Boil boneless, skinless chicken breasts for 15 to 20 minutes. Thick chicken breasts will need about 20 minutes, while thinner, flatter pieces and smaller chicken breast halves will only need about 15 minutes.prinkle salt into the water. You can sprinkle anywhere from 1 tsp (5 ml) to 1 Tbsp (15 ml) salt into the water. A smaller amount is better for boneless chicken breasts and chicken tenders, but a larger amount may be better for whole chickens.