Can You Boil Frozen Chicken? (Easy, Convenient, In Under An Hour)
Forgot to take the chicken out to thaw…Can I boil frozen chicken? We’ve got the answer with step-by-step instructions and recipe ideas.
Chicken is a staple ingredient in many households and can be cooked in various ways to create delicious meals. One method of cooking chicken that is often overlooked is boiling. Boiled chicken is a versatile ingredient that can be used in soups, salads, and many other dishes.
If you’re like me forgetting to take the chicken out of the freezer to thaw is a way of life. So the question is can you boil frozen chicken? YES!!
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Frozen Chicken – You can boil frozen bone-in or boneless chicken breast chicken thighs, or chicken legs. You can also use frozen chicken that is skinless or skin-on. If you use chicken with the skin on the skin will need to be removed once the chicken is boiled as it will have an unpleasant, rubbery, texture.
- Broth – We use low sodium chicken broth for added flavor. You can substitute with water if you prefer or you can do a mix of half water half broth.
- Salt – Kosher salt added to the broth gives the chicken extra flavor.
How to Boil Frozen Chicken
Boiling frozen chicken is a simple process that can be done in a pot on the stove.
- Place the chicken in a pot and cover it with broth.
- Add salt to the broth. Optional: You can add pepper, garlic, onion, celery, carrots, bay leaves, thyme, and parsley to the pot for added flavor.
- Bring the broth to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the chicken simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool before shredding or using it in your recipe.
- Optional: You can let the broth cool and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer as a flavorful base for soups like our Rotisserie Chicken Soup with Tortellini or Slow Cooker Taco Soup.
How Long To Boil Frozen Chicken
The cook time for boiling frozen chicken varies depending on the size and cut of the chicken. Bone-in chicken takes longer to cook than boneless chicken, and chicken thighs take longer to cook than chicken breasts.
As a general rule, it takes about 50% longer to boil frozen chicken than thawed chicken.
Use these times as a guide for boiling frozen chicken:
- Boneless chicken breast or chicken thighs (approximately 6 ounces): 20 – 25 minutes
- Bone-in chicken breast, chicken thighs (approximately 6 ounces): 25 – 30 minutes
- Chicken legs (drumsticks) (approximately 4 ounces): 15 – 20 minutes
To ensure that the chicken is fully cooked, use a digital meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. The chicken should reach 165°F before it is considered safe to eat.
Yes. According to the USDA, it is safe to boil frozen chicken on the stovetop as long as you cook it to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F. You can measure the internal temperature using a good instant-read food thermometer.
You should NOT cook frozen chicken in a slow cooker microwave as it will not reach a high enough temperature to eliminate the risk of bacterial growth and can result in uneven cooking.
As long as you are boiling your frozen chicken on the stove it does not matter if you thaw it or cook it from frozen. Thawing your chicken before boiling will make it cook faster but the end result will be the same tender chicken.
Boiling frozen chicken on the stove is completely safe as long as you cook it to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F. Cooking to this temperature kills any potential bacteria.
Chicken Recipes Made with Boiled Chicken
Boiled chicken is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes. Once the chicken is fully cooked, you can shred or chop it into small pieces to use in salads, soups, and sandwiches.
You can also use the boiled chicken as a protein source in stir-fry dishes or as a topping for pizzas.
Additionally, the broth created from boiling the chicken can be used as a base for soups, stews, and other recipes.
Here are some of our favorite recipes:
- Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe (Oven) or Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
- King Ranch Chicken Casserole
- Air Fryer Taquitos
- Curry Chicken Salad
- Buffalo Chicken Salad
- Avocado Chicken Salad {Keto}
- Chicken Tortilla Casserole
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Chicken Alfredo Zucchini Lasagna {Low Carb}
- Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Roll Ups
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad
- Shredded Chicken Taco Bowl (Low Carb)
- Balsamic Glazed Chicken Pizza
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How to Boil Frozen Chicken
Ingredients
- 24 ounces Frozen chicken – frozen bone-in or boneless chicken breast chicken thighs or chicken legs. , See note 1.
- 64 ounces Chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a pot and cover it with broth.
- Add salt to the broth. Optional: You can add pepper, garlic, onion, celery, carrots, bay leaves, thyme, and parsley to the pot for added flavor.
- Bring the broth to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the chicken simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool before shredding or using it in your recipe. See note 2.
Notes
- If you use chicken with the skin on you’ll want to remove the skin once the chicken is fully cooked as it will have an unpleasant, rubbery, texture.
- You can let the broth cool and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer as a flavorful base for soups like our Rotisserie Chicken Soup with Tortellini or Slow Cooker Taco Soup.
- Nutritional values are calculated based on 24 ounces of frozen chicken breast.
Nutrition
