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Simple Recipes for Every Day

Perfect Poached Chicken

perfect poached chicken sliced on a cutting board cooked in chicken broth, salt, bay leaf, peppercorns and garlic
  • Serves: 8
  • Prep Time:  10 min
  • Cook Time:  15 min

Ingredients

  • 2 large chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs total)
  • 2 quarts Water or chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 peppercorns
  • 1 garlic clove, smashed

Method

  1. Place chicken breasts in the pan.

  2. Add cold water (roughly 2 quarts) to the pan until the chicken breasts are fully submerged. Add the salt, bay leaf, peppercorns and garlic.

  3. Bring the water to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Turn the heat down to low and cover the pan.

  4. Simmer for ten minutes.

  5. Check for doneness! You want an internal temp of 165°F. Once the chicken is done, take it off the heat.

  6. Let the chicken rest in its poaching liquid for a few minutes. As the chicken rests in the cooking liquid, it will reabsorb some of the moisture it released during cooking.

  7. Slice the chicken and use as you please.