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Boiled Chicken pieces on a white platter.
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How To Boil a Chicken

These simple steps on How To Boil a WHole Chicken creates tender shredded chicken pieces and flavorful homemade broth. 
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Boiled Whole Chicken, How To Boil a Whole Chicken
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 245kcal
Author Heather

Ingredients

  • 4 lb whole chicken
  • 2 heads garlic
  • 1 lg brown onion
  • 4-5 quarts water

Instructions

  • Remove giblets from inner cavity of chicken and add to a large stockpot.
  • Cut garlic head in half. Peel and cut onion into 1/4's. Add to stockpot with chicken.
  • Cover chicken with approximately 4 quarts of cool water.
  • Bring to a boil over med/high heat and then lower to a low simmer. Cover and cook for approximately 50-60 mins or until chicken is cooked through.
  • Once done, carefully remove chicken with sturdy tongs and place on a large plate or platter. If using hands to shred chicken, let cool to the touch. Pull chicken from bones and skin. The shredded chicken is now ready to be used for addittional recipes.
  • Strain broth of aromatics and refrigerate broth in a glass container over night to allow fat to rise to the top. The following day, skim fat from broth and discard fat into trash. Broth is now ready to use for addittional recipes and will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Notes

*Please use as many organic ingredients as possible. 
Recipe Notes
  • Giblets are found in the inner cavity of many conventionally purchased whole chickens and contain the chicken's organs. Many chefs will use these to make gravy. However, I discard them.
  • See "Aromatics for Chicken Stock" section above for additional flavors. 
  • Stocks and broths purchased in the grocery store contain a higher level of sodium. Add salt and pepper to taste the strained homemade stock for a similar flavor. 
  • Chicken is cooked through when it starts to easily fall off the bone when lifted out of the stockpot. 
  • Discard the fat skimmed from the broth into trash rather than garbage disposal. Using the garbage disposal can cause a clog in the pipes at a later date. 

Nutrition

Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 101mg | Potassium: 234mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 152IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg