How to Boil a Whole Chicken
User Reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
10 mins
-
Cook Time
1 hr
-
Servings
6 servings
-
Calories
293 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
How to Boil a Whole Chicken
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Learn how to boil a whole chicken, a skill that will make meal prep easy. You can use the shredded or sliced meat to make countless other dishes, from simple sandwiches to soups and salads.
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Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken medium 3-3 ½ lbs/1.3-1 ½ kg, Note 1
- 2 celery sticks or 1 piece of peeled celeriac
- 2 carrots medium
- 1 onion unpeeled
- 5 garlic cloves unpeeled
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt Note 2
- 10 peppercorns Note 3
- 1 small bunch of parsley stalks optional
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Instructions
- Preparations: Remove the giblets from inside the chicken (Note 4). Place the bird in a large pot that has a lid.1 whole chicken
- Prepare vegetables: Roughly chop the celery and the carrots and halve the unpeeled onion. Add them and the unpeeled garlic cloves to the pot.2 celery sticks + 2 carrots + 1 onion + 5 garlic cloves
- Fill pot: Add salt, peppercorns, parsley stalks, and all the spices you want to use. Cover everything with cold water, about 1 inch/ 2.5 cm above the chicken, and place the lid on top.2 teaspoons coarse sea salt + 10 peppercorns + 1 small bunch of parsley stalks + water
- Bring to a boil on medium-high heat but don’t let the water come to a rolling boil.
- Skim the foam over the surface of the broth with a spoon or a skimmer.
- Simmer: Once it starts to boil gently, turn down the heat, remove the lid, and simmer the chicken until cooked but not overcooked. The internal temperature should reach 165°F/74°C (Note 5 - Cooking times). Always check that the chicken is cooked through!
- Remove the chicken from the pot using a slotted spoon and another large spoon or tongs.
- Strain the broth and fill it into jars to use for other recipes.
- Remove the skin and the bones of the bird. Shred or slice the meat and use it as needed.
Notes
- Chicken: If frozen, defrost in the fridge. A medium-sized chicken will need at least 24 hours, probably longer.
- Salt: If using fine salt, start with only ¾ to 1 teaspoon and add more at the end of the cooking process to taste.
- Spices: You can add other spices to improve the flavor. I always add 3-4 bay leaves, 5-6 juniper berries, 5 cloves, and 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds.
- Giblets: You can cook them in the broth as well. The liver will not need very long; remove it from the pot in time. Or even better, fry it in a pan.
- Cooking times:
- Small - under 2.5 lbs (1.2 kg): 35-40 minutes.
- Medium 3-3 ½ lbs (1.3-1 ½ kg): about 45 minutes.
- Medium to large 3 ½ and up to 4 ½ lbs (1 ½ - 2 kg): about 60 minutes.
- Large - more than 4 ½ lbs (2 kg) 65-80 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1g
Calories
293kcal
(15%)
Carbohydrates
5g
(2%)
Protein
24g
(48%)
Fat
19g
(29%)
Saturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
4g
Monounsaturated Fat
8g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
95mg
(32%)
Sodium
892mg
(37%)
Potassium
349mg
(10%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
2g
(4%)
Vitamin A
3596IU
(72%)
Vitamin C
6mg
(7%)
Calcium
31mg
(3%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 293 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1g | |
| Calories | 293kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 5g | 2% |
| Protein | 24g | 48% |
| Fat | 19g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 95mg | 32% |
| Sodium | 892mg | 37% |
| Potassium | 349mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 3596IU | 72% |
| Vitamin C | 6mg | 7% |
| Calcium | 31mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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Overall Rating
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6 reviews
Excellent
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