How to Boil Whole Chicken
This easy boiled whole chicken recipe gives you tender, juicy meat and a bonus flavorful homemade broth. It's perfect for meal prep, requires almost no prep work, and makes the best shredded chicken for soups, salads, and quick dinners.
Equipment
- 1 large stock pot
- 1 kitchen instant thermometer
- 1 set of measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 8-10 cups water (for the first boil, when water will be discarded)
- 8-10 cups filtered or tap water or as needed
- 2 carrots, washed and peeled
- 1 small parsnip, washed and peeled
- 2 celery ribs, washed and trimmed
- 1 small yellow onion, peeled
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 tablespoons salt, to taste
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 8 whole black peppercorns
Instructions
- Add a whole chicken to the pot. Add enough of tap water to cover the chicken. Bring to rolling boil and let it boil for 2-3 minutes. Take it off the heat. Carefully, take out the chicken and set it aside. Dump the water and rinse the pot. Rinse the chicken briefly in cold water as well.
- Add the chicken back to the pot. Then, add whole peeled veggies, salt, bay leaves and whole peppercorns. Add clean water. You may need more or less of water, as much as it needs to cover the chicken.
- Cover with a lid and bring everything to a boil. Turn the heat on the lowest setting and let it gently simmer for about one hour or until the chicken is fully cooked. You can partially cover the pot if needed to the chicken simmers, not boils.
- Remove the chicken and let it cool down. Now, you can serve it or shred it to use later in other recipes. Use a mesh strainer to strain the broth. Taste the broth and add more salt if needed. Transfer the broth to the jar or a container and store it in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. The chicken can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
- I like to discard the initial boil water, so the broth comes out clear. If you skip the step, you will need to skim the fat and any foam during the cooking process.
- If the chicken and broth continue to boil vigorously even on the lowest stove setting, slightly open the lid to reduce the intensity of the boil. It should be simmering very gently.
- you can freeze shredded chicken and the broth separately in portions for up to 3 month.
Nutrition
Serving: 4ozCalories: 240kcalProtein: 21gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 130mgSodium: 230mg
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