The easiest way to cook chicken for a fast weeknight dinner is to boil it in water. The chicken will cook slowly and retain a lot more moisture. This chicken recipe below is the route to take if you want juicy, delicate chicken without needing a lot of prep! Keep reading to learn how to cook chicken in water on the stove.
Prep the Chicken
Fill a pot with 1½ inches of cold water to defrost the chicken first if needed. Never take the chicken out of the freezer and instantly put it into the boiling water. This will affect the taste of your chicken and not in a good way.
Flavor Your Chicken
Minced garlic, sea salt, and pepper to taste are great ways to flavor your boiled chicken. One teaspoon of sea salt and pepper and two tablespoons of minced garlic are enough to flavor five chicken breasts.
How to Cook Chicken in Water on Stove
Ingredients
- 3-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Water for boiling
- Spices of your choice (sea salt, black pepper, and minced garlic are all great choices)
- Optional: vegetables of your choice
Instructions
- Put the chicken in a large saucepan with water and add the spices, seasonings, and veggies to taste.
- Cover your pan.
- Over medium-high heat, bring the chicken to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking once the water starts to boil.
- Depending on their size, five chicken breasts take around 30-35 minutes, and three chicken breasts take about 10-15 minutes to cook.
- Allow the chicken to cook thoroughly but don’t overcook, and always use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature.
Ingredients
Method
- Put the chicken in a large saucepan with water and add the spices, seasonings, and veggies to taste.
- Cover your pan.
- Over medium-high heat, bring the chicken to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking once the water starts to boil.
- Depending on their size, five chicken breasts take around 30-35 minutes, and three chicken breasts take about 10-15 minutes to cook.
- Allow the chicken to cook thoroughly but don’t overcook, and always use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature.
Benefits of Eating Boiled Chicken
- Boiling, like grilling, does not need much fat or butter compared to other cooking techniques.
- Chicken is already a lean protein; boiling it reduces its fat content further. It is also included in a balanced diet since it is essentially lean meat.
- Chicken is high in calcium and phosphorus as well. Both minerals are beneficial to bone health. Incorporating boiled chicken into your diet lowers your chances of developing arthritis.
- Regularly eating boiled chicken can help you lose weight and keep it off.
FAQs
How to tell when boiled chicken is done
You can tell that your boiled chicken is done by using a meat thermometer to gauge the chicken’s internal temperature, which should be around 165°F (74°C).
Another way is to slice open a portion of the chicken. If there is no pink in the chicken, it is safe to eat.
How to shred boiled chicken
After boiling the chicken, make sure it is cooled before you start shredding. Transfer the chicken from the pot/pan to a cutting board and separate the chicken with either your hands or fork until you achieve tiny shreds of meat.
How many calories in boiled chicken?
Boiled chicken is undoubtedly among the healthiest proteins you can consume. But how many calories are there in a serving size? The answer depends on certain things, like whether the chicken has skin or not. A 3.5-ounce boiled boneless and skinless breast contains roughly 165 calories, while its equally sized chicken thigh counterpart has around 209 calories per serving. To ensure that you get an accurate calorie count, always check the calorie count on the label.