How Long Does it Take to Boil Chicken Tenders?
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Are you in search of a quick meal? Perhaps you are searching for a fast way to cook chicken for a dish you have in mind?
Regardless, Learn how long to boil chicken tenders on the stove, plus a few recipes you might like to use them in!
Boiling chicken tenders is not exactly the most popular cooking method for these dainty little morsels.
When I have the time, I’ll most certainly be frying chicken tenders or cutting them up to make chicken noodle soup in the winter.
But those all take time, and more often than not, with our busy schedules, we just need to boil chicken tenders, FAST!
So, let’s get on and answer the question of the day.
Table of Contents
How long to boil chicken tenders?
It takes about ten minutes to boil chicken tenders to 165°F, though there are a number of factors that can and will affect the cooking times.
Boiling Fresh Chicken Tenders: Completely thawed chicken tenders take about 5 minutes to cook once at a boil. You can figure another 5 minutes to bring the water to a boil, resulting in 10 minutes of total cook time.
Boiling Frozen Chicken Tenders: Frozen chicken tenders take around 10-12 minutes to boil or 15-17 minutes of total cook time.
How to tell when chicken tenders are done boiling?
The chicken tenders are cooked through when the internal temperature of the thickest part of the meat registers at least 165°F.
I’ll generally use a slotted spoon to remove the biggest tender from the boiling water to check if it’s cooked.
Should I add the chicken to boiling water or cold water?
Always add the chicken to cold water. If you add the chicken to boiling water, not only do you risk splashing the boiling water onto your skin, but also, the boiling water will cook the outside of the chicken too quickly.
Placing the chicken in cold water and bringing it to a boil will result in evenly cooked chicken.
How to boil chicken tenders?
For this recipe, we are using fresh chicken tenders. If you are using frozen tenders, you will need to extend the cooking time. Otherwise, the rest of the steps remain the same.
Serving suggestions
We love making shredded chicken with this recipe and making pulled chicken sandwiches.
I also have a super tasty Chipotle chicken street taco recipe that would be perfect for boiled chicken tenders.
Or, season them with a little of your favorite seasonings and serve them with homemade french fries. Kids are guaranteed to love it!
Of course, if you need a little crisp on your chicken, consider pan-searing them for a minute or two in a hot skillet with a dollop of butter after boiling.
Key takeaways
Boiling chicken tenders only takes a few minutes out of your busy schedule and gives you the foundation for a quick and healthy meal to serve your family!
So whether you are just wanting to know how long to boil chicken tenders or you are looking for recipe ideas, I hope that you found this post helpful.
What to read next: How to boil and broil crispy chicken wings
How to Boil Chicken Tenders Quickly & Easily
Ingredients
- 4-6 chicken tenders thawed
- Water
- 1 tablespoon of sea salt
Instructions
- Place chicken tenders in the bottom of a 7 qt dutch oven.
- Carefully fill the pot with water until the chicken is completely submerged. I like to make sure the water is about 1-2 inches over the chicken.
- Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. I always add a few pinches of salt since boiling chicken really has no flavor, but you can also simply season it after its done.
- Once the water is at a rolling boil, the chicken tenders won’t take long to cook through. Give it about 5 minutes before removing a tender to check the internal temperature. If it is not cooked through, simply place the tender back in and continue cooking.
- When the chicken tenders are done boiling, use a slotted spoon to remove them from the pot and place them on a wire rack or plate to cool.
