How Long To Boil Chicken Breasts
You might have come across a lot of salad or sandwich recipes that require cooked or poached chicken. Although you might go for rotisserie chicken but if you are out of it and are too lazy to run to the store, then boiling some chicken at home is the best and easiest way to obtain juicy and tender chicken that is easily shredded.
Boiling chicken might sound bland and easy to cook but if the proper way is not used, your chicken may turn out super dry and I am sure, no one likes dry, chewy chicken. It is ideal to cook chicken breast in boiling liquid as they dry out quite easily when grilled or roasted. If you want your cooking liquid to turn into a delicious broth while obtaining a juicy chicken, it is best to use the bone-in breast pieces with the skin on. However, if you want your chicken to be cooked in a short time, a boneless and skinless half chicken breast would be the best option. There isn’t anything too difficult in boiling chicken breast but there are a few tips you should follow in order to gain your required results.
STEP-1: PICK A LIQUID
You could simply go for water as the liquid for boiling as it will help to enhance other flavors of your dish. On the other hand, you could use various other types of liquids as well such as white wine, apple cider, chicken broth or you could flavor your cooking liquid by adding carrot pieces, onions, garlic, salt, lemon or any other type of vegetables or spices you want to flavor your chicken with. Using a flavored liquid helps to add an extra burst of flavor to your chicken.
STEP-2:BOILING THE CHICKEN
Once you have selected your boiling liquid, it is time to move onto the cooking part. The time and the quantity of liquid used basically depends on the amount of chicken breasts you may be using. Here is a standard way of how to boil the breasts of one chicken.
· Boil about 2 cups of the liquid in a skillet. It should be enough to cover the entire piece of the chicken breast.
· Once the liquid has come to a proper boil, add the chicken breast and your required seasoning to the boiling liquid. · Boil the liquid again and once it starts boiling, reduce the heat and cover the skillet. Let it simmer until the chicken is not pink anymore. You could always use a meat thermometer to check the doneness of the chicken. (165°F)
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The time required to reach the perfect amount of tenderness depends on the state your chicken is at that moment or the size of chicken breasts that you may be using.
1. Frozen chicken: If you are using frozen chicken, it would be best to thaw your chicken before using it. Defrost your chicken by keeping it in the fridge for a good nine hours or if you are in a hurry, you could always speed up by using the microwave while it is on the defrosting or cold-water function.
2. Boneless, skinless chicken breast: this is the quickest type to cook. It requires only 12-15 minutes to reach the required tenderness. You could cut the breast into pieces if you want poached chicken and boil it for only 8-10 minutes. If you are using frozen chicken, you will have to boil it for a longer time (at least 18 – 20 minutes).
3. Bone-in chicken breast: as compared to the other two, this requires a little more time to boil. You should boil it for at least 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
STEP-3: DRAIN THE LIQUID AND SHRED OR CHOP
Once you are sure the chicken breasts are thoroughly cooked, remove it from the liquid with the help of tongs or a spoon. If you want to keep the chicken liquid, first separate the chicken from the broth and then pass it through a sieve to remove any large bits or pieces left there. To get a clearer liquid, line your sieve with a cotton cheesecloth before you pass the liquid through it.
Finally, serve the tender poach chicken in any recipe you desire.
SHREDDING AND STORAGE:
If you decide to shred the chicken, set the chicken aside and let it cool till it is easy to handle with your hands. Once the chicken cools down, remove the skin off if there is any. Next, use two dinner forks and place them adjacent to each other in the meat and pull the forks in the direction opposite to each other. Keep repeating until all the meat has shredded. You might spot a few gristles or fat in the meat while you are shredding. You could simply remove and discard them. Note that you should not shred the chicken too small because it dries out too fast. Try to get pieces that could easily sink into your teeth.
This method is not only for instant use, but could also be used to make poached chicken that can be stored for a period of two months. If you do not intend to use the chicken broth instantly, you could store it for future purposes. Pour the broth into a storage container, cover it up with a lid and freeze it up to two months. For a more convenient way, you could also pour the broth into ice trays and make ice cubes in order to use later.
To store the chicken, place it in a storage container and cover it up properly. Keep it in the fridge for up to three days or you could also freeze it for up to two months. Before storing the chicken, make sure that it cools down completely as keeping warm chicken directly into the freezer or refrigerator could ruin it.
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