Easy Poached Chicken Recipe
Poached chicken is so easy and there are countless ways to use and serve this juicy chicken from salads to sandwiches. The chicken is tender and has a very neutral flavor profile. So, it’s just as versatile as it is moist to use in the recipe of your choice. There are gentle flavors including lemon, onion, fresh herbs, peppercorns, and optional white wine, and they are mellow yet just enough to perfectly and lightly flavor the chicken.
What Does It Mean to “Poach” Chicken?
For those who have never done it, poaching just means cooking the chicken gently while submerged in liquid at a low to medium heat. It does not mean boiling. To paraphrase, poached chicken cooks by being submerged in warm liquid rather than being cooked by means of a fast or hard boil. Big difference. The former produces tender chicken and the latter tough chicken. I’ve got plenty of tips and tricks so that you have perfect, tender poached chicken breasts every time!
Ingredients for Perfect Poached Chicken
In order to make perfectly poached chicken, you only need a handful of common fridge and pantry ingredients including the following:
Chicken – boneless skinless chicken breasts are the most common type of chicken for poaching, but you can also use thighs, bone-in chicken, skin-on chicken, Lemon White or yellow onion Fresh thyme Fresh Rosemary Whole garlic cloves Bay leaves Salt Whole peppercorns Dry white wine Water Chicken broth
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Poach Chicken
This recipe for poaching chicken breasts is a cinch as long as you follow these basic and straightforward steps. Tips: You do not have to use all the aromatics listed. For example, if you’re trying to make a very light-tasting poached chicken, skip the garlic and onion as they are heavier and notable. Additionally, if you want very fresh and herby chicken, use lemon and fresh thyme, and rosemary. Personally, I always use salt and peppercorns, but it’s up to you.
More Easy Quick and Easy Chicken Recipes:
ALL OF MY CHICKEN RECIPES! Tip: If you think you’re going to use the poached chicken in either sliced, cubed, or shredded formats it’s easier to do this when the chicken is warm and fresh as opposed to when it’s chilled or frozen so plan ahead. You can even keep some diced and some shredded in different freezer-safe containers to make it easier on yourself when you’re going to use leftover poached chicken. When thinking about recipes where you use shredded poached chicken, one good rule of thumb is that most any recipe that calls for shredded (store-bought) rotisserie chicken it will be fine to substitute shredded poached chicken instead. Here are some recipes with poached chicken breasts that you can try: – Chicken Salad Sandwiches– Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos– Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas– 20-Minute Chicken Tinga Tacos– Loaded Chicken Enchilada Nachos– Easy 30-Minute Chicken Enchilada Chili– Salsa Verde Chicken Chilaquiles– Chicken Pot Pie Soup– Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup– Easy 30-Minute Chicken Noodle Soup (reader favorite!) Bonus – each of these recipes is ready in less than 30 minutes! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Chicken Salad – This classic chicken salad recipe is great for sandwiches, on crackers, over a bed of lettuce, or just dig in with a fork! You can’t go wrong with this FAST and EASY and chicken salad that’s a tried and true FAMILY FAVORITE! Garlic Butter Chicken — Tender, juicy chicken bathed in a rich garlic butter sauce with a splash of wine for extra flavor! This EASY stovetop chicken recipe is ready in 15 minutes and will become a family FAVORITE! Creamy Dijon Chicken Skillet —Tender, juicy chicken bathed in a divine cream sauce made with garlic, cream, Dijon mustard, and a splash of wine for extra flavor! This restaurant-quality EASY stovetop chicken is ready in 20 minutes and will be a family FAVORITE! Lemon Butter Dijon Skillet Chicken – Tender, juicy chicken with a scrumptious sauce made with lemon butter, Dijon mustard, and a splash of wine for extra flavor! This EASY stovetop chicken recipe is ready in 15 minutes and will become a family dinner FAVORITE! Better-Than-Takeout Cashew Chicken — Juicy chicken, crisp-tender vegetables, and crunchy cashews coated with the best garlicky soy sauce! Skip takeout and make your own restaurant-quality meal that’s easy, ready in 20 minutes, and healthier! Better-Than-Takeout Sticky Chicken — Stop calling for takeout or going to the mall food court and make this AMAZING sticky chicken at home in 15 minutes! So EASY with the perfect balance of sweet and spicy with plenty of sticky sauce! Chinese Sweet and Sour Chicken — This sweet and sour chicken recipe takes just 15 minutes to make and tastes way better than takeout. Perfect for a weeknight dinner! Easy Better-Than-Takeout Chicken Fried Rice — One-skillet, ready in 20 minutes, and you’ll never want takeout again after tasting how good homemade is! Way more flavor, not greasy, and loads of juicy chicken! Healthier Orange Chicken — Stop calling for takeout or going to the mall food court and make this HEALTHIER orange chicken at home in less than 10 minutes! EASY, authentic, and so INCREDIBLE that you’ll never miss the fat and calories! Thai Chicken Coconut Curry – An EASY one-skillet curry that’s ready in 20 minutes and is layered with so many fabulous flavors! Low-cal, low-carb, and HEALTHY but tastes like comfort food! Green Thai Curry with Chicken — An EASY, one-skillet green curry that’s ready in 20 minutes and tastes BETTER than from a Thai restaurant! It’s healthy comfort food that tastes AMAZING! Thai Yellow Curry with Chicken — Better-than-takeout yellow curry is EASY and ready in 25 minutes! Healthy comfort food with the PERFECT amount of heat and lots of textures and flavors in every bite! Impress your friends and family and make this DELICIOUS curry at home! Skillet Lime Cilantro Chicken – EASY, juicy, tender chicken thighs with plenty of tangy lime and fresh cilantro! Ready in 30 minutes, starts on the stove, and finishes in the oven! Skinny Mexican Chicken Skillet — EASY, ready in 20 minutes, and is a skinny recipe that keeps you full and satisfied! A great Mexican-inspired meal that’s naturally gluten-free and is a flavor FIESTA in your mouth!
