How to Boil Chicken legs

Learn how long to boil chicken legs to get perfectly tender, moist, and flavorful chicken every time. Grab our tips on how to quickly add flavor to bone-in chicken legs while boiling. Serve as is or brush with your favorite sauce and broil to crisp the skin.

Boiled and ready to serve in just 30 minutes, boiled chicken legs make a great choice for a weeknight dinner meal, party appetizer or game day snack. There are so many different ways to easily flavor chicken legs making it a staple go to dinner option. From barbeque and buffalo sauce to dry rubs and seasoning blends, we can’t wait to share all our favorite ways to boost flavor.

boiled chicken legs on wire rack on top of baking sheet

Looking for more ways to cook chicken legs? Check out our Air Fry Chicken Legs, Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks, Ranch Chicken Drumsticks Crockpot and Ninja Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks.

Boiling is a quick and easy cooking method to create tender and juicy chicken. Not only can you learn how to boil chicken but we have created guides on How To Boil A Whole Chicken, How To Boil Chicken Breasts, and How To Boil Chicken Thighs. Read along to learn new ways to cook chicken that your family will enjoy!

Tips For Boiling Chicken

Regardless of the part of the chicken you are boiling, be cautious when adding to the water to prevent spillage or splashing for food safety concerns.
Always cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Wipe down all surfaces after handling raw chicken.
Discard fresh herbs after chicken is completely cooked.
To cook evenly, do not overcrowd the stockpot with chicken but instead boil in a single layer.
Cover the stockpot with a lid when boiling.
Add enough water to cover all the chicken at least once inch above.
The larger selection of fresh herbs, spices and vegetables that are boiled in the water, the more flavorful the chicken will be.

raw chicken legs, herbs, peppercorns and salt on a baking sheet

To get started, grab the equipment and ingredients listed below.

Equipment

large stockpot
measuring spoons
tongs
baking sheet with rack
pastry brush
small bowl

Ingredients

2.5 pounds chicken legs
1 tablespoon peppercorns
2 teaspoons salt
fresh sprigs thyme and sage optional
water
2 tablespoons BBQ sauce

water poured into stock pot filled with chicken legs, spices and herbs

chicken legs boiled in stock pot with herbs and spices

How To Make

Place the chicken, peppercorns, and salt into the large stockpot. If using, toss in the fresh herbs. Then, add enough water to cover the chicken legs by about an inch.
Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Then, preheat the broiler.
To crisp skin, place chicken legs onto a wire rack set into a baking sheet. Broil as is or brush with BBQ sauce or your favorite sauce. Broil for 3-5 minutes or until chicken starts to brown. Serve hot.

Sauces and Seasonings

BBQ sauce is just one of the sauces to brush onto chicken legs prior to serving. Check out all these sauces and seasoning blends then pick your favorites.

cooked chicken legs on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do chicken legs take to boil?

Chicken legs take just 20 minutes to boil from fresh or 30 minutes from frozen. The best way to ensure it is cooked completely is to cook until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165°F. When using a meat thermometer to test the temperature, always insert the probe into the thickest part of the chicken leg.

What to serve with boiled chicken?

Gluten Free Cheesy Potatoes, Low Sodium Mac and Cheese, Green Beans For Kids and Sauteed Butternut Squash are a few suggestions that pair well with chicken legs.

How to store leftover chicken legs?

Let cooked chicken legs cool completely then store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, reheat in the oven or microwave in increments until hot.

Do you keep the stockpot water after the chicken is cooked?

Without even knowing it, you have created a homemade chicken broth in the stockpot! Use the broth to make a homemade gravy or store to use in later recipes. For an even more flavorful broth, add carrots, celery sticks and onion slices to the water when boiling.

Kids In The Kitchen

Cooking tips and suggestions for kids making this recipe.

To test the temperature of chicken, insert a meat thermometer into the thickness part of the chicken thigh. If under 165°F, keep boiling.
Broiling is a high heat cooking method that can be used for crisping. It is a great option when looking to crisp the skin on chicken.
Top chicken thighs with barbecue, hot sauce, siracha, buffalo or your favorites sauce.
Chicken can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

More Chicken Recipes

Keep all these chicken recipes in mind the next time you are searching for a family friendly meal!

Baked Chicken and Brown Rice Casserole
Baked Chicken Thighs
Gluten Free Chicken Pot Pie
Old Fashioned Boiled Chicken and Rice
Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Tenderloins
Chicken On A Stick
Instant Pot Chicken Recipes Roundup
Crockpot Chicken Thighs
Crockpot Chicken and Potatoes

CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.

The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.

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How to Boil Chicken Legs

Learn how long to boil chicken legs to get perfectly tender, moist, and flavorful chicken every time. Grab our tips on how to quickly add flavor bone-in chicken legs while boiling to serve as is or brush with your favorite sauce and broil to crisp the skin.

Pin Recipe Print Recipe

4 from 7 votes

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Servings 5

Equipment

Ingredients

2.5 pounds chicken legs ✅
1 tablespoon peppercorns
2 teaspoons salt
fresh sprigs thyme and sage optional
water
2 tablespoons BBQ sauce ✅

Instructions

Combine the ingredients. Place the chicken, peppercorns, salt, and fresh herbs if using into the large stockpot. Add enough water to cover the chicken legs by about an inch.
2.5 pounds chicken legs, 1 tablespoon peppercorns, 2 teaspoons salt, fresh sprigs thyme and sage, water
⭐️Cook. Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Preheat broiler.
⭐️Broil. To crisp skin place chicken legs onto a wire rack set into a baking sheet. Broil as is or brush with BBQ sauce or your favorite sauce. Broil for 2-3 minutes or until chicken starts to brown. Serve hot.
2 tablespoons BBQ sauce

Notes

Serving

Serve chicken legs with Gluten Free Cheesy Potatoes, Low Sodium Mac and Cheese, Green Beans For Kids or Sauteed Butternut Squash.

Storage

CCK Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.

The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.