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Poaching is an easy way to cook chicken thighs to have delicious shredded chicken for recipes and in this post I share how to do it, step-by-step!
Perfectly Poached Chicken Thighs
Poaching is one of my favorite prep-ahead steps for making epic chicken recipes. Since it’s already cooked you can add it directly to any dish, and get dinner on the table faster.
And if you’re only familiar with poaching chicken breasts, let me assure you this method is the same, but you get tastier results -IMO, since chicken thighs have that tastier, dark meat flavor that’s top-notch.
What is the Difference Between Boiling and Poaching Chicken
Boiling chicken involves cooking it at a temperature above 212F, while poaching’s temperatures range from 140F to 180F. Poaching is a more gentle way to cook the chicken, since once the water comes to a boil, the heat source is turned off.
Poaching also yields more tender and juicy meat, compared to boiled chicken’s tough exterior and dry center -the result of keeping the water boiling and the heat source on.
What You Need
You can poach boneless or skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs. You’ll need cold water (always start with cold water when poaching chicken), salt, and aromatics, such as dried herbs, spices, peppercorns, garlic, lemon, it's up to you!
Are Boneless Skinless Thighs Better or Bone-In, Skin-On
Regarding flavor and texture, there’s no difference between bone-in, skin-on vs. boneless chicken thighs- they’re both dark meat! The main benefit of using boneless thighs is they cook evenly and don’t require the extra step of removing the skin and bones either before or after poaching.
How to Poach Chicken Thighs
Follow the step-by-step directions for poaching chicken and you’ll end up with perfectly tender meat to use in all sorts of recipes. You’ll need to:
- Prepare
Place the chicken thighs in a large soup pot. Add enough cold water to cover the chicken by 2 inches, about 3-4 cups. Season the water with salt and your choice of spices and herbs. - Bring it to a simmer
Turn the heat to medium, and bring the water and chicken to a low boil. - Remove from heat
Use a pair of tongs to flip the chicken pieces over, place the lid on the pot, and turn off the heat. Allow the chicken to sit in the hot water for 10 minutes or until the thighs are cooked to an internal temperature of 175F. - Time to shred, slice, and dice
Remove the chicken from the water and place them on a large cutting board. Give them 5 minutes to cool off before prepping for your recipe of choice. If shredding the chicken, try one of these easy methods.
How Long Does it Take to Poach Chicken Thighs in Water
The cooking time for poached chicken thighs depends on the amount of chicken you are using (lbs) and the size of each piece.
By rule of thumb, once the water is at a simmer and you turn off the heat, the chicken will cook within 10-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 175F.
Around here, cooking chicken to internal temperature is the #1 rule for best results. To do this, remove a chicken thigh onto a plate, and read the temperature with a meat thermometer; if it’s 175F, they’re ready.
If you want to be on the safe side and prevent over cooking, start checking for internal temperature around the 8-minute mark.
Can You Use the Liquid from Poaching Chicken?
Yes! The poaching liquid is basically a light chicken broth that you can for soups and sauces. Once the chicken is removed from the pot, strain the liquid, and refrigerate it for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
How to Use Poached Chicken Thighs
Poached chicken thighs are great for this Pesto Chicken Pasta or this delicious Quick Chicken Taco Soup. Of course, you can build epic salads (this Southern Chicken Salad is one you need to try) or lettuce wraps for lunch. If you're a buffalo chicken fan, toss 3 cups (1lb) of shredded chicken thighs with ½ cup of your favorite Buffalo sauce.
Poached Chicken Thighs
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
- 3-4 cups cold water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, optional
- Herbs and spices of your choice
Instructions
Prep:
- Place the chicken thighs in a large soup pot. Add 3-4 cups cold water, enough to cover the chicken by 2 inches.
- Generously season the water with salt, peppercorns, thyme, and your choice of spices and herbs.
Poach:
- Bring the water to a low boil over medium heat, then use a pair of tongs to flip the chicken pieces.
- Place a lid over the pot and remove it from the heat. Let the chicken sit in the hot water for 10 to 15 minutes or until cooked through, and it reaches an internal temperature of 175F. Thicker thigh pieces will take longer than thinner cuts. Always check temperature.
Slice, shred, or dice:
- Remove the chicken thighs from the water and set them on a large cutting board. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing, shredding, or dicing.
Stanley says
Why should I discard the broth when I can I use the resulting broth in other recipes?
Laura Fuentes says
Some people use the poaching water as broth. If you’re going to do this, I recommend adding 1/2 an onion, a carrot, a celery stalk… and this way, you can have a bit more flavor in the water to use as broth.
Janna says
Was making chicken salad, but had to look up how to poach chicken thighs first. These turned out delicious and it was so easy to follow your recipe.
Shelley says
My meat always seems to take significantly longer to cook than what recipes say, even in the oven. Do you know why this might be?
I used relatively small boneless, skinless thighs and after 15 minutes of sitting in the water the internal temperature according to my thermometer was not even 160.
Laura Fuentes says
If cooking recipes in the oven is taking longer sometimes it’s the oven itself. Even 25 degree difference can add time -many ovens run cold -I’m not saying yours is, I’m saying that using an oven themometer (they’re cheap, like $6 on amazon) can help determine if this is the issue. When it comes to poaching, sometimes it’s the size of the pot or material, as well as how much water. they definitely take 20 minutes poaching.
Judy Nelson says
These were perfect just the way you said. Many thanks!
Laura Fuentes says
I appreciate you sharing you enjoyed this method for poaching thighs, Judy!
Christine says
Thanks dear concise step by step method I will not have dry land chicken to work with. Thank you.
Laura Fuentes says
I’m glad you enjoyed your juicy chicken!
Susan says
Could I add diced celery, onion and carrots to the poaching liquid. I normally poach chicken breasts with veggies in my microwave, drain and use it for my chicken pie recipes?
Laura Fuentes says
You absolutely can! The liquid is discarded in this recipe.
Natalie says
Followed the directions exactly and the chicken came out great! Thank you!