Poached Chicken - How To Poach Chicken
Learn how to make easy poached chicken: tender, juicy, and so versatile. Use it to make salads, sandwiches, casseroles, and more!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 8 ounces each (see notes)
- 6 cups water or chicken broth, more or less as needed
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (reduce to 1 teaspoon if using low-sodium broth, ½ teaspoon if using full-sodium broth)
Optional flavorings:
- 1 lemon, cut into slices
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- fresh herbs (sprig of rosemary, fresh thyme, or fresh parsley)
- 2 shallots, peeled and cut in quarters
- 1 cup dry white wine
Instructions
- Pick a wide pan (with a lid) that is large enough for the chicken to fit in a single layer and be fully submerged in water or broth.
- Place chicken breasts in pan and cover with cold water or broth. The amount of liquid you need will depend somewhat on your pan and how much chicken you're cooking. Add salt and desired optional flavorings.2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 8 ounces each, 6 cups water or chicken broth, more or less as needed, 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. This should take about fifteen minutes but will vary depending on your stove and pan. Don’t rush this step!
- When poaching liquid comes to a simmer, flip each piece of chicken over, reduce the heat to low and cover the pan.
- After about 10 minutes, check the temperature of the chicken using an instant read thermometer placed in the thickest part of the meat. When the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF, remove from heat and transfer chicken to a cutting board.
- Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before cutting or shredding.
Video
Notes
- Sodium: Although the amount of sodium looks rather high in the nutrition information, keep in mind that most of it is in the cooking liquid. Very little sodium is actually absorbed by the chicken.
- To store: Cool poached chicken for a half hour or so before refrigerating or freezing in a tightly covered container or resealable bag. It will keep up to four days in the fridge or 4 months in the freezer.
- Increasing the recipe: You can easily double the amount of chicken you poach as long as you have a pan large enough for the chicken to cook in a single layer, with room for liquid to cover them. It will take longer for the water/broth to come to a simmer but once it does, the cooking time will stay the same (about 10 minutes).
To poach different cuts of chicken:
The process will be similar but the cooking times will vary. Remember that chicken pieces vary widely in size. Smaller pieces will be done more quickly than larger ones. Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF,- Bone-in skin-on breasts (about 16 ounces each): After water comes to a simmer, poach for 20 minutes.
- Boneless skinless thighs (about 4 ounces each): After water comes to a simmer, poach for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Bone-in skin-on thighs (about 7 ounces each): After water comes to a simmer, poach for 13 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 4oz | Calories: 72kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 1247mg | Potassium: 247mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 24IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
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