I like Poached Chicken Breast in a mayo-based Chicken Salad with chopped celery and pickle relish. Add a few slices to your favorite green salad for extra protein. Use chopped Poached Chicken in a stir fry, or many pasta recipes - cold pasta or hot.
Plus as a bonus, you have a rich flavorful chicken broth for soups or pots of slow-simmering beans.
I poach chicken breast for half an hour, covered in water. A lot of poaching recipes call for the addition of salt, pepper, and a mirepoix, which is a chopped veggie mix of onion, carrot, and celery, plus aromatic herbs.
This version is simplified so the chicken flavor is front and center. To me, any extra flavors will come when chicken is added to your salad or other side dish/entree. It's easy enough to sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper over Poached Chicken Breast before serving.
White meat is easier to handle than dark meat. For this recipe, I removed the skin and bone, but you can leave them on (you gain extra flavor, but also some fat - which is easy enough to skim off later.)
You can use cheaper dark meat if you like. Try leg plus thigh, or leg quarter. It takes more work to remove the bone so it's okay to just leave it in; add another 10-15 minutes of cooking time, too.
Poached Chicken is done when the internal temp is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. But I check for doneness by slicing into chicken and making sure there are no pink or red juices.
When chicken breast comes on sale, stock up and freeze an extra breast or two for later. Almost every grocery store around has sales on chicken, especially during holidays. I use poultry from my local Latin market, but you can use free-range, hormone-free from Whole Foods, or any favorite grocery.
Click on any photo to see larger.
My latest recipe video will come in handy for you, so do check it out. It can be used as the start of many recipes. Plus you can freeze Poached Chicken Breast to use anytime. And make sure to use the fresh and flavorful chicken broth too.
Poached Chicken - Video
Play it here. video runs 1 minute 30 seconds.
My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.
Ingredients
- 1/2 chicken breast - Okay to use cheaper leg quarter dark meat (cook an extra 15 minutes). Also okay to use a whole chicken breast (add another 15-20 minutes of cooking time).
- Water - enough to cover chicken breast.
- Salt to taste - optional. About 1/8 teaspoon.
I removed skin and bone from the chicken breast. It's okay to leave both on. You gain flavor but also add fat. Of course, you can skim off fat if you leave skin on.
Dark meat usually takes a little longer to remove the bone. It's okay to poach chicken quarter with the bone but simmer an extra 15 minutes to cook all the way through.
Add chicken to a pot and cover with water. Season with a dash of salt and pepper if you like. I usually leave out seasonings and veggies. When Poached Chicken is used later you can sprinkle on salt and pepper. And when added to a stir fry, salad, or pasta, I'm sure there are plenty of veggie flavors then.
Bring water to a boil and low boil for 15 minutes. After fifteen minutes turn over the breast and low boil for another 15 minutes. You can cook the chicken with or without a pot lid on.
After, remove the chicken and check for doneness. Poached chicken is done when the internal temp is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Or slice into the breast - there should be no red or pink juices. It is easy enough to let it simmer for another 5 or 10 minutes. It's cooking in water so the breast won't dry out.
When chicken breast is done remove and let it cool for for 5 minutes or so. You can store it in the refrigerator whole, or go ahead and shred or chop it up.
Use the Poached Chicken Breast in salads, pasta, or stir fry.
And save the chicken broth to add to a favorite soup or pot of beans. That's a lot of extra flavor.
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