Recipe: How to Boil Chicken
In short, fill a pot with three litres of water and boil it before then adding the chicken and vegetables. Bring to a boil and fish out any cartilage floating on top, add salt, and then return the chicken to the heat for another hour or until thoroughly cooked. When it’s done, leave it to soak in the broth for 10 minutes before removing with a slotted spoon. A meat thermometer inserted into the thigh should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Ingredients
- 3 L Water
- 1 whole chicken
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Start by pouring 3L of water into the pot
- Add the whole chicken to the pot, along with a whole onion
- Add one carrot to the pot
- Add half a teaspoon of black peppercorns
- Add two bay leaves
- Bring the ingredients to a boil, then take the pot off the heat again
- Fish out any pieces of cartilage which have detached and floated to the surface
- Add one tablespoon of salt
- Put the lid back on the pot, and boil the chicken, vegetables, and spices for about 1 hour
- Take the pot off the heat, but leave the chicken in the broth for about 10 minutes
- Remove the chicken from the pot with a wide, slotted spoon
- Your boiled chicken is done
Notes
- Remember that you can always swap out the vegetables in this recipe for different ones if you prefer different flavours or would like a specific flavour of broth
- Fully cooked chicken should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit on a meat thermometer - if you’re unsure whether or not it’s cooked thoroughly, it’s worthwhile to have a meat thermometer to be sure
- Chicken which has been boiled will shred easily, making it perfect for salads and tacos - but it’s also good for other applications too. For best results, it’s good to have a meal plan in advance before you boil your chicken so that you can flavour it accordingly
- You can make a gravy for the chicken by skimming off the fat and some of the water and putting it into a small saucepan, adding flour to thicken it. You can also add butter for extra flavour. For peppercorn sauce, use the same method, but add peppercorns and cream.