Yes, boiling chicken can make it tough if the heat is too high or if you cook it for too long. Chicken is made of protein, and when protein cooks at a rapid boil, it tightens up. This can leave you with meat that feels rubbery instead of soft and juicy.
To keep chicken tender, use a gentle simmer instead of a hard boil. A simmer is when the water is hot and steaming, but the bubbles are small and steady. This slow cooking helps the chicken stay moist. It also gives the flavors time to develop without drying the meat out.
Another helpful trick is to start with cold water. Place the chicken in the pot, cover it with water, then heat everything together. This warms the chicken slowly and keeps the texture soft.
You should also watch the cooking time. Most chicken breasts only need about 12 to 15 minutes once the water reaches a simmer. Thighs need a little longer. When the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, it is done.
So if you want tender chicken, keep the heat low, avoid rapid boiling, and pull it off the stove as soon as it is cooked through.
Does Boiling Chicken Make It Tough?
A lot of people think boiling chicken always makes it tough, but that is only true when the heat is too high. When chicken sits in rolling, bubbling water, the muscle fibers pull tight. Once that happens, the meat starts to feel dry and rubbery. I learned this the hard way when I first tried to make boiled chicken for meal prep. I cranked the heat all the way up because I thought it would cook faster. Instead, I ended up with chicken that tasted like shredded cardboard. It was so chewy I had to give half of it to my dog.
The real problem is the temperature, not the water. Chicken is sensitive to high heat. When it cooks fast, the proteins inside shrink and push out the juices. That is when the meat becomes tough. But if you keep the water at a gentle simmer, the chicken cooks slowly and stays tender. A simmer is when you see tiny bubbles around the edge of the pot, not a full boil. The first time I switched to simmering, I was shocked at how soft the chicken turned out. It shredded with almost no effort, and the inside stayed juicy.
Another thing I learned is that boiling the chicken the whole time is not even necessary. You can bring the water to a boil to heat everything up, then turn the heat down right away. Once the chicken hits the right temperature, the rest of the cooking happens smoothly at low heat. It is almost like the chicken relaxes in the water instead of fighting against it. If you have ever felt chicken that is squishy and moist after cooking, it was probably simmered instead of boiled.
Timing matters too. If chicken stays in hot water for too long, it keeps cooking even when the pot is off the heat. I used to walk away from the stove and forget about it, then come back to chicken that felt dry even though the burner was off. Now I pull the chicken out as soon as it reaches the right doneness. That one change made a huge difference.
So to answer the question clearly, boiling at high heat can make chicken tough, but boiling is not always bad. It is more about how you control the temperature. Slow, gentle heat keeps the chicken tender, while hard boiling takes the moisture out. If you keep the water just below a full boil, you will get soft and juicy chicken almost every time.
Why Chicken Turns Rubbery
Chicken turns rubbery for a few simple reasons, and once you understand them, it gets a lot easier to cook it the right way. The biggest reason is overcooking. When chicken cooks too long, the proteins inside tighten up and squeeze out the natural juices. I remember the first time I tried boiling a big batch of chicken breasts for the week. I thought cooking them longer would make them safer and softer. Instead, every piece came out dry on the outside and weirdly bouncy on the inside. It felt like chewing on a rolled up eraser. It was not fun at all.
Another reason chicken gets rubbery is the cut you use. Chicken breasts have almost no fat, so they dry out way faster than thighs. I used to wonder why my thighs stayed juicy even when I forgot about them for a few minutes, while the breasts turned into rubber if I cooked them even a little too long. Fat helps keep moisture inside the meat, so dark meat naturally stays tender and forgiving. If you boil breasts using the same method as thighs, the breasts almost always lose their softness.
Size also matters more than people think. When chicken pieces are too thick, the outside cooks way faster than the inside. So while you are waiting for the center to reach the right temperature, the outer layers keep tightening and drying out. I made this mistake by boiling whole chicken breasts without cutting them. After slicing them open, the middle looked fine, but the outside was tough. Once I switched to cutting the chicken into even pieces, it cooked way more evenly and stayed softer.
Another mistake that causes rubbery chicken is dropping it straight into water that is already boiling. The sudden blast of heat shocks the meat and tightens the muscle fibers right away. It is like going from a cold room into a hot shower. The chicken reacts fast. Starting chicken in cool or warm water gives it time to cook slowly and build up heat from the inside out. I noticed a huge difference the first time I tried that. The chicken did not curl up or turn stiff so quickly.
Sometimes the chicken turns rubbery simply because the heat stays too high the entire time. Even if the timing is right, boiling water is still too aggressive. A strong boil causes the chicken to bounce around in the pot, and that makes it dry on the outside. When I finally learned to lower the heat to a simmer, the meat kept more moisture and the texture improved right away. It felt smoother and easier to chew.
So in short, chicken turns rubbery when it cooks too fast or too long, when the pieces are uneven, or when the water is too hot. Once you fix those small things, the chicken stays tender with almost no extra effort. If your chicken has been turning out rubbery, do not worry. It is usually an easy fix. Just slow everything down, and you will see a big change in the texture.
How Long Should You Boil Chicken
Figuring out how long to boil chicken can feel confusing, but once you get the timing right, everything becomes easier. I used to guess the time and just hope it turned out soft, but guessing almost always led to dry chicken. After a few mistakes, I finally started paying attention to the size and cut of the meat, and that changed everything. Chicken does not need as long as most people think. In fact, cooking it too long is one of the biggest reasons it turns tough or stringy.
For chicken breasts, the sweet spot is usually around 12 to 15 minutes once the water reaches a gentle simmer. Before I learned this, I would boil them for 25 or even 30 minutes because I thought more time meant better flavor. All it gave me was dry chicken that shredded into weird little curls. When I finally set a timer and pulled the chicken at the right moment, it felt like a miracle. The meat stayed moist, and the inside was cooked perfectly instead of chalky.
Chicken thighs take a little longer because they have more fat and connective tissue. They usually need about 18 to 25 minutes. The nice thing is thighs are harder to ruin, so even if you cook them a bit too long, they usually stay tender. There was a day when I forgot my pot of simmering thighs for almost ten extra minutes, and even then the meat still tasted good. Breasts would never forgive me like that.
If you are boiling a whole chicken, the timing jumps way up to around 60 to 90 minutes. A whole bird cooks slowly because of the bones and the thick sections. I made the mistake once of thinking a whole chicken would be done in half an hour. When I cut into it, the inside was still pink near the joints. That taught me fast that whole birds need patience. But the flavor is worth it, especially if you are making soup or broth.
The most dependable way to know chicken is done is by using a meat thermometer. You want the internal temperature to reach 165 degrees in the thickest part. I used to check by cutting into the meat, but that just let the juices pour out, and the chicken dried out faster. Once I switched to a thermometer, I stopped losing moisture from all those test cuts.
You can also check the texture to see if it is ready. When chicken is done, it feels firm but not hard, and the juices run clear instead of cloudy. If you poke it with a fork and it still feels squishy or heavy in the center, it needs more time. These little signs helped me more than any cooking show ever did.
So the right boiling time depends on the cut, but the general rule is simple. Keep the heat low, use a timer, and check doneness without guessing. When you do that, your chicken comes out tender almost every time. If your chicken has been coming out dry or chewy, adjusting the timing is one of the easiest fixes.
Best Methods to Keep Chicken Tender
Keeping chicken tender is all about controlling heat and giving the meat a chance to cook slowly. I used to think boiling chicken was supposed to be a fast process, so I would turn the stove to the highest heat and rush it. Every time, the chicken turned out tight and dry. Once I finally learned that gentle cooking makes a huge difference, everything changed. The first method that helped was simmering instead of boiling. When the water barely moves, the chicken cooks evenly and stays juicy. It almost feels like the meat relaxes instead of fighting against the heat.
Low heat cooking is honestly the biggest secret. I remember the day I decided to try poaching chicken for the first time. I kept the water hot but never let it boil. I let the chicken sit in that steamy bath, and when I pulled it out, it was the softest chicken I had ever made at home. It shredded with little effort, and the inside was moist instead of squeaky or rubbery. After that, I stopped using high heat unless I wanted something cooked really fast.
Another method that helps a lot is letting the chicken rest after cooking. I used to pull it out of the pot and slice it right away. I had no idea that cutting it too soon lets the juices spill out. It is like popping a water balloon before it has time to settle. Now I let the chicken sit for five to ten minutes before touching it. The difference is huge. The meat stays moist, and the fibers relax, which makes it easier to slice or shred.
Using a thermometer instead of guessing also keeps chicken tender. For years, I would overcook chicken just because I was scared of it being underdone. I think a lot of people do the same thing. But a simple thermometer stopped that problem right away. I learned to pull the chicken out as soon as it reached 165 degrees. Anything higher than that and the meat starts losing moisture fast. Once I trusted the thermometer, I stopped drying out my chicken.
Seasoning the water also helps with tenderness more than most people expect. It does not just make the chicken taste better. Salt actually helps the meat hold on to moisture during cooking. Tossing in a handful of salt, some garlic, or even a few herbs turns plain chicken into something you actually want to eat. I noticed that seasoned water kept the chicken more flavorful and less bland, so I started doing it every time.
Small things like cutting chicken into even pieces also help. When everything cooks at the same speed, nothing gets overdone. I learned this after boiling a huge, thick chicken breast whole and ending up with a tough outer layer. Once I sliced it into even chunks, the whole batch stayed tender and juicy.
All these methods work together. Low heat, a little patience, good timing, and a short rest at the end can turn simple boiled chicken into something soft and tasty. If your chicken keeps coming out tough, try slowing everything down. It is surprising how much tenderness you get just by lowering the heat and giving the meat more time to cook gently.
Should You Boil or Simmer Chicken?
A lot of people think boiling and simmering are the same thing, but they could not be more different when it comes to chicken. I learned this the messy way while trying to make chicken for soup one night. I cranked the stove up to a full boil because I was in a rush. The water was splashing everywhere, and the chicken bounced around like it was trapped in a washing machine. When I pulled it out, the outside felt tight and dry even though the meat inside was barely cooked. That is when I realized boiling is way too rough for chicken.
Simmering, on the other hand, is like giving the chicken a warm bath instead of throwing it into a storm. When water is simmering, it has tiny bubbles around the edges, not big rolling waves. That gentle heat cooks the chicken slowly, and the fibers do not tighten as fast. The first time I tried simmering instead of boiling, I could actually feel the difference. The meat stayed soft, and the texture was smooth instead of rubbery. It made me wonder why I ever used high heat in the first place.
Boiling can still be useful, but only for certain jobs. If you want to make broth and need the bones to release flavor, boiling can help in the beginning. Or if you need to heat water quickly before lowering the heat, boiling has its place. But keeping chicken in boiling water the whole time almost always leads to dryness. It is too intense, and the heat rushes through the meat too fast. I used to think boiling made chicken safer, but all it really did was make it harder to chew.
A steady simmer is the real key. It keeps the chicken tender because the heat moves slowly through the meat. When the water barely moves, you can almost feel the chicken cooking evenly from the inside out. I found that a simmer keeps the juices locked in better too. When I slice simmered chicken, the juices stay in the meat instead of spilling out onto the cutting board.
I started watching for small cues that told me I was simmering correctly. When the bubbles get too big, I turn the heat down a little. When the water gets too still, I turn it up a bit. It becomes a simple rhythm once you get used to it. Some days I even put the lid on halfway to keep the heat steady. Little tricks like that make a big difference in how the chicken turns out.
So should you boil or simmer chicken? Simmering wins almost every time if you want soft, juicy meat. Boiling is fast, but the results usually feel rough. When you slow things down and let the chicken cook gently, the texture improves right away. If your chicken has been coming out tough, switching from boiling to simmering is one of the easiest ways to fix it. Just keep an eye on the pot, adjust the heat as needed, and let the chicken cook without rushing it.
Tips for Perfect Boiled Chicken
Making perfect boiled chicken sounds simple, but it took me a long time to get it right. The first thing I learned was that seasoning the water makes a huge difference. I used to drop chicken into plain water and wonder why it tasted flat no matter what sauce I added later. Once I started tossing in salt, garlic, onion, and even a bay leaf or two, the chicken came out with real flavor instead of tasting like plain hospital food. Even a small amount of seasoning gives the meat something to soak up as it cooks.
Another tip that changed everything was using broth instead of water. This is one of those little tricks that feels too easy, but it transforms the taste right away. The chicken ends up juicier because broth has more body than water. There was a day when I made a batch of boiled chicken for enchiladas, and I used leftover broth from a rotisserie chicken. I swear it tasted like I spent hours cooking even though I barely did anything. The chicken came out softer and full of flavor.
Keeping the pot covered also helps more than most people think. I did not realize how much moisture escapes when the lid is off. When the pot stays covered, the steam stays inside and surrounds the chicken, which helps it cook evenly. It is like giving the chicken a warm blanket that keeps all the good stuff in. The first time I tried cooking with the lid on, the chicken cooked faster and stayed juicy. I never went back to leaving the pot uncovered after that.
One mistake I used to make all the time was boiling the chicken too hard. Strong boiling is too rough and causes the meat to bounce around and lose moisture. A slow simmer works way better. When the bubbles are soft and quiet, the chicken cooks gently and keeps more of its natural texture. If the pot starts going wild, I just turn the heat down until the surface of the water looks calm again.
Another small but useful tip is to slice the chicken against the grain once it is done. I did not even know chicken had grain until I looked it up one day. Cutting against the grain shortens the muscle fibers, which makes the chicken feel more tender in your mouth. The first time I tried it, I finally understood why restaurant chicken felt softer than mine. It was not magic. It was just the way they cut it.
I also started paying attention to the size of the pieces before boiling. When every piece is the same size, they cook at the same speed. That way nothing gets overcooked while you wait for the thicker pieces to reach the right temperature. If I have a big chunky breast, I cut it into two or three pieces. The texture always turns out better that way.
These small tips might not seem like much, but they make a huge difference. Season the water, keep the heat low, cover the pot, cut the chicken right, and use broth when you can. When all these tricks come together, you end up with boiled chicken that is soft, flavorful, and perfect for almost any recipe. If your boiled chicken has been bland or tough in the past, these simple changes will fix it fast.
Does Boiling Chicken Make It Dry?
Boiling chicken can make it dry, but it usually happens only when the heat is too high or the chicken stays in the pot too long. I learned this pretty early on when I tried to make boiled chicken for salads. I tossed two chicken breasts into a pot, cranked the heat up, and walked away. By the time I remembered them, the water was roaring and the chicken looked tired. When I took a bite, it felt chalky and dry, like all the juice had been squeezed out. That is when I realized high heat is the main enemy of juicy chicken.
Chicken dries out because the muscle fibers tighten as the temperature rises. When the water is boiling like crazy, the heat rushes into the meat too fast. This makes the fibers shrink and push out the moisture trapped inside. Breasts dry out even faster because they do not have much fat. I used to think I was doing something wrong until I switched to thighs one day. The thighs came out juicy, even though I cooked them the same way. That was the moment I understood fat plays a big part in keeping chicken moist.
Dark meat like thighs and drumsticks holds moisture better because the fat melts slowly as it cooks. That gives the meat a little protection from drying out. Breasts are lean and need more gentle heat to stay soft. So if your chicken breasts keep drying out, it is probably not your fault. They just need a different cooking approach. When I finally lowered the heat to a simmer, the meat stopped turning dry. It is surprising how much difference a few degrees can make.
Another reason chicken gets dry is leaving it in the hot water after it is done. I used to turn off the stove and let the chicken sit there while I finished chopping veggies or cleaning the counter. Even with the heat off, the water stays hot for a long time. The chicken keeps cooking and slowly dries out from the inside. Once I started pulling the chicken out right when it hit the right temperature, the dryness problem pretty much disappeared.
There are also little tricks that help keep moisture in. Keeping the pot covered traps steam and helps the chicken cook evenly. Seasoning the water helps too because salt lets the meat hold on to more moisture. Using broth instead of plain water gives the chicken extra flavor and makes it feel less dry even if you overcook it a little.
Cutting the chicken after cooking also plays a role. If you cut it right away, the juices spill out fast. Letting the chicken rest for a few minutes keeps more moisture inside the meat. I used to slice chicken the second I pulled it out of the pot, then wonder why it looked dry on the plate. Letting it sit just a little makes the texture way better.
So yes, boiling can make chicken dry, but only when the heat is too strong or the timing is off. If you simmer instead of boil, pull the chicken out as soon as it is done, and keep the pot covered, the meat stays juicy most of the time. Once you get the hang of it, your chicken will taste soft instead of dry, even if you are cooking large batches.
Should You Boil Chicken Before Shredding?
Boiling chicken before shredding might seem like the easiest method, but the real trick is not boiling at all. It is simmering. I used to think shredding chicken needed long, hard boiling to soften the meat. I would toss in a couple of chicken breasts, blast the heat, and wait until they felt tough and stringy. Then I would try to shred them, and it felt like pulling apart old rubber bands. The pieces came out dry, and half of it crumbled into little bits I could barely use. That is when I learned that gentle cooking makes shredding way easier.
When you simmer chicken instead of boiling it, the fibers loosen slowly, and the meat stays juicy. The first time I switched to simmering, I could pull the chicken apart with just two forks and barely any effort. It felt like the meat just wanted to fall apart. The flavor was better too, because simmering lets the chicken absorb whatever you put into the water. Sometimes I toss in garlic, onion, peppercorns, or a bay leaf. Even simple ingredients make the chicken taste richer, and the shredded pieces pick up that flavor.
Timing matters a lot when you want perfect shredded chicken. Breasts usually need about 12 to 15 minutes at a simmer to get tender enough for shredding. Thighs take a little longer, but they shred even better because they have more fat. I learned that pulling the chicken out too early makes shredding feel like a fight, while cooking it too long turns it dry and stringy. When you hit that middle point, the texture is soft and perfect.
Another thing that helped me was letting the chicken rest for a few minutes before shredding it. I used to pull it straight from the hot water and start ripping it apart. The steam would burn my hands, and the chicken lost its juices fast. When I started resting it for five minutes, the fibers relaxed and held more moisture. The meat came apart smoother, and the pieces stayed juicy instead of drying out on the cutting board.
I also learned that shredding the chicken while it is still warm works way better than waiting until it is cold. Warm chicken pulls apart with little effort, while cold chicken feels tight and stubborn. There was one day I made chicken early and forgot about it until it cooled. Shredding it felt like trying to break apart firm clay. Ever since then, I try to shred it right after resting, while it is still soft and warm.
Adding a little broth after shredding helps too. Sometimes shredded chicken feels a little dry even if you cook it right. Pouring in a few tablespoons of warm broth brings the moisture back and gives the chicken a richer taste. It also helps the chicken stay soft when you store it in the fridge.
So yes, you can boil chicken before shredding, but you will get much better results if you simmer it gently. Simmering keeps the chicken tender, moist, and easier to pull apart. Once you get used to it, you will notice how much smoother and tastier your shredded chicken turns out. If your shredded chicken has been dry or tough in the past, switching to simmering is the best fix you can make.
Mistakes to Avoid When Boiling Chicken
I made almost every boiling mistake you can think of before I finally learned how to cook chicken the right way. The biggest mistake is boiling the chicken too hard. When the water is bubbling like crazy, the chicken gets knocked around in the pot and the outside cooks way too fast. The meat tightens up and loses moisture before the inside even gets warm. I used to think a strong boil meant faster cooking. Instead, it left me with tight, dry chicken that felt like chewing on a rubber glove. Keeping the heat low makes a huge difference.
Another mistake that leads to tough chicken is leaving it in the hot water after it is done. I would turn off the stove and walk away, thinking it would “stay warm.” The problem is the water stays hot for a long time, and the chicken keeps cooking. By the time I came back, it felt dry even though I did not mean to overcook it. Once I started pulling the chicken out as soon as it reached the right temperature, the texture got way better and stayed juicy.
Not seasoning the cooking liquid is another common mistake. I used to boil chicken in plain water, then wonder why it tasted bland no matter how much sauce I added later. Seasoning the water with salt, garlic, onions, or even a little broth gives the chicken real flavor. It also helps keep the meat juicy. I learned that unsalted chicken loses moisture faster, so seasoning is not just about taste. It helps with texture too.
Using very large or uneven chicken pieces is another mistake to avoid. When the pieces are too big, the outside gets tough while you wait for the inside to cook. I used to boil whole chicken breasts all the time. The outside always came out rubbery. Once I started cutting them into smaller pieces, the meat cooked evenly and stayed softer. Even thickness equals better texture, and it is such an easy fix.
Starting chicken in water that is already boiling is also a mistake. Dropping cold chicken into boiling water shocks the meat and makes it tighten up right away. It is like throwing it into a hot frying pan. The sudden heat makes the texture worse before the cooking even begins. Starting the chicken in cool or warm water lets it heat slowly, and the meat stays tender.
Another mistake is relying on guessing instead of using a thermometer. I used to poke the chicken, cut it open, or just hope it was done. Guessing almost always led to overcooking. Once I bought a cheap thermometer and pulled the chicken out at exactly 165 degrees, the results changed completely. No more dry chicken and no more guesswork.
Even lifting the lid too often can cause problems. Every time you open the pot, the heat drops and the cooking slows down. Then you turn the heat up again, and the water starts boiling harder. It becomes a cycle of temperature changes that dries the meat out. Keeping the lid on helps the chicken cook evenly.
Most of these mistakes are small, but they add up fast. The good news is that fixing them is simple. Keep the heat low, season the water, cut the chicken evenly, start it in cooler water, and pull it out right at the right temperature. When you avoid these common mistakes, boiling chicken becomes so much easier and the meat stays tender instead of tough.
Health and Safety Tips
Cooking chicken safely is one of those things that sounds simple, but it is easy to get wrong if you are not paying attention. I made a few mistakes when I first started cooking, and they taught me why safety matters so much. The most important rule is making sure the chicken reaches the right internal temperature. Chicken needs to hit 165 degrees in the thickest part to be safe to eat. I used to guess by cutting into the chicken, but that just let all the juices run out. Once I bought a cheap thermometer and started checking the temperature the right way, I felt way more confident and the chicken stayed juicier.
Storing boiled chicken the right way is also important. I used to leave chicken on the counter too long because I thought it needed extra time to cool. The problem is bacteria can grow fast at room temperature. Now I let it cool for about 20 to 30 minutes, then put it in the fridge right away. I store it in an airtight container so it stays fresh and does not pick up smells from other foods. Boiled chicken usually lasts about three to four days in the fridge, and I try not to push it past that.
Freezing boiled chicken works great too. I freeze it in small portions so I can grab just what I need. The chicken stays good for up to three months in the freezer. One time I froze a big batch and forgot to label it. By the time I found it again, I had no idea how old it was. Now I always write the date on the container. It saves me from guessing and tossing out food.
Another safety tip is to use clean tools while cooking. I used to flip raw chicken with tongs, then forget and use the same tongs on the cooked chicken. That can spread bacteria without you even realizing it. Now I keep two sets of tongs or wash them in the middle of cooking. Even wiping down the counter and washing my hands between steps helps keep everything safe.
Signs of spoiled chicken are something everyone should know. If the chicken smells sour, feels sticky or slimy, or looks gray in color, it is not safe to eat. I once opened a container and thought the smell was just from the fridge. I cooked it anyway, and the chicken tasted awful. Now I trust my senses. If something feels off, I throw it out. It is not worth the risk.
It is also important to cool the cooking liquid safely if you plan to use it later. Chicken broth made from boiling chicken can grow bacteria if it sits out too long. I let it cool down for a bit, then store it in the fridge or freezer. Broth stays good for about four days in the fridge and up to three months in the freezer. It is great for soups, rice, or even reheating shredded chicken so it stays moist.
One more thing I learned is not to leave chicken sitting in hot water after cooking. Even though the heat is off, the water stays warm long enough for bacteria to grow or for the chicken to overcook. Pulling it out as soon as it hits 165 degrees keeps it both safe and tender.
Keeping chicken safe is not complicated once you know what to do. Check the temperature, store it right away, freeze it correctly, use clean tools, and watch for signs of spoilage. Small habits like these keep you and your food safe without much effort. Once you build these steps into your routine, cooking chicken feels easier and less stressful every time.
Conclusion
Boiling chicken does not have to be a guessing game or a battle with tough, rubbery meat. Once I learned how the heat works and why chicken reacts the way it does, everything about the process got easier. The biggest lesson I learned is that gentle cooking always wins. A slow simmer keeps the chicken juicy, while a hard boil dries it out fast. It took me years of overcooking, rushing, and making the same mistakes before I finally understood that patience is the real secret.
If you take anything away from all this, let it be the importance of low heat, good timing, and checking the temperature. These three things can turn boiled chicken from something chewy into something soft and tasty. Even small habits like seasoning the water, cutting the chicken evenly, and pulling it out right at 165 degrees make a huge difference. When you stack these little tricks together, you get reliable, tender results almost every time.
What helped me most was slowing down and paying attention to the signs. The chicken tells you when it is done. It feels firm but not hard, the juices run clear, and the texture stays soft when you press it lightly. Once you start noticing those cues, cooking chicken becomes way less stressful. It becomes something you feel rather than something you guess at.
I hope these tips help you avoid the mistakes I made. Try simmering instead of boiling next time, and see how much better the chicken turns out. And if you discover your own tricks along the way, share them with others. Everyone has their own way of cooking, and sometimes the smallest idea can help someone else fix a problem they have been struggling with for years. Enjoy your cooking, and enjoy finally getting chicken that is tender, juicy, and easy to use in any dish.