Whether you're looking for a faster dinner option or looking for a way to get tasty shredded chicken and broth for future meals, this boiled chicken legs recipe is perfect.
Recipe: $5.97 | Per Serving: $0.75 | Servings: 8
I'm all about that meal prep life during the summer. Anything that I can do now to save me the hassle later is always worth it in my book. So boiling chicken legs for soup, casseroles, and other meals is at the top of my list.
Once or twice a week, I make a large batch of cooked chicken and then divide it up into meals. With chicken legs being such a cheap cut of meat, I boil chicken drumsticks for an affordable and fast option.
For more chicken leg recipes, be sure to check out my Chicken Leg Sheet Pan Dinner and Stuffed Chicken Legs.
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🍯 Why This Recipe Works
- You can make a meal from them. Want a meal instead of prepping shredded meats for later? Add some seasoning or broil the chicken with sauce in the oven (after they're boiled) for a fast dinner solution. Shredded chicken is great for meals like Cheesy Salsa Chicken and Rice and Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti.
- You make your own broth. One of the best things about this recipe is that you're creating your own chicken broth while you cook the legs, so you get meat and broth for the price of one! Perfect for homemade soups like Creamy Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup or meat pies like Ground Beef Pot Pie.
- Minimal effort. Add the chicken to a pot and let it cook. There's hardly any effort needed and the clean up is pretty simple too. This is about as simple as making Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks, but without a large appliance on the counter.
🥘 Ingredients
Ingredient Notes:
Chicken drumsticks- You will need some raw chicken drumsticks for this recipe. Frozen is okay, but it will take a little longer to cook.
For specific ingredients and measurements, please see the recipe card below.
📖 Variations
Want to boil chicken leg quarters instead? Here's how to do it:
- Boiling Process: Prepare the pot of water and add in your chicken quarters. Fresh quarters will take about 20-25 minutes to cook, whereas frozen ones may take 25-35 minutes.
- Finishing Touch: Then pop them in the oven or air fryer (like our Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters) until the skin is golden in color.
🔪 Instructions for How to Boil Chicken Legs
Step 1: Add your chicken to a large pot of water. The water should be high enough to cover at least 1 inch over the chicken. Set over medium-high heat.
Step 2: Bring to a boil and cook for about 25 minutes or until the meat is tender and the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. Skim and discard the foam off the top of the pot with a large spoon, as needed.
Step 3: Remove the chicken from the broth. Save the broth for future meals or discard it.
Step 4: Allow the chicken to cool and shred the meat from the bones for meal prep, or if you wish to eat them, lay them on a foil lined baking sheet and add seasonings or BBQ sauce as desired. Broil on high in the oven for 3-4 minutes, flip over and continue cooking until the skin is crispy.
Serve warm, or store leftovers in the fridge.
🍴 Recipe Tips
- Cooking times. The cooking duration for your chicken varies based on the size of the drumsticks and whether they are fresh or frozen. Colder meat requires more time to heat and cook thoroughly. Fresh drumsticks may take 20-25 minutes to boil, while frozen ones may require 25-30 minutes.
- Chicken Safty Warning. You'll know your chicken is cooked through when an instant-read food thermometer is inserted into the meat registers at 165°F. While the meat and juices may retain a slight pink color, they should not appear raw.
👩🏻🍳 Storage
Refrigerator Storage: You can keep your cooked chicken stored in the fridge for 3-5 days in an airtight container.
Freezer Storage: Alternatively, store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
💭 Recipe FAQs
You should boil your chicken for about 20-25 minutes or until they reach 165 degrees F internally on an instant read thermometer.
You will know that your chicken has finished boiling when you can pierce or slice into it and see clear (or almost clear) juices running from it. The internal temperature will reach 165 degrees F.
Yes! You can boil frozen chicken drumsticks if you don't have fresh. They'll take a little longer to cook but as long as they reach the proper internal temperature then they will be completely safe to consume.
❤️ More Delicious Chicken Recipes
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📖 Recipe
How to Boil Chicken Legs
Equipment
Instructions
- Add your chicken to a large pot of water. The water should be high enough to cover at least 1 inch over the chicken. Set over medium-high heat.
- Bring to a boil and cook for about 25 minutes or until the meat is tender and the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. Skim and discard the foam off the top of the pot with a large spoon, as needed.
- Remove the chicken from the broth. Save the broth for future meals or discard it.
- Allow the chicken to cool and shred the meat from the bones for meal prep, or if you wish to eat them, lay them on a foil lined baking sheet and add seasonings or BBQ sauce as desired. Broil on high in the oven for 3-4 minutes, flip over and continue cooking until the skin is crispy.
- Serve warm, or store leftovers in the fridge.
Notes
- Boiled chicken quarters: Fresh quarters take about 20-25 minutes to cook, while frozen ones may take 25-35 minutes.
- Cooking time varies with drumstick size and whether they're fresh or frozen. Fresh drumsticks take 20-25 minutes, while frozen ones may take 25-30 minutes.
- Ensure chicken is fully cooked when you can pierce it and see clear juices running or when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Store cooked chicken in the fridge for 3-5 days in an airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months.
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