This is part of a series of cooking basics, aimed to teach both new and experienced home cooks the tips and tricks that I’ve learned to make simple, basic meals, dishes, and recipe ingredients. Things like How to Cook Quinoa and How to Blanch Green beans can be so helpful if you’re unsure of how to do them. Boiling Chicken Breasts is fairly simple, but knowing how to do it right will ensure that you get the tastiest, juiciest shredded white meat chicken for all of your recipes, for meal prep, or whatever else you might want to do with boiled chicken.
Why You’ll Love This Boiled Chicken
Ingredients for Easy Boiled Chicken Breast
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Chicken: We’re boiling about 24 ounces of chicken to make 3 cups of shredded chicken, which is exactly or just a bit more than you’ll need for most recipes. Water: Just enough water to cover the chicken in your pot.Salt and Pepper: Unseasoned chicken is just not that good. Add seasoning from the start!Celery, Onion, Garlic, Bayleaf, Peppercorns, and Parsley: These optional flavor ingredients are not necessary to make good boiled chicken, but they do add a lot of flavor. Plus when you add them, the remaining liquid becomes a delicious broth for soups.
How to Boil Chicken Breast
Boiled Chicken Tips
Trim the Fat: You don’t need any extra fat on your boiled chicken, it will just be difficult to remove after cooking. It’s easier to trim the breasts before you boil them instead. Add Flavor: The aromatic vegetables and herbs are listed here as optional, because the recipe will work without them, but I recommend you add them if you have them. They really make the chicken taste so much better. If you have some of the ingredients but not all of them, that’s ok. Add what you have. Use a Meat Thermometer: It’s easy to see if your chicken breasts are done using a digital meat thermometer. Make sure you cook the chicken until the thickest part reaches 165°F/74°C. I hope this “how to” boil chicken recipe was super helpful to you! I know that this is a staple in my kitchen, and now it can be in yours too. Soups: Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo or Chicken Noodle Soup can both be made with shredded chicken. Toss some into any soup that calls for chicken or can use some extra protein. Sandwiches and Salads: Add shredded boiled chicken to a Caesar Salad, or any cold salad that you like. This chicken is also great made into sandwiches, quesadillas, or wraps. © Little Sunny Kitchen
