It may sound boring to boil chicken, but the beauty of it lies in how simple it is: simmering (or boiling) chicken makes it perfectly tender, and you can use it in a lot of different weeknight dinners. My foolproof guide for boiling chicken will be the saving grace of meal-preppers everywhere: It makes it easy to get tender, juicy, shreddable chicken. While boiling chicken is practically as simple as bringing a pot of water to a boil, there are tricks to it. Keep reading below to discover my top tips for boiling chicken perfectly, every time.
What People Are Saying: “Glad I found this recipe…. I always overcooked my chicken breasts and they came out rubbery. Not with this recipe. perfect!” – mag3355.
“I am 34 years old and I’ve been boiling chicken wrong my whole life apparently. This is the best method I’ve ever used. Chicken comes out tender, flavorful and delicious in every way. I highly recommend!” – Whittles2020.
Chicken thigh soup is the ultimate comfort food. The rich, savory broth with tender bites of chicken is nourishing for the body and soothing for the soul. While it may seem intimidating to make homemade chicken soup from scratch, boiling chicken thighs is actually quite simple with the proper technique. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through the entire process of crafting a pot of homemade chicken thigh soup, from start to finish.
Choosing the Chicken Thighs
Opting for bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs is key for maximum flavor. The bones impart a richness to the broth that you just can’t achieve with boneless thighs Don’t be afraid of the skin either It helps keep the meat moist and adds subtle richness.
When you buy chicken thighs, try to find pieces that are all the same size. This allows them to cook at a uniform rate. If you can, choose fresh chicken thighs for the best taste and texture. But frozen thighs can be used in a pinch if they are left in the fridge overnight to thaw properly.
Prepping the Chicken Thighs
Rinse the chicken thighs under cold water to get rid of any dirt or dust. Use paper towels to pat them completely dry. This prevents splattering when simmering.
Trim off any large chunks of excess fat, but leave the skin intact. The skin provides flavor. Roughly chop two carrots, two celery stalks, one onion, and a few cloves of garlic. Set aside.
Seasoning the Broth
Put the chicken thighs in a big pot and add enough cold water to cover them by 1 to 2 inches. Add 2-3 teaspoons of kosher salt per pound of chicken to the water. You can’t add too much salt to the broth because the chicken will soak it up.
For extra flavor, add any aromatics you like such as peppercorns bay leaves parsley stems, thyme sprigs, a halved lemon, etc. The options are endless. Let your imagination run wild!
Simmering the Thighs
Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer over medium heat. As scum rises, use a spoon to skim it off occasionally. This removes impurities for a cleaner broth.
Once simmering, reduce heat to low. Partially cover the pot, with the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape. Simmer for 45-60 minutes, until chicken is fork-tender and reaches 165°F internally.
Finishing Touches
Remove the chicken thighs from the pot and set aside. Pour the broth through a fine mesh strainer. Discard solids. Return broth to pot and add the chopped vegetables. Simmer until tender, 15-20 minutes.
While veggies cook, shred chicken thighs, discarding skin and bones. Add shredded chicken back to pot. Season to taste with salt, pepper and fresh herbs. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten flavors.
That’s all it takes for soul-warming homemade chicken thigh soup. The secret is low and slow simmering to extract maximum flavor from the ingredients. Now that you’re armed with this easy technique, you can experiment with additions like rice, noodles, or other vegetables. Get creative and make this classic soup your own!
Helpful Tips for Perfect Chicken Thigh Soup
Follow these tips for best results when boiling chicken thighs for homemade soup:
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Choose bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for richest flavor in the broth. Skin also prevents meat from drying out.
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Generously season poaching liquid with salt – around 2-3 tsp per pound of chicken. You can’t oversalt the broth.
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Add aromatics like bay leaves, peppercorns, carrots, onions, garlic, and fresh herbs for depth of flavor.
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Gently simmer chicken for 45-60 minutes until fork-tender and 165°F internally. Avoid boiling vigorously.
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Use a fine mesh strainer to remove solids from broth after poaching chicken. This yields a clean, non-cloudy broth.
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Shred poached chicken thighs by hand into bite-sized pieces and return to broth along with vegetables toward end of cooking.
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Finish soup with fresh herbs, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to heighten and balance flavors.
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For a thicker soup, whisk in a bit of cornstarch slurry after straining. Simmer briefly until desired consistency is reached.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between boiling and simmering?
Boiling is when liquid is rapidly bubbling. Simmering is gentler, with small bubbles periodically breaking the surface. Simmering chicken keeps it tender.
How long should I simmer chicken thighs?
For bone-in thighs, simmer 45-60 minutes until 165°F internally and tender. Boneless takes less time, around 15-20 minutes.
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
You can, but breasts tend to dry out. Thighs hold up better to prolonged simmering and contribute more flavor.
Should I salt the poaching liquid?
Yes! Generously season the water, around 2-3 tsp salt per pound of chicken. You can’t oversalt the broth as chicken absorbs a lot.
Do thighs need to be browned first?
Browning is optional. It adds fond for flavor, but simmering alone infuses broth well. Browning after simmering also works.
Can I make the soup ahead of time?
Absolutely. Allow soup to cool completely before refrigerating for up to 4 days or freezing for up to 3 months.
The Takeaway
Homemade chicken thigh soup is simple to make when you follow a few basic steps. The keys are choosing flavorful ingredients like skin-on bone-in thighs, properly seasoning the poaching liquid, keeping the heat low, and simmering just until the chicken is cooked through and tender. With this easy technique, you can start with humble ingredients and transform them into an incredible, soul-warming soup. Experiment with different seasoning blends and vegetable additions to make this classic recipe uniquely your own.
How To Boil Chicken
- Chicken: This method can be used to cook any part of a chicken, even a whole chicken. However, I think chicken breasts work best. If you don’t like tough, dry meat in chicken breasts, boiling (actually, simmering) them will keep them moist and juicy.
- Broth: One easy way to add flavor to chicken is to boil it in broth instead of water. While you’re at it, feel free to add some scents to the pot. If you use onion, celery, carrot, or ginger and scallions together, you can’t go wrong.
- Adding salt to chicken while it’s boiling or simmering is helpful because it season the meat all over, like a brine. But for this to happen, you need to sprinkle a lot of salt on food. Starting with low-sodium chicken broth will only get you so far; you’ll need to add more salt to make the cooking liquid very flavorful. Instead of broth, use water. For every quart of water, add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt.
Place the chicken in a large pot and pour broth (or water) over to cover. Season generously with salt and pepper. Starting the chicken in cold or room temperature liquid is crucial to even cooking.
Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat (we dont want to actually boil the chicken!), cover the pot, and simmer until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breasts registers 165°, about 10 minutes. Uncover the pot periodically to make sure the liquid is merely simmering; adjust the heat as needed.
Move the chicken to a cutting board with tongs and let it rest for at least 10 minutes. This will keep the juices inside the chicken and keep them from running out onto the cutting board when you start shredding it. Once the chicken is well rested, use 2 forks to shred the meat into large pieces or use your hands if smaller pieces what youre after.
Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.
- Start with a tasty liquid. You could boil the chicken in water, but that seems a bit dull, doesn’t it? Boiling the chicken in chicken broth is a surefire way to make it taste better right away.
- Start it off cold: Don’t put the chicken right into boiling water. Instead, put the chicken in cold water or broth and heat both at the same time. This way of cooking the chicken makes it cook more evenly, so the outside doesn’t get too brown while the inside stays raw.
- Season it well. Put the chicken breasts in a large pot with a lid that fits tightly, and add enough water to cover them. Season your liquid well with salt and pepper—this is crucial. Its really no different than boiling a pot of pasta. You can also add carrots, onions, or fresh herbs if you have them. It will taste great no matter what you put in the pot, so add as much as you like.
- Cook it slowly. Even though it’s called “boiling chicken,” you don’t want to do that because you’ll end up with rubber chicken. Instead, turn down the heat right away after the liquid starts to boil and cook the chicken at a simmer. Lift the lid every so often to make sure the liquid is simmering, and if it’s not, adjust the heat.
If you don’t use all of your chicken right away, let it cool before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- 4 (6- to 8-oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Step 1: Put the chicken in a big pot over medium-high heat. Cover the chicken with broth and sprinkle it with a lot of salt and pepper. Step 2: Bring to a boil, then cover and slowly lower the heat. Let it cook on low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast should read 165°). Step 3: Put the chicken on a cutting board and set it aside for 10 minutes. Shred chicken with 2 forks.
