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boiled whole chicken on a white plate.

Boiled Whole Chicken (How To Boil Whole Chicken)

Kemi
This boiled whole chicken recipe will show you how to boil whole chicken that is tender, juicy, flavorful, and delicious. This recipe is easy, straightforward, and quick taking less than 60 minutes to cook. It can then be shredded, fried whole, roasted, or baked after boiling.
4.67 from 3 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, British
Servings 6
Calories 285 kcal

Equipment

  • Pot

Ingredients
  

  • 1 small Whole chicken
  • 1 medium Onion
  • ½ tablespoon Thyme
  • 1 tablespoon Curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon Black pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • 1-2 Bay leaves optional

Instructions
 

  • Remove any giblets inside the chicken.
    Put the whole chicken in a pot. Add thyme, curry powder, black pepper, onions, bay leaves, and salt.
  • Add water into the pot to be on the same level as the chicken or an inch above the chicken.
  • Cover the pot and leave the chicken to boil on medium then low heat for 45-55 minutes or until well cooked.
  • When it is cooked, take the chicken out of the broth.
    Leave it to rest for 10 minutes before serving it or you can go ahead and bake, broil or grill the chicken if you desire.

Notes

  • Check the chicken for doneness after the cooking time and if it needs additional time, add and check it at 3 minutes intervals.
  • Ensure you cook the chicken thoroughly to prevent food poisoning. Use an instant-read thermometer to check if the chicken is cooked through and safe to eat. The internal temperature at the thickest part should be at least 165F/75C for it to be safe to eat. 
  • Leave the chicken to rest for 10-15 minutes after boiling before cutting into it.
  • Season the water properly and it should taste slightly salty so the chicken does not taste bland.
  • It's ok to add vegetables like celery and carrot.
To boil whole chicken that is 1.2 - 1.5kg, it will take 45 minutes. If you will be shredding the chicken, you can add additional 5 minutes so it's very tender and quick to shred.
Whole chicken between 1.6kg-2kg - It takes between 45-60 minutes.
How long to boil a 2kg - 2.5kg chicken is between 60- 90 minutes.
If you are going to fry or bake the chicken afterward, you can take few minutes of this cooking time as long as the chicken is well cooked.
Check with an instant thermometer to ensure the internal temperature is at least 75C/165F as that is when it is safe to eat.

Nutrition

Calories: 285kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 24gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 90mgPotassium: 290mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 219IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 2mg
Keyword boiled whole chicken, boiled whole chicken recipe, how long to boil whole chicken, how to boil whole chicken
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