors added, bring your water to a boil. Cover the pot and lower the heat slightly so it stays at a pretty rapid simmer. Depending on the size of your chicken breasts, they should simmer for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove one piece from the pot and check with a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should be 165°. If they need more time, put them back in and check every 5 minutes. Don’t let them overcook—they’ll start to become rubbery.
— Shred it up. After removing your chicken from the pot, let it rest for about 10 minutes. This will cool them down enough to shred, and will help keep some of the moisture in so that they don’t dry out. Use two forks to shred your chicken, and use however you please.
How to use shredded chicken:
This versatile chicken can be the base to bulk up all of your favorite recipes, from chicken salad sandwiches to chicken enchiladas to classic chicken pot pie. Need more inspo? Check out our favorite shredded chicken recipes (chicken noodle soup, anyone?).
Storage:
If you don’t use all of your chicken right away, let it cool before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for around 4-5 days.
Tried this method yet? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
Boiled chicken may sound boring, but the beauty is in how basic it is: boiling can provide a perfectly tender piece of chicken that can be easily added to countless
weeknight dinners. Our foolproof guide for boiling chicken will be your new saving grace: it’s the perfect way to get tender, juicy chicken that’s easy to shred for almost any recipe. While it’s practically as easy as bringing a pot of water to a boil, there are some tricks for success. Keep reading on to discover our four easy steps for boiling chicken perfectly every time, for any recipe:
How to boil chicken:
— Pick your liquid. Sure, you could boil your chicken in water, but that seems kind of boring, right? Boiling your chicken in chicken broth is how to instantly up the flavor.
— Season it. Place your chicken breasts in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid and add enough liquid to cover the chicken. Season your liquid well with salt and pepper—this is very crucial. It’s really no different than boiling a pot of pasta. If you have some carrots, onions, or fresh herbs you can add them to the pot as well. All of your flavor is going to come from what you put in the pot, so the more the merrier.
— Bring it to a boil. Once you have all of your flavors added, bring your water to a boil. Cover the pot and lower the heat slightly so it stays at a pretty rapid simmer. Depending on the size of your chicken breasts, they should simmer for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove one piece from the pot and check with a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should be 165°. If they need more time, put them back in and check every 5 minutes. Don’t let them overcook—they’ll start to become rubbery.
— Shred it up. After removing your chicken from the pot, let it rest for about 10 minutes. This will cool them down enough to shred, and will help keep some of the moisture in so that they don’t dry out. Use two forks to shred your chicken, and use however you please.
How to use shredded chicken:
This versatile chicken can be the base to bulk up all of your favorite recipes, from chicken salad sandwiches to chicken enchiladas to classic chicken pot pie. Need more inspo? Check out our favorite shredded chicken recipes (chicken noodle soup, anyone?).
Storage:
If you don’t use all of your chicken right away, let it cool before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for around 4-5 days.
Tried this method yet? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
- Yields:
-
6
serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 5 mins
- Total Time:
- 20 mins
- Cal/Serv:
- 246
Directions
-
- Step 1
In a large pot over medium-high heat, add chicken. Pour broth over chicken to cover and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Step 2Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium. Let simmer until chicken is cooked through, 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let rest 10 minutes.
- Step 3Shred chicken with two forks and use as desired.
- Step 1
Parker feierbach