Poached chicken is tasty, adaptable, and simple to prepare. Add it to soups, salads, chicken salad, tacos, and barbecue pulled chicken by chopping it up or shredding it. It’s an excellent foundation element with a wide range of applications. Our family’s favorite poached chicken dish is this simple one.
WHAT IS POACHED CHICKEN
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs are boiled slowly in liquid until they are thoroughly cooked, and this is known as poached chicken. Usually water or chicken broth is used, and aromatics, herbs, and spices are added to flavor the liquid.
HOW TO ADD FLAVOR TO THE CHICKEN
Depending on what you want to make with the poached chicken, you may adjust the ingredients. Garlic, cilantro, and ginger are good additions to an Asian chicken salad, for instance.
Don’t overpower the tastes if you want to use the chicken for chicken salad. Thyme, peppercorns, and salt are excellent choices. You get the idea.
Here are a few flavoring options to consider:
Garlic · Onions · Carrots · Ginger · Celery · Salt · Whole Peppercorns · Coriander · Thyme · Bay Leaf · Rosemary · Oregano · Parsley · Sage · Cilantro
HOW TO POACH CHICKEN BREAST
Remove any excess fat from the boneless, skinless chicken breast. Put it in a shallow pan big enough to hold the chicken so they don’t overlap one another.
Pour the chicken stock over the chicken. Two cups is usually plenty, although it will vary depending on the size of the pan and the pieces of chicken. Add any selected herbs and spices (refer to the list of possibilities above) along with ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Preheat the oven to medium-high and simmer the stock while the chicken is cooking. This should take four to five minutes.
- Once the broth reaches a simmer, cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Gently simmer the chicken for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the biggest piece reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F in the thickest area. To be sure, use an instant read thermometer. Although the cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the chicken, 15 to 20 minutes is a decent starting point.
- Remove the chicken breast from the poaching liquid and prepare it according to the chosen recipe.
Sliced poached chicken tastes delicious on a salad with your preferred vinaigrette. My son likes it simple even. He calls it boiling chicken, and he thinks this is his favorite recipe that I cook. Figure it out!
HOW TO SHRED THE CHICKEN BREASTS
Shred the chicken into thin strips once it’s cold enough to handle. To easily do this, place it on a chopping board, firmly press it down with a fork, and then use another fork to shred it. Once you have bite-sized bits, keep shredding.
HOW TO STORE THE CHICKEN
For two to three days, keep the poached chicken in an airtight container.
WHAT TO DO WITH POACHED CHICKEN
Poached chicken can be used in a variety of ways. It is a mild-tasting, adaptable component that may be seasoned with a wide range of herbs and spices.
I usually shred the chicken and use it in soups, but salads, casseroles, and dips also work well with it. Here are some recipes to get you started using poached chicken!
Poached Chicken
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds Chicken 2 chicken breasts
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 2-3 Thyme Sprigs
Instructions
- Remove any excess fat from the boneless, skinless chicken breast.
- Transfer it to a small saucepan big enough to hold the chicken so that they don’t overlap one another.
- Pour the chicken stock over the chicken.
- Add thyme (or any other selected herbs and spices) and ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Preheat the oven to medium-high and simmer the stock while the chicken is cooking. This should take four to five minutes.
- Once the broth reaches a simmer, cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Gently simmer the chicken for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the biggest piece reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F in the thickest area.
- After removing the chicken breast from the poaching liquid, cook it as directed by the recipe of choice.