7.28.2009

How To: Boil Chicken

So I clearly didn't post this for the beautiful picture or how appetizing it looks.  However, I did post "how to boil chicken" because it is the base of a few of my favorite recipes.  When I first started cooking, I steered clear of any dish with chicken unless I could grill it because that is all I knew how to do.  I thought it was ridiculous when ingredient lists would include "1 cup of cooked chicken."  Well, how exactly am I suppose to come up with this "cooked chicken?"  Grill it? Bake it? Boil it?  I knew nothing.  So I decided to share this simple "how to" so that when I soon post some of my favorite recipes that call for "cooked chicken," no one will be left in the dark! Examples of what you can do with these chicken chunks include chicken salad and mexican casseroles.
Again, I apologize for the bland picture, but I thought it was a must to share!

Basic Boiled Chicken
Recipe Notes
When you are boiling the chicken, feel free to add anything to the water that will enhance the flavor.  For example, I always heavily salt the water, but I will also add garlic cloves if I am using the chicken in a mexican dish.  Other ideas are bouillon cubes, onions or herbs.
The time that you cook the chicken will depend heavily on the breast size.  Start to check for doneness after 10 minutes because you don't want to overcook the chicken and have it come out tough.  However, you must make sure there is no pink left in the middle!
Serving size: One boneless, skinless chicken breast will equal approximately 1 cup of diced cooked chicken.
Step by Step
1.  Bring a pot of water to a boil.  You will need enough water to cover the amount of breasts you are cooking.
2.  Add any flavor enhancers to the water, such as salt, garlic cloves or a bouillon cube.
3.  Add boneless skinless chicken breasts to water.
4.  Turn the heat down till the water is simmering.
5.  Cover and allow to simmer for 10 to 30 minutes, depending on breast size.
6. Check that chicken is cooked thoroughly by making sure there is no pink left in the center of the chicken.
7.  Cut chicken into chunks. (Size will depend on what the given recipe calls for)

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