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How to Boil Chicken Breast in a Pot – Juicy Meat and Delicious Broth
Instructions
Remove the skin from the chicken breast. This makes the meat less fatty and the broth light and clear. Most of the subcutaneous fat collects under the skin – and that is exactly what makes the broth cloudy.
Rinse the breast in cool running water and place it in the pot. Cold water "seals" the surface of the meat – keeping the juices inside.
Pour in water so that it covers the meat by 2–3 cm. Put the pot on high heat, cover with a lid and wait for it to boil. The lid speeds up the process – saving time and gas.
As soon as bubbles appear – reduce the heat to its lowest setting. The water should simmer gently, not boil hard. Skim off the foam with a slotted spoon – it spoils the taste and the appearance of the broth.
Add the spices: bay leaf, black peppercorns and allspice. Cook for 10–15 minutes on low heat. The broth begins to fill with the aroma of the spices.
Add the salt (1 tsp) and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. It is better to salt closer to the end – this keeps the meat soft and juicy (salt "draws out" moisture if added at the start).
Check the breast for doneness. It should be easy to pierce with a fork or knife. The meat inside should be white, with no pink streaks. Ideally, the internal temperature should be at least 74 °C (measured with a kitchen thermometer).
Take the pot off the stove, lift out the meat and transfer it to a plate. The broth can be strained through a sieve and used for soup or frozen in containers.
Tips
- 1
Do NOT allow a vigorous boil – it makes the meat dry. Cook on the very lowest heat, so that the surface barely moves.
- 2
Leave the breast in the broth for 10 minutes after turning off the heat – it will become even softer. The "letting it finish in the warmth" trick works just as it does for many other types of meat.
- 3
If you are cooking several breasts at once – increase the cooking time by 5–7 minutes. The meat should heat through evenly to the centre.
- 4
Salt closer to the end (10 minutes before it is done) – this is the "golden rule" for keeping the meat juicy. I use a similar technique for other kinds of boiled meat.
Video
FAQ
How long should I boil chicken breast? +
About 25–30 minutes on low heat after it comes to a boil, depending on the size of the piece. Small pieces (200–250 g) – 20 minutes, medium ones (400–500 g) – 25–30 minutes, large or frozen ones – 35–40 minutes. Check the doneness with a fork – it should pierce easily, and the meat inside should be white with no pink streaks.
Do I need to remove the skin before boiling? +
It is recommended, especially if you want a light broth and less fatty meat. The skin makes the broth cloudy and adds a lot of fat and calories. If you are cooking for a diet – be sure to remove it. For a rich broth (for example, for aspic) – you can leave it on. The skin can be fried separately afterwards – it makes crispy "chips" to go with beer.
When is it best to salt the breast while boiling? +
At the end – 10 minutes before it is done. This keeps the meat juicy. If you salt at the start, the salt will "draw" moisture out of the meat and the breast will turn out dry. If you are cooking for a diet and do not need salt – you can leave it unsalted and add it to the sliced cooked meat instead. For salads it is better not to add salt at all – there will be salt in the dressing.
Can I use boiled breast for salads? +
Yes, it is the ideal option: the breast comes out tender, slices easily and absorbs sauces well. Let the meat cool completely before slicing (10–15 minutes after boiling) – otherwise it will "crumble". For "Caesar" cut it into large cubes, for "Olivier" – into small ones. The broth can be frozen and used for soup. Store the sliced breast in the fridge for no more than 2 days.
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