Learn how to boil chicken wings; itโs fast and easy, and you can use them in many ways. Tender, juicy wings ready to serve as they are or for grilling, baking, or deep-frying.
Making boiled chicken wings is always a good idea if you are looking for a super quick chicken meal with rice or trying to cut on cooking time when grilling or baking them. You can also learn How to Boil Frozen Chicken Breast or Boil Chicken Legs.
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How long to boil chicken wings?
It takes about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on their size and whether they are whole or divided at the joint. They should be super tender and cooked through, but not overcooked.
What is parboiling?
A method of cooking food only partially with the intention of finishing the cooking process in another way. In this case, you would parboil the meat until it is more or less half-cooked and then bake or grill it until cooked through.
Advantages of parboiling chicken wings
- Time: It reduces baking/grilling time; I find this particularly useful when grilling.
- Fat: By parboiling them, you will get rid of some excess fat. This also makes them crisp up in the oven or on the grill.
How long does it take to parboil wings?
About 8 minutes. First, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the cube stock or salt and pepper. Once the water boils, add the pieces carefully and parboil them for 8 minutes.
Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels. Ensure they are completely dry before you coat them with spices and cook them to the end in the oven or on the grill.
Recipe ingredients
Chicken wings: Boil as many wings as needed; make sure that the pot you are using is large enough.
Stock cube: It might seem unusual, but it really adds flavor, not only to the meat but to the liquid as well. And I always use the liquid to make soup, risotto, or another rice dish. If you donโt want to use a stock cube (powder or paste), add some salt, pepper, and bay leaves to the liquid.
How to boil chicken wings?
Step #1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the stock cube, powder, or paste. If desired, use salt, pepper, and some bay leaves instead. Add the wings carefully.
Step #2: Boil the chicken wings for 10 to 15 minutes until cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels.
Tip
If parboiling the wings and grilling or baking them afterward, make sure that they are perfectly dry before cooking. This will ensure that they crisp up nicely. You can either let them dry on kitchen towels at room temperature for about 30 minutes or dry each one individually.
Recipe FAQs
Grill: About 15-20 minutes on medium heat or until cooked through, slightly charred, and crispy. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer; it should be 165ยฐF/ 74ยฐC. Flip regularly.
Oven: About 20-30 minutes at 450ยฐF/ 230ยฐC or until cooked through and crispy. Check with a meat thermometer. Cook them on a lined baking sheet fitted with a wire rack.
Grill: About 10 minutes on medium heat until nicely charred and crispy. Flip them regularly.
Oven: About 20 minutes at 450ยฐF/ 230ยฐC. I like to use a wire rack placed on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Donโt forget to rub them with spices before baking them.
Heat enough vegetable oil in a deep pan, about 3 inches/ 7 cm deep. The oil should be at 350ยฐF/ 180ยฐC. Ensure that the pieces are completely dry. Fry them in batches, for about 10-15 minutes per batch or until golden brown and crispy. Place on kitchen towels to remove the excess fat.
How to store wings?
Let the boiled chicken wings come to room temperature. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 6 months. Defrost in the refrigerator and reheat before serving.
How to reheat boiled wings?
Stovetop: Bring water to a boil. Add the wings and reheat for about 3 minutes or until heated through.
Microwave: Covered for about 2 minutes or until heated through.
Oven: Dry and rub with spices, and bake until crispy and heated through.
Air fryer: Dry and rub them with spices and cook them at 370ยฐF/190ยฐC, flipping halfway through, for about 15-20 minutes or until crispier and heated through. If you only wish to reheat them without making them crispy, 5 minutes should be enough.
How to serve?
To make a full meal, serve the boiled chicken wings with rice. You can cook plain rice or basmati in chicken stock (use the cooking liquid) and serve it with the wings.
You can make a simple pilaf, Buttered Rice with Garlic, Carrot Rice, BBQ Rice, Jollof Rice, and so on; the possibilities are endless.
Boiled Chicken Wings
Equipment
- Large pot
- Slotted spoon
Ingredients
- 8 whole chicken wings or 16 split wings
- 1 chicken stock cube or 1 teaspoon stock powder or paste, Notes 1, 2
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Dissolve the chicken stock cube in the boiling water.
- Add the chicken wings carefully.
- Boil for 10-15 minutes until cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon.
Notes
- Alternatively, use 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper, and 2 bay leaves.
- For a more flavorful stock (for soup), add one chopped onion, one chopped carrot, 2 chopped celery sticks, 2 garlic cloves, bay leaves, 3 cloves, and 5 juniper berries to the cold water.
- To parboil the chicken wings, add them to the boiling pot of water and cook them for 8 minutes. They will be only partially cooked. Finish cooking them using another method and make sure they are cooked through before serving. The internal temperature should be 165ยฐF/ 74ยฐC.
Jonsen ysaguirre says
Like the boil wings