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How Long to Boil Chicken Fillet So It Stays Juicy: 20-30 Minutes
Instructions
Get the ingredients ready. Do not rinse raw chicken under the tap: splashes spread bacteria around the sink and worktop. Just pat it dry with kitchen paper and trim off membranes and fat.
Bring water to the boil: enough to cover the fillet by 2 cm. Add salt, about 1 tsp per litre.
Lower the fillet into the boiling water. When it comes back to the boil, turn the heat down so the surface just trembles, and skim off the foam.
Add the allspice and bay leaf, cover and simmer a whole fillet for 20-30 minutes and pieces for 10-15 minutes. The time depends on thickness, not weight.
Check that it is done: the thickest part should reach 74 °C (165 °F). Without a thermometer, cut it open: the inside should be white and opaque, with no glassy pink centre, and the juices clear.
Take the pan off the heat and leave the fillet in the broth for 10-15 minutes so the surface does not dry out. Then lift it out, and refrigerate the cooled meat and broth within 2 hours of cooking.
Tips
- 1
Gentle heat matters most. A fillet lowered into boiling water gives less flavour to the broth, but boiling water cannot "seal in" the juices: the meat dries out from a hard boil and overcooking.
- 2
Go by thickness: a piece 2-3 cm thick is done in about 20 minutes, 4 cm in 25-30 minutes. A kitchen thermometer is the most reliable check.
- 3
Slice the fillet once it has cooled a little: hot meat loses more juice and crumbles. For salads it is easier to shred it by hand.
- 4
The broth from fillet is light and works for soups and sauces. Times for bone-in breast, multicookers, steamers and microwaves are in how to boil chicken breast, and for a whole chicken and every cut in how long to boil chicken.
Chicken Fillet Boiling Times Chart
| What you boil | Time after the boil |
|---|---|
| Whole fillet 200-300 g, 2-4 cm thick | 20-30 min |
| Pieces 2-3 cm | 10-15 min |
| Strips, small pieces for soup and children | 7-10 min |
| For salads whole, then cool in the broth | 20-30 min |
| For soup in pieces | 10-15 min |
| Frozen whole not thawed | 1.5 times longer, 30-45 min |
| Multicooker "Soup" or "Boil" mode, after the boil | 20-30 min |
| Steamed whole fillet | 25-30 min |
In every case the guide is the same: 74 °C (165 °F) in the thickest part, the minimum safe temperature for chicken recommended by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The Switched-Off Stove Method
This method suits very tender fillet for salads. Lower the fillet into boiling salted water, simmer for 5 minutes after it returns to the boil, then cover, turn off the heat and leave it for 20-25 minutes. The meat finishes cooking in the hot water without boiling. Always check the centre of the thickest piece with a thermometer: if it is below 74 °C (165 °F), put the pan back on the heat for 5 minutes.
For Salads, Soup and Children
- For salads: simmer the fillet whole for 20-30 minutes and leave it in the broth for 10-15 minutes. The meat stays soft and shreds easily.
- For soup: cut the fillet into pieces and simmer for 10-15 minutes, then add potatoes and the other ingredients according to their times.
- For children: cook it the same way, until fully done, without stock cubes. For babies, blend the meat with a little broth.
- From frozen: a whole fillet is better thawed in the fridge overnight. Pieces can go straight in; the time increases by about half.
Why Chicken Fillet Turns Out Dry
- A hard boil: the muscle fibres contract and squeeze out the juice.
- Too long on the heat: past 74 °C (165 °F), every extra 10 minutes dries the meat.
- The meat is sliced while hot, or left uncovered on the counter.
- Thin pieces are cooked as long as a whole fillet.
Video
FAQ
How long do you boil chicken fillet after the water boils? +
A whole fillet 20-30 minutes, 2-3 cm pieces 10-15 minutes, thin strips 7-10 minutes. Check for 74 °C (165 °F) in the centre or clear juices.
How long do you boil chicken fillet pieces? +
2-3 cm pieces take 10-15 minutes after the boil. Cut the largest one open: it should be white and opaque inside.
How long do you boil chicken fillet for salad? +
Whole for 20-30 minutes, then leave it in the broth for 10-15 minutes. Slice or shred it once it has cooled a little.
How long do you boil chicken fillet for a child? +
The same as for adults: a whole fillet 20-30 minutes, pieces 10-15, until 74 °C (165 °F) in the centre. Longer cooking is not needed: safety comes from temperature, not extra time.
How long do you boil frozen chicken fillet? +
A whole fillet from the freezer takes about 1.5 times longer, 30-45 minutes, and heats unevenly. It is better to thaw it in the fridge overnight.
When should you salt chicken fillet? +
Straight away, in the water: salt does not make the fillet tough. About 1 tsp per litre of water.
Should chicken fillet go into boiling water? +
For meat for salads and main dishes, boiling water is handier: less flavour goes into the broth. For broth, start it in cold water. Gentle heat and exact timing matter more for juiciness.
Why is boiled chicken fillet tough? +
Usually it was overcooked or boiled hard. Keep the water at a gentle simmer and take the fillet out as soon as the centre reaches 74 °C (165 °F).
How long does boiled chicken fillet keep? +
In a closed container in the fridge for 2-3 days: the USDA allows up to 4 days, and the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) advises eating it within 2 days. In the freezer for up to 3 months.
How many calories are in boiled chicken fillet? +
About 150 kcal per 100 g: according to the USDA, stewed skinless chicken breast has 151 kcal.
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