Nothing beats a steaming bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup on a cool day, but when it comes to actually making it from scratch you need to know whether you can add the chicken raw or if you need to cook it beforehand.
Raw chicken can be cooked in soup. The key is making sure to give it enough time to cook thoroughly and to a safe temperature. Chicken has to reach 165℉ (75℃) for it to be safe for consumption. Browning or cutting large pieces of chicken is recommended to ensure they’re cooked thoroughly in the soup.
Many chicken-based soups are made by adding raw chicken into the hot broth. Cooking the chicken in this manner infuses the broth with lots of chicken flavor.
To ensure the chicken is cooked thoroughly in your soup, cut it into even pieces. Doing this lets you know that when you test the doneness of one or two pieces, the others will be at the same internal temperature.
Cutting chicken into smaller chunks will mean they cook more quickly and can be added to the soup closer to the end of cooking. A good way to test doneness is to pull out a piece and test how easily it shreds with a fork.
When chicken is cooked it becomes stringy and white. If it easily shreds and is not pink, it is cooked through.
It is always a good idea to test the internal temperature of any meat before consuming and that includes meats in soups. More information on safe temperatures can be found below.
Adding chicken to soup raw means that there will most likely be a layer of coagulated protein that will float to the top of your soup. If this occurs, simply skim that layer out of the soup before serving.
Should You Brown Chicken Before Cooking It In Soup?
While it isn’t necessary to brown chicken before adding it to soup, some people prefer to in order to ensure it reaches adequate temperatures. Others prefer to brown the chicken because it can add a depth of flavor.
If you are going to have large pieces of chicken you may want to cook your chicken before adding it to your soup so you can be sure it is cooked properly. Raw or undercooked chicken can make you very sick!
Browning chicken in a bit of oil or butter will also create a fond, which are the brown bits left in the bottom of a pan after cooking. This can be used to great effect to add flavor to your broth.
How To Precook/Brown Chicken For Soup
There are two methods that work equally well to precook chicken before adding it to a soup. You can either roast it in your oven or cook it on your stovetop in a pan.
Oven: To cook in your oven, line a baking sheet with tinfoil or a silicone mat. Depending on what part of the chicken you are using, you can either place pieces in whole or cut them up beforehand.
If you are cooking pieces on the bone, you’ll need to leave them whole. Cooking meat on the bone does keep it moist, but for chicken that is getting added to soup, a boneless cut is generally recommended.
Chicken breast and thighs can be cooked whole and then shredded or chopped before adding to your pot. Set your oven to 400℉ (205℃) and let preheat.
Since chicken breast is thinner on the ends and thicker in the middle, pounding it down to a more even thickness will help it to cook faster and more evenly.
Pat dry chicken, coat with a small amount of oil, and season with salt if you prefer. Remember, this is getting added to soup, so oversalting or overseasoning your chicken will affect the overall flavor of your finished dish.
Place the chicken breasts in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until cooked through and at 165℉ (75℃) at its centermost point.
Keeping the chicken breast whole is great if you intend on shredding the chicken. Because it is all in one piece, you can get nice long shreds.
If you prefer to save time, cutting your chicken into chunks will decrease the time it needs in the oven. Just make sure to properly sanitize your workspace and self after handling any raw meat.
Follow the same cooking method as above, just adjust your cooking time down to 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. Timing will vary with size, so keep an eye on it.
Stovetop: To cook chicken breast or thighs on your stovetop, cutting chicken into chunks or thin pieces works better than leaving it whole.
Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Nonstick or cast iron both work great for this.
Once the oil is nice and hot, add chicken chunks in a single layer without crowding the pan. Work in batches if needed.
Turn the heat down to medium and cook the chicken, turning as it browns until all sides have been seared. Once it reaches the proper internal temperature, transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off excess oil.
If you would like to use the fond from the bottom of your pan to add flavor to your soup, you’ll need to deglaze your pan.
To do this, simply add about a cup of broth or other liquid to your pan while still hot. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to preserve your cookware, scrape the browned bits at the bottom of the pan into the liquid.
The broth or liquid can then be added to your soup to add flavor. Just be sure to not over oil your pan if you intend on using this method.
What Inner Temperature Should Chicken Reach to Be Safe?
Chicken should be cooked to a minimum of 165℉ (75℃). At that temperature all bacteria will be killed and the chicken will be safe to eat.
Can You Cook Frozen Raw Chicken In Soup?
The USDA says that using frozen, raw chicken in your soup is perfectly safe as long as you allow it to cook to a safe temperature.
Using frozen chicken will increase its cooking time by about 50%, so just make sure you add it in sooner than you would if it were thawed.
How Long Should You Boil Chicken
Timing how long your chicken needs to boil depends on a few things- how thick the piece is and whether or not it is bone-in.
Boneless chicken breasts generally need to boil for 12-15 minutes to reach an internal temperature of 165℉ (75℃).
Bone-in chicken breasts will need 25-30 minutes in boiling water before being safe to eat.
If boiling frozen boneless chicken, increase cooking time to 18-22 minutes and be sure to check the internal temperature before consuming.
Can You Boil Chicken For Too Long?
While it may seem counterintuitive, you can actually overcook chicken even if it is surrounded by water.
Water boils at 212℉ (100℃), which means if you leave chicken in boiling water for too long, it will eventually raise the temperature of the chicken up to that point.
The chicken will be overcooked and dry if it gets too far beyond 165℉ (75℃), so set a timer.
What Can Happen If You Eat Undercooked Chicken?
Undercooked chicken contains bacteria, and if not heated to a temperature high enough to kill that bacteria means it will be transferred to your body when you consume it.
The CDC warns that “undercooked chicken contains Campylobacter bacteria and sometimes with Salmonella and Clostridium perfringens bacteria.”
These bacteria will cause food poisoning and may lead to more serious conditions arising. One of the best tools your kitchen can have to keep you safe is a food thermometer.
Be sure to clean all workstations and kitchen tools with hot, soapy water after use. Also, designate a single cutting board for raw chicken use to prevent cross-contamination.