How Long Does It Take To Boil Chicken Legs?

There are some concrete ways to boil chicken legs that we need to know about. There is a perfectly juicy way to cook chicken legs which are enjoyed and loved by all. It makes the chicken legs very delicious and quite convincing to eat. 

Boiled chicken legs are the healthiest chicken meal one can binge upon. It is a great way to cook the chicken to be more flavorful. 

You have to boil the chicken legs for 30 minutes and the chicken drumsticks for 20 minutes. If you have to boil chicken legs before frying, you must boil them for 15 minutes.

The above are the general timelines and rules, but they are tentative and susceptible to change according to the type of chicken or how you boil it. In this article, we will see how long it takes to boil chicken legs and other aspects related to the topic.

Why Should You Boil Chicken Legs?

1. Boiling chicken legs is a quick and easy way of cooking chicken
2. It helps to keep the chicken leg moist and fresh for a long time.
3. This method also allows you to infuse many flavors and tastes into the chicken.
4. Boiling helps to keep the chicken sealed with the flavor and juices that come with cooking chicken
5. Boiling the chicken legs is easier and straightforward with lesser ingredients.

How Long Does It Take To Boil Chicken Legs?

The thumb rule about boiling chicken legs is that it would take 30 minutes. It will take 40 minutes if they are large, and if it is a small piece of chicken legs, it will take 20 minutes.

1. Boiling Chicken Quarters

Place chicken quarters in the pot and fully immerse them in the water, so the chicken is completely immersed. Boil it in medium heat for about 30 minutes and simmer it in the middle until it is completely cooked.

2. Boiling Chicken Drumsticks

Place the chicken drumsticks in the pot full of water by sprinkling some salt. Boil it in medium heat for 20 minutes and simmer it in the middle until the chicken drumsticks are cooked fully.

3. Boiling Chicken Legs Before Frying

Boiling the chicken before frying is a good idea to get a crispier piece. The boiling is actually done to half-perfection only for 15 minutes.

4. Boiling Chicken Legs To Make Broth

Chicken legs are kept in a large pot or oven covered fully with water. Boil it at medium heat for 1 to 2 hours maximum. After the broth is prepared, it can be used in soups, stews, or even other recipes.

5. Chicken Legs For Soups

Boiling chicken legs for soups takes about 30 minutes of high heat and a simmering temperature. This should give you perfect chicken legs for soups.

Flavors To The Boiled Chicken Legs

Adding flavor to the boiled chicken legs comes as a blessing in disguise that benefits the consumers to a large extent. While the chicken legs are being boiled, they can be tossed in with different spices and herbs alongside salt or pepper. 

Otherwise, the boiled chicken can be dabbed with glaze or sauces of different varieties. This can be done after they have been cooked. This will give them a nice flavor and softness for the touch. 

Some of the sauces that go on the surface of the chicken include, 

1. Barbecue sauce
2. Mustard sauce
3. Buffalo sauce
4. Teriyaki sauce
5. Sweet and sour sauce

Elaborate Procedure To Boil Chicken Legs

Boiling chicken legs is an easy and delicious way of enjoying a chicken meal. You need to have high-quality chicken legs for this recipe, as they have the best taste and texture.

Ingredients Required To Make The Item

1. 1 pound of chicken legs
2. 1-quart water
3. Salt
4. Vinegar
5. Minced garlic
6. Rosemary

Steps To Make Boiled Chicken Legs

1. All the ingredients are added to the large pot
2. Boil everything at high heat
3. Then simmer for 30 minutes
4. Remove the chicken legs from the pot and let it cool slightly.
5. Serve alongside dipping sauce or any recipe that compliments the taste.

Important Tips To Remember

When boiling chicken legs, you have to make sure you do it the whole required time. If the chicken is undercooked or half-baked, it would lead to food poisoning.

The appearance of the boiled chicken would be an apt indication; otherwise, the temperature reading of 165 degrees F should indicate that it has been boiled thoroughly.

Baking Or Frying After Boiling The Chicken

Baking or frying chicken legs completely after boiling them would be very appropriate and accurate. However, just make sure you have cooled the chicken completely before you bake or even fry them.

Baking chicken legs – Preheat the oven to 375 degrees f. Grease the baking dish and add chicken legs. Bake it straight for 20 to 25 minutes until it turns golden brown and thick.

How To Store Boiled Chicken Legs?

Storing boiled chicken legs is a convenient option that everybody follows.

1. Refrigerate cooked chicken legs within 2 hours of cooking.
2. The chicken legs can be kept in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
3. Freeze the chicken legs for 2 months straight if you want.
4. Thaw the frozen chicken legs in the fridge
5. The chicken legs can be reheated until they are piping hot.
6. Leftover chicken legs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. It can be stored the same way in the freezer for 2 months.

Safety Tips For Handling Raw Chicken

1. Wash your hands before handling raw chicken.
2. Keep the raw chicken separate from other foods in the kitchen.
3. The chicken has to be boiled until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
4. Do not eat raw chicken.
5. Undercooked chicken can lead to food poisoning, and to avoid this, check the internal temperature if it’s 165 degrees F.

 Conclusion

Boiling chicken legs is a tedious process involving careful handling of the meat. It is tasty and worth a try for the health benefits it offers to all of us.

Boiling the chicken legs also allows us to mend them as we want and easily add flavors of our choice to suit everybody’s flavor.

The above article would be a nice guide to inform on the time taken to boil chicken legs and the process to be followed later when dealing with chicken.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)