How to Poach Chicken The Easy Way
Step-by-step directions and a short video to help you learn how to poach chicken so it turns out juicy and never dry.
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 4 cups water, *
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons peppercorns, or 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, *
Instructions
Prep:
- Place the chicken breasts in a large soup pot and cover them with cold water, enough to cover the chicken by 2 inches. While you can use chicken broth, this liquid will be discarded, so I recommend seasoning the water well instead of wasting it.
- Season the water with salt, peppercorns or ground pepper, and thyme at a minimum. Sometimes I throw in a few sprigs of rosemary or any other dried herbs I have around. You can't go wrong.
Poach:
- Bring the water in the pot to a boil (uncovered). Then, use tongs to flip the chicken breasts over. Cover the pot with a lid and turn off the heat.
- Let the chicken sit in the hot water for 10 minutes, without opening the lid. After 10 minutes, quickly remove one piece, recover with the lid to keep the heat in, and check that the thickest part has reached an internal temperature of 165F. Thicker, extra-large breasts might need up to 15 minutes.
Use & Store:
- Remove the chicken breasts from the pot and set them on a large board. Allow them to rest for 5 minutes before slicing, shredding, or dicing. Serve.
- Store cooled poached chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 722mg | Potassium: 451mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.02g | Vitamin A: 56IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg
