Boiling Fryer Chicken: How Long Should You Wait?

Boiling chicken before frying is a common practice in some cultures, especially in Asian cooking. While it may seem like a good idea to parboil chicken to speed up the frying process or ensure it is cooked through, it can compromise the flavour and texture of the dish. Boiling chicken can make it slippery, causing the breading to fall off. It can also wash away the flavour of marinades and seasonings. However, boiling chicken can be a safe way to ensure the chicken is fully cooked, reducing the reliance on the frying process to achieve this.

Boiling chicken before frying: good or bad idea?

Frying chicken is a fun and tasty way to cook this versatile meat. But what's the best way to do it? Should you boil the chicken first? In this article, we'll explore the pros and cons of boiling chicken before frying it and provide some tips on how to get the best results.

The Pros of Boiling Chicken Before Frying

One advantage of boiling chicken before frying is that it can speed up the cooking process. If you're in a hurry or just impatient, boiling the chicken first can reduce the time it needs to spend in the frying pan. This is because the chicken is already cooked through, so you only need to fry it long enough to get a crispy, golden crust. Boiling chicken before frying can also be a good option if you're worried about undercooking it. By boiling it first, you can ensure that the chicken is fully cooked and safe to eat.

The Cons of Boiling Chicken Before Frying

However, there are some downsides to boiling chicken before frying. One of the most significant drawbacks is that it can compromise the flavour and texture of the final dish. Boiling chicken can make it slippery, which means that any breading or coating you try to apply afterwards may not stick properly. It can also rinse away any marinades or seasonings you've added, resulting in a less tasty final product. Finally, boiling chicken can dry it out, especially if it's boiled for too long, leading to a less juicy and tender dish.

Best Practices for Boiling Chicken Before Frying

If you do decide to boil your chicken before frying, there are a few things you can do to minimise the negative effects:

• Don't overboil: Keep boiling time to a minimum to avoid drying out the meat.
• Use a flavourful liquid: Boil the chicken in a broth, milk, or another liquid with added herbs and spices to infuse flavour into the meat.
• Pat the chicken dry: Before frying, make sure to pat the boiled chicken dry with paper towels. This will help the breading stick better and reduce the risk of splattering oil.
• Season the breading: Add extra herbs, spices, and seasonings to your breading mixture to enhance the flavour of the chicken.

Alternative Methods for Pre-Cooking Chicken

If you're concerned about undercooking your chicken but don't want to boil it, there are a few other options you can consider:

• Baking: Marinate the chicken, then bake it in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 30-40 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). This method helps retain moisture and flavour.
• Poaching: Poaching the chicken in a simmering liquid is a gentler way to pre-cook it, helping to retain moisture and flavour.
• Sous vide: This method involves vacuum-sealing the chicken and cooking it in a water bath at a precise temperature, ensuring even cooking without overdoing the exterior.

While boiling chicken before frying can be a timesaver and ensure it's fully cooked, it may compromise the flavour and texture of your final dish. If you do choose to boil your chicken first, take steps to mitigate the negative effects, such as reducing boiling time and boosting flavour with herbs and spices. Alternatively, consider using other pre-cooking methods like baking, poaching, or sous vide for more flavourful and juicy results.

Boiling time depends on the cut of chicken

It's important to note that when people refer to "boiling" chicken, they usually mean poaching it, which involves simmering the chicken in a small amount of liquid. Boiling chicken for the entire cooking time can result in tough and dry meat. Instead, you should bring the liquid to a boil initially and then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer for the remainder of the cooking time.

Additionally, the boiling time can vary depending on the method of preparation. For example, if you're parboiling chicken before frying, the boiling time may be shorter, as the chicken will continue to cook during the frying process.

When boiling chicken, it's crucial to use a meat thermometer to ensure that the chicken is cooked to the recommended internal temperature of 165°F. This will help ensure that your chicken is cooked safely and thoroughly.

How to boil chicken

Boiling chicken is a great way to prepare tender, juicy, and shreddable chicken that can be used in a variety of dishes. While boiling chicken is a simple process, there are some tricks to ensure perfect results every time. This guide will take you through the steps to boil chicken, offering tips and suggestions to ensure delicious and versatile boiled chicken.

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken and Liquid

Place the chicken in a large pot. You can use any cut of chicken, including a whole chicken, but chicken breasts tend to benefit the most from this cooking method. When choosing a pot, ensure it is large enough to accommodate the chicken and the liquid. Cover the chicken with broth or water, adding about an inch of liquid above the chicken. You can use low-sodium chicken broth or water, but broth will add more flavour to your chicken.

Step 2: Season the Chicken

Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper. This step is crucial, as it helps to season the meat inside and out, similar to a brine. If using low-sodium broth, add additional salt so that the cooking liquid is highly seasoned. A good rule of thumb is to add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt for every quart of water. You can also add other seasonings and aromatics to the pot, such as onion, celery, carrot, ginger, scallions, garlic, bay leaves, or herbs like rosemary or thyme.

Step 3: Bring the Liquid to a Boil

Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the liquid to a boil. This step is important, as it helps to cook the chicken uniformly, preventing the outside from overcooking while the inside remains undercooked. However, you don't want to boil the chicken for the entire cooking time, as this will result in tough and dry meat.

Step 4: Reduce Heat and Simmer

Once the liquid comes to a boil, immediately reduce the heat to medium and cover the pot. You want the liquid to simmer rather than boil. This ensures the chicken cooks gently and retains moisture. Lift the lid occasionally to check that the liquid is simmering, and adjust the heat as needed.

Step 5: Check Doneness

Cook the chicken until it is done, using an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature. The chicken is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part of the meat. Depending on the size and cut of the chicken, this process can take anywhere from 8 minutes for thin chicken breast cutlets to 20 minutes for large bone-in chicken breasts.

Step 6: Rest and Shred

Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the broth and let it rest on a cutting board for at least 10 minutes. This resting period ensures that the juices stay inside the chicken. After resting, use two forks to shred the meat into large pieces, or use your hands if you want smaller pieces.

Tips and Suggestions

• Start with cold or room-temperature liquid: Adding the chicken to cold or room-temperature liquid and heating it up together ensures even cooking.
• Don't boil the chicken for too long: Boiling the chicken for the entire cooking time can result in dry and rubbery meat. Reduce the heat and simmer for most of the cooking process.
• Use a meat thermometer: This is the best way to ensure your chicken is cooked to the safe internal temperature without overcooking it.
• Use the leftover broth: The leftover broth from boiling the chicken can be used as a tasty chicken broth for other recipes or sipped on its own.

Boiling Chicken Before Frying

While boiling chicken before frying is not necessary and may compromise the flavour, some people do it to ensure the chicken is fully cooked. If you choose to boil your chicken before frying, make sure to dry the chicken thoroughly before frying to avoid any safety hazards when the water comes into contact with hot oil.

Boiling chicken: water or broth?

The benefits of using water

If you want the other flavours in your chicken recipe to shine, using water is a good option. It provides a blank canvas for your dish.

The benefits of using broth

Broth is a simple way to infuse the chicken with flavour. It seasons the meat inside and out, like a brine. It's an easy way to ensure your chicken is juicy and tender.

What to consider when choosing your liquid

If you want to use the cooking liquid as a tasty broth for another recipe, you may want to use water and add flavour through other ingredients. If you're keeping the cooking liquid for broth or stock, you could use broth as your base liquid and add extra ingredients for flavour.

Tips for boiling chicken

• If you're using broth, start with cold or room-temperature liquid to ensure even cooking.
• Don't add the chicken to boiling liquid. Start the chicken in cold broth or water and heat them together.
• Season well with salt and pepper.
• Don't boil the chicken, this will make the meat rubbery. Reduce the heat and cook at a gentle simmer.
• Check the internal temperature of the chicken is 165°F.
• Let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes before shredding or slicing.

How long to boil a fryer chicken

This will depend on the size of the chicken and whether it has bones.

A large, bone-in fryer chicken will take around 20 minutes to boil.

Alternative methods

Some people choose to parboil their chicken, discarding the initial grey-ish water and starting again with fresh water. This is a common technique in making Cantonese soups and results in a relatively clear and light broth.

You can also bake or fry your chicken.

Is boiling chicken the same as poaching it?

Boiling and poaching chicken are similar but distinct cooking methods. Both methods involve cooking the chicken in a liquid, usually water, but they differ in the temperature of the liquid and the cooking time.

Poaching involves cooking the chicken at a lower temperature than boiling, typically between 160 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. The poaching liquid is heated until it reaches this temperature range, and then the heat is reduced to maintain this temperature. The chicken is then cooked gently, resulting in a moist and tender texture. Poaching is suitable for delicate foods such as fish, eggs, and chicken.

On the other hand, boiling involves bringing the liquid to a higher temperature, typically 212 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the boiling point of water. Boiling is characterized by continuous bubbles and steam, while poaching has no bubbles as the temperature is kept below the boiling point. Boiling can be a good way to overcook chicken, resulting in dry and rubbery meat.

When it comes to boiling a fryer chicken, it is not recommended to boil the chicken before frying as it can compromise the flavor and texture of the final dish. Frying chicken at a low temperature until the coating is golden brown is a classic and effective method. However, boiling chicken before frying can be a way to ensure that the chicken is fully cooked in advance, reducing the reliance on the frying process to cook the meat thoroughly.

In summary, while boiling and poaching chicken may seem similar, poaching is a gentler method that results in moister and more tender meat. Boiling can be used for foods that are not as delicate, but it may not be the best choice for chicken as it can easily overcook and dry out the meat.

Frequently asked questions