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Boiling chicken sounds easy, yet many homes end up with dry meat, wrinkled skin and cloudy water. I learned the trade from my grandmother's chicken pho pot, so I have a few small tips to share. They work for the New Year plate of boiled chicken as well as for chicken you will shred for pho.
Tip 1: a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil
Chicken boiled hard shrinks, turns dry and tough, and the water clouds because fat and protein get churned up. Bring the water to a boil, add the chicken, and as soon as it returns to the boil lower the heat so the surface only trembles. The water should cover the chicken; add a crushed piece of ginger and a few grilled shallots for fragrance.
Tip 2: cook briefly, steep for longer
For a chicken of about 1.2 kg, simmer 15 to 20 minutes, turn off the heat, cover and let it sit in the hot water for another 15 to 20 minutes. The heat of the water cooks it gradually from the outside in, so the meat stays tender and holds its juices. Do not leave it steeping for too long once the water has gone cold.
Tip 3: test with a chopstick
Pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a chopstick; if the juice runs clear, the chicken is done. If it is pink, put the pot back on the heat for a few more minutes. This is more reliable than counting minutes, since chickens differ in size, and free-range birds cook differently from commercial ones.
Tip 4: an ice bath for crisp, golden skin
Lift the chicken out and put it straight into a bowl of ice water for 5 to 10 minutes. The skin tightens, turns crisp and no longer sticks to the meat. Drain, then brush a thin layer of oil or chicken fat over the skin for a golden shine. For a naturally golden skin, choose a free-range bird whose skin is already yellow.
- Let the cooked chicken cool a little before chopping so the meat does not bleed juice.
- Do not throw away the cooking water; strain it and you have a sweet stock for soup or pho.
- For chicken you will shred for pho, cook it slightly under, because hot broth poured over it in the bowl finishes the job.
The chicken pho at Bếp Kinh Kỳ also starts from a slowly simmered broth and a chicken boiled to exactly this point.
Read the article on Hanoi chicken pho
Quick questions
- Is chicken that is red near the bone undercooked?
- Small free-range chickens often stay pink near the bone even when cooked. The sure test is to pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a chopstick; if the juice is clear, it is ready.
- Should I add salt to the water?
- I add a little salt and a piece of ginger. Too much salt makes the meat salty from the outside; if you will use the broth for pho, season it later.
- Does the ice bath make the chicken bland?
- Not if you lift it out after 5 to 10 minutes. Too long and the meat turns bland and soggy, so watch the time.
