Poached Chicken
A little about the recipe…
So when you see Poached Chicken, it usually doesn’t look very appetizing. The reason is that just boiling chicken in water is guaranteed to result in dry and stringy chicken. This recipe will show you the few ingredients and changes you can implement to turn bland boiled chicken into something tasty and juicy. This recipe is a great base technique for shredded chicken. It is a great base for meal prep and as a delicious protein in other recipes like chicken salad, quesadillas and more!
The trick here is to use ingredients that are similar to when you marinate chicken. You need two key things to keep your chicken moist and to help enhance flavor and that is fat and acidity. Fat always equals flavor but it also helps keep in the natural juices of the chicken when it’s being boiled. This is why I add butter to my poaching liquid. Next, the acidity helps break down those tough fibers in meat to naturally tenderize it. My go to for this is lemon juice, but you can swap this out for any acid that you prefer. Butter and lemon juice are great neutral ingredients that enhance the flavor and make it a versatile starter for other recipes.
The rest of the ingredients in my Poached Chicken Recipe are customizable. They are mainly used to add different flavor profiles to the chicken. Herbs, spices and even the white wine can be changed out for other ingredients depending on what you need this recipe for. For example, you can add more fragrant spices like star anise and cinnamon if you’re needing this for an Indian/Chinese recipe or even for some fall inspired dishes.
One of my favorite ways to Poached Chicken it is my Asian Chicken Pasta Salad!
Step by Step…
Place the chicken breasts in a wide/deep pan and cover with water by about two inches. Add the splash of wine (if using), and then the aromatics, lemon slices, garlic, butter, and thyme. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat for ten minutes (uncovered). Remember you can change out the herbs and seasonings to suit your needs.
Cover the pan and take it off the burner. Let the chicken breast sit in the poaching liquid for about 15 minutes, depending on their size. It’s important to make sure that the chicken is as equal in size as possible to ensure an even cook. Letting them rest in the poaching liquid allows the internal temperature to come to the necessary 165 and also to help prevent a loss of moisture in the chicken.
Slice or shred and store for up to a week or eat immediately.
Easy Poached Chicken Video Tutorial
Poached Chicken
Ingredients
- 2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon minced onion ,dried
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 lemon , thinly sliced (3-5 slices)
- 1 garlic clove , smashed
- 2 tablespoons butter ,sliced
- generous splash of dry white wine (optional)
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a wide pan and cover with water by about two inches. Add the splash of wine (if using), and then the aromatics, lemon slices, garlic, butter, and thyme. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat for ten minutes (uncovered).
- Cover the pan and take it off the burner. Let the chicken breast sit in the poaching liquid for about 15 minutes, depending on their size.
- You can slice or shred and eat immediately, or add it to another dish later. This recipe is a great base recipe for making shredded chicken for other recipes. Tacos, casseroles, nachos, sandwiches, the list goes on and on.