This gentle cooking method yields juicy chicken that can be enjoyed as is or used as an ingredient in countless recipes. While I wouldn’t say chicken breast is the tastiest option, its versatility and convenience compensate for its lack of flavor (and fat). So, I make it often! I make recipes like baked chicken breast, grilled chicken breast, and broiled chicken. But the gentlest cooking method, yielding tender, juicy pieces of chicken, is this recipe for poached chicken.
Recipe Card
For the chicken: Two chicken breasts and chicken broth.
Optional ingredients for serving: Olive oil, lemon slices, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Place the chicken in a medium pot. Add the broth and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the internal temperature of the chicken, as measured with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part, reaches 165°F.
If desired, drizzle the chicken slices with olive oil and season them with black pepper and red pepper flakes. Serve them with lemon slices.
It can also be added to salads as a way to turn a side salad into a complete meal. In the photo below, you can see it served with spinach salad. It makes a welcome addition to other salads, including arugula salad and asparagus salad.
Any recipe that uses cooked chicken can utilize poached chicken. Here are a few examples:
Chicken Cobb salad Stuffed poblano peppers Avocado chicken salad Chinese chicken salad Buffalo chicken lettuce wraps
You can also freeze the leftovers in a freezer bag for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge.
