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Boiled Chicken with Coconut Water: This Type of Water Makes the Chicken Sweet, Crispy Skin, and Fragrantly Delicious

Instead of using regular water when boiling chicken, you should opt for a tastier and superior alternative - broth.

16 March, 2024

Boiled chicken is a popular dish in Vietnamese family meals. Boiling chicken may seem simple, but not everyone can make it delicious and visually appealing.

Many people usually use lukewarm water to boil chicken. However, pouring water into the pot and then adding the chicken is not enough. You need to add some extra tips to make the boiled chicken more flavorful.

Choosing good chicken is the first step to making a delicious dish

Preparing the chicken

To save time, you can ask the seller to cut the chicken into pieces and remove all the feathers, then bring it home to prepare.

Rub salt all over the chicken, inside and out. Do not rub too hard, as it may tear the chicken skin. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then rinse it with clean water. The salt infused in the chicken will make the skin crispier. After that, put the chicken on a rack to let it drain.

Preparing other ingredients

While waiting for the chicken to drain, you should prepare other ingredients such as ginger and dried onions. These two ingredients will make the chicken more aromatic and remove any unpleasant smell.

Boiling the chicken

Add ginger and onions for a more aromatic flavor

Pour a certain amount of water into the pot and add some slices of dried onions and cleaned ginger. Heat the water until it’s slightly hot before adding the chicken. At this point, the aroma of ginger and onions will blend with the chicken, making it more fragrant and flavorful.

Instead of using cold water like usual, you should use warm water with ginger and onions to boil the chicken. Note that in order for the boiled chicken to look beautiful, evenly colored, and not be darkened, you need to fill the pot with enough water to cover the chicken completely.

Boiling time

When the boiling water is ready, lower the heat. Cook the chicken in boiling water for about 5 minutes for a 1-2kg chicken; 7-10 minutes for a 2.5-4kg chicken. After that, turn off the heat and let the chicken soak in the pot for an additional 15-20 minutes.

For older chickens, the boiling time may be longer. From the time the water is boiling, the boiling time is 15 minutes on low heat.

Soaking the chicken in ice water

After the chicken is cooked, take it out and soak it in a bowl of ice water. The ice water will tighten the skin, make the meat firmer, and prevent the skin from darkening. When the chicken has completely cooled, take it out to drain the water.

Add color to the chicken

While waiting for the chicken to cook, take some fresh turmeric, wash it clean, and pound it. Heat some cooking oil in a pan and add the turmeric, stirring well. Cook the turmeric on low heat until it thickens. We will use this turmeric oil to brush over the chicken. If there is chicken fat, it can be clarified to obtain the oil and continue cooking with turmeric.

Use a cooking brush or a clean paper towel to soak up the turmeric oil and brush a thin layer over the entire chicken for a beautiful golden color.

If you are using corn-fed chicken, you don’t need to do this step because corn-fed chicken usually has a naturally beautiful yellow skin.

Frequently asked questions

The boiling time depends on the size of the chicken. For a 1-2kg chicken, boil for about 5 minutes. A larger chicken, weighing 2.5-4kg, will need 7-10 minutes. After turning off the heat, let the chicken soak in the pot for an additional 15-20 minutes. Older chickens may require a longer boiling time, around 15 minutes on low heat from the time the water starts boiling.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare some turmeric oil by heating cooking oil in a pan with fresh turmeric. Brush this oil over the chicken for a beautiful golden color. If using corn-fed chicken, this step is usually unnecessary as they tend to have naturally yellow skin.

In addition to using ginger and dried onions, you can also soak the cooked chicken in ice water after boiling. This tightens the skin, makes the meat firmer, and prevents darkening. Ensure you use enough water to cover the chicken completely when boiling to achieve an even color.