How to Boil Chicken Legs (perfect every time!)
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Knowing how long to boil chicken legs is important for perfectly tender chicken drumsticks that fall-off-the-bone. Whether you are planning to grill them after, shred them, bake them, or just eat them as is, with just a few pantry ingredients this easy chicken recipe can be used for any weeknight meal.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
Affordable: As many know, the bone in, skin on, dark meat is one of the cheapest cuts of meat you can buy. But this cut also brings loads of flavor, and its versatility in meals makes it a great purchase.
Simple: The easy boiling cooking method makes it a great go-to during a busy week.
Make ahead: You can make this recipe ahead of time so you have chicken ready for salads, soups, or snacks all week long.
Versatile: The basic flavor allows this chicken to be used in anything from sandwiches to enchiladas.
If you’ve got a taste for chicken after trying this healthy chicken dish, consider making one of the following recipes; Greek Lemon Chicken Soup, Soy Garlic Chicken and Baked Pesto Chicken
It’s only in the last year that I’ve realized just how useful it is to boil chicken. Boiling chicken creates delectably tender meat that can be used for so many dishes. You can boil chicken drumsticks and then put them on the grill or in the oven to crisp up the skin.
You can also use boiled chicken legs to shred and keep in the refrigerator for a quick after workout snack or for a meal later that evening. The point is, my mum was onto something great when it came to make-ahead chicken, so I am excited to show you how to do it too!
Boiling Chicken Legs (Drumsticks)
Chicken legs are one of the cheapest cuts of chicken you can buy at the store. They tend to be a little on the tough side if you make them by traditional means, but if you know how to make them the right way, these cheap little chicken legs can turn into a fabulous meal.
Boiling may not seem as appealing as say, the air fryer, but boiling is the perfect way to make chicken legs because it creates tender, mildly flavored chicken that can be seasoned to suit any meal.
Why boil chicken legs?
I remember always getting a chicken leg to eat as a child. They were normally good, but sometimes you would get a chewy piece. Have you ever had that experience? Well, with chicken legs and even thighs, the dark meat needs longer to cook than white meat because of the bone inside. Which is why boiling is actually a great way to cook them.
If you just throw a drumstick on the grill or in the oven, many times the outside will be done before the inside, leaving the chicken leg safe to eat, but a bit chewy.
If you boil the chicken legs before you grill or roast them, you will find the outside of the legs to be flavorful and crispy while the meat inside is perfectly tender and ready to fall off the bone.
Can you boil chicken legs from frozen?
Yes, frozen chicken legs can be boiled. You will need to increase the cooking time by about 5-10 minutes. Also, if the chicken legs are frozen into a block, it is a good idea to try to separate the chicken legs from the block. This may require some thawing.
Ways to use boiled chicken legs
The chicken you get from boiling chicken thighs is perfect for soups, sandwiches, salads, enchiladas, pastas, and even just for snacking. Or you can just eat them as is.
How long does it take to boil chicken legs?
Chicken drumsticks cook quickly when boiled because they are fairly small and don’t contain very much meat. However, you want to make sure that the drumsticks are cooked long enough that the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender. The following are some estimated cooking times.
Approximate cooking times:
Small Chicken Leg (6-8 oz) or (200 gram): cook approximately 15-20 minutes.
Medium Chicken Leg (8-10 oz) or (250 gram): cook approximately 20-25 minutes
Large Chicken Legs (10-12 oz) or (300 gram): cook approximately 25-30 minutes
***These are approximate times that may vary due to size, overcrowding, and/or water temperature.
How to know when chicken legs are cooked
Meat falls off the bone: The absolute best way to know if your chicken legs are cooked is if the meat begins to fall off the bone. When this happens, the meat has been cooked long enough. You could also take a leg out and try to pull the meat from the bone with a fork (not a knife). If it pulls easily and doesn’t seem rubbery, it is ready.
Meat thermometer: A meat thermometer will tell you when your chicken legs have reached a safe temperature to eat them, which is 74℃ (165℉). However, with chicken legs, I would suggest continuing to cook them until they reach the point of “falling off the bone”.
Juices run clear: If you don’t have a meat thermometer, the next best way to judge if your chicken legs are still raw is to remove them from the cooking liquid and cut into the leg meat to see if the juices run clear. If there is any presence of pink in the juices, the legs need to be cooked longer. Then, cook them until the meat is falling off the bone easily or the meat pulls away from the bone easily with a fork.
Use any leftover chicken to make these yummy pasta dishes; Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta, Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta and Spicy Chicken Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken legs (drumsticks): Drumsticks are perfect for quick cooking, flavorful meat that the whole family will love.
Vegetables: The best vegetables for this recipe are carrots, celery, and onion. They create the perfect flavor for the broth the chicken drumsticks will create.
Seasoning: Seasoning is essential. For this recipe, I will just be using a bit of salt, pepper, and a bay leaf. However, you can add whatever seasonings you like.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to boil chicken legs
- To a large saucepan, add around 2 liters of just boiled water. Add the Hainanese paste or ginger, garlic cloves, onions and chicken stock cube. Season the water with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a low simmer (Image 1).
- Place the chicken legs/drumsticks into the saucepan and cook for 20-25 minutes (Image 2).
3. After this time, the internal temperature of the chicken leg is 165°C/ 75°C (Image 3).
4. Carefully remove the chicken legs with tongs and place on a plate (Image 4).
Top with garnishes of your choice, I love to use crispy chilli oil, sesame seeds and chopped Thai basil. Add a crack of black pepper and enjoy!
Need inspiration for some other chicken main meal recipes? Try my; Peri Peri Chicken, Soy Garlic Chicken Breast and Chicken Mince Stir Fry Recipe
Tips for the best results
- Make sure the pot you use is large enough for all of the ingredients and for the ingredients to be covered with water.
- Make sure to fill the water above the ingredients by at least 1 inch.
- Check doneness with a meat thermometer.
- Be sure to use the stock created by boiling the meat afterwards, it is delicious.
- Don’t scrimp on the salt. It is what creates the flavor in the chicken and the stock.
- Move the chicken drumsticks around while they are cooking by stirring them and pushing them under the water.
- Let the drumsticks rest when finished cooking so they retain their juiciness.
Serving Suggestions
Shredded chicken is great on top of a salad, in a soup, or over rice. I also love making chicken and dumplings or chicken and noodles with the meat from boiled chicken thighs. And don’t forget that boiling chicken thighs creates a great broth you can use in many of the same recipes as the chicken.
For a more filling meal, try serving these yummy dishes with your chicken; Easy Diced Air Fryer Potatoes, Cheesy Mash and Smashed Broccoli with Parmesan
Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions
Refrigerator: Remove chicken from the bone by shredding it, or store with meat on bone in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer: The best way to freeze boiled chicken is to first remove it from the bone and then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months in a regular freezer and 12 months in a deep freezer.
Reheat: To reheat the chicken, place it in the microwave, on the stove top, in the oven, or in the air fryer until heated through.
Make ahead: To make these chicken drumsticks ahead of time, just follow the recipe and then use the refrigerator or freezer instructions to store the meat.
How to store and use the broth
One of the best parts about boiling chicken is that you inadvertently make your own chicken broth. This broth is healthy and flavorful, so be sure to use it as much as you can. I love it for quick brothy soups but it is also great to use for chicken and dumplings.
Store the broth in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months in a regular upright freezer and 12 months in a deep freezer.
FAQs
You can refer to the section above to determine how long to boil chicken legs before grilling but it will be somewhere between 15-30 minutes depending on the size.
Floating chicken legs is a sign that they are done cooking if you are deep frying the legs. If you are boiling the legs, you will want to use a meat thermometer to determine doneness and then cook them until the meat is tender.
Yes! Add the same ingredients (but cut the water down to a few cups) and then set your slow cooker to low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours.
Yes, you can use chicken breasts, however, the breasts may turn out dry since there is less fat than what is in the legs’ dark meat. Be sure to check the temperature with an internal meat thermometer and make sure the breast temperature doesn’t go over 74℃ (165℉)
If you tried this How to Boil Chicken Legs recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
How To Boil Chicken Legs
Ingredients
- 1 kg chicken legs / drumsticks (£3.00)
- 2 tbsp Hainanese paste OR 100g ginger (£2.50/4)=(£0.63)
- 4 cloves of garlic, smashed (£0.39)
- 2-3 onions, sliced in half (£0.30)
Cupboard Essentials
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 1 tsp salt
Method
- To a large saucepan, add around 2 liters of just boiled water. Add the Hainanese paste or ginger, garlic cloves, onions and chicken stock cube. Season the water with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a low simmer.
- Place the chicken legs/drumsticks into the saucepan and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken leg is 165°C/ 75°C.
- Carefully remove the chicken legs with tongs and place on a plate. Top with garnishes of your choice, I love to use crispy chilli oil, sesame seeds and chopped Thai basil. Add a crack of black pepper and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure the pot you use is large enough for the ingredients to be covered with water and fill the water above the chicken by at least 1 inch.
- Check doneness with a meat thermometer.
- Be sure to use the stock created by boiling the meat, it is delicious.
- Don’t scrimp on the salt. It is what creates the flavour in the chicken and the stock.
- Move the chicken drumsticks around while they are cooking by stirring them and pushing them under the water.
- Let the drumsticks rest when finished cooking so they retain their juiciness.
Nutrition
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