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One of the best – and easiest – ways to cook chicken is to learn how to poach chicken breasts. This method really keeps the meat moist and is particularly good if you plan to use the chicken cold or add it to a dish already cooked. Because it is cooked in liquid the meat cannot help but stay tender and delicious. I like to poach chicken breasts and keep them on hand in the fridge or freezer for quick and easy salads and meals.
Like so many recipes, how well it turns out is dependant on the quality of your ingredients. Organic, pastured or free range meat is always your best bet, and it’s kinder to the environment as well. I buy my chicken from our local butcher, Greens of Pangbourne. (not sponsored, just another of my favourite local businesses).
Good chicken stock is a must. Of course you can use a good store bought stock or stock made from high quality, preferably organic, stock cubes.
How to Poach Chicken Breasts
Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a pan that will fit them in quite tightly. You don’t want a lot of space between them. The pan should have a lid.
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and add dried herbs if desired. I usually add a teaspoon of basil or tarragon, and sometimes I throw in some peppercorns as well.
Pour the chicken stock over top of the chicken breasts. It should pretty much cover them.
Put the lid on the pan, turn the heat up and bring slowly up to the boil.
Once the stock reaches a full boil, turn the heat back, keep the lid on the pan and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
After ten minutes, turn the heat off and remove the pan from the heat. Keep the pan covered and let the meat sit in the hot liquid for 20 minutes.
Remove the chicken breasts from the hot liquid. They should have an internal temperature of at least 165°F or 74°C. Poached chicken breasts can be served or used immediately in recipes or you can cool them and keep them chilled. Once cool, they can also be frozen for later use.
Poached Chicken Breasts – Printable Recipe
Poached Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 3½ – 4 cups chicken stock or enough to cover the chicken breasts
- salt, pepper and about a teaspoon of dried herbs to taste basil and oregano work really well with chicken
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a medium frying pan or saucepan with a lid. You need a pan that they just fit into; you don’t want a lot of space around the chicken.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and your choice of fresh or dried herbs.
- Cover the chicken with the stock and put the lid on the pan.
- Bring the stock to the boil.
- Turn the heat back and simmer the chicken breasts over medium heat for 10 minutes, keeping the lid on the pan.
- Turn the heat off and let the chicken sit in the hot liquid for 20 minutes. Again, keep the lid on the pan.
- Remove the chicken breasts carefully from the hot stock. Check the chicken is cooked through and no pink remains inside. Either use the chicken breasts immediately or cool and chill or freeze.
did you make this recipe?
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How to Use
Serve poached chicken breasts straight away or chill them and use the meat sliced in sandwiches, chopped in salads or simply serve it sliced as part of a buffet. Poached chicken can also be used in any recipe that calls for cooked, cooled chicken breasts.
Recipes for Poached Chicken Breasts
Strawberry and Walnut Salad with a Balsamic Vinaigrette
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Thanks April… for sharing a simple and very useful cooking techinque that I often neglect.
Thank you, Diane! Have a lovely week 🙂
hi how long will this keep as i would love it for lunches
Poached chicken is perfect for lunches, and will keep for about 3 to 4 days covered in the fridge, Robert. It’s important that you cool the chicken quickly, cover it, and pop it in the fridge as soon as you can maximise storage life 🙂
Delicious April , love this one.
Thank you, Swathi 🙂
What a great How To! And I LOVE that you use stock instead of water…great addition of packed flavor!
Thank you, Sarah! Stock really does make a big difference to the flavour.
I do crockpot poached chicken but this looks just as easy and still only dirties 1 dish!
It really is an easy way to cook chicken, Alyssa – and pretty quick as well!
What a handy post – I always have to look it up to remind myself how long to poach chicken for, will Pin this now!
Thank you so much, Jo, and thank you for pinning too!
Chicken breast is a tricky part of the bird to cook… I can’ t agree more that by poaching it, it remains tender and keep a good, but light flavor! Thanks for the information 😀
Thank you, Krystallia. Poaching really does keep the chicken nice and moist.
Thanks for the tutorial and flavor ideas! Simple, too.
Thank you, Dan!
I’m usually not a big fan of chicken breast but I love this technique. Must try. Thanks
Poaching makes all the difference, Veena. You won’t believe how delicious it makes chicken breasts!
This is a great idea for chicken salad!
Thank you, Hannah!
I’ll have to give this a try. I absolutely hate chicken breasts because they’re so dry. I’ve even tried sous vide and can’t stand them. I have not, however, tried poaching – I’ll have to give it a go!
Honestly, Julie, poaching makes all the difference 🙂
I love this! This is probably a great way to keep them from drying out while you cook!
Chicken breasts are always moist and delicious when they are poached, Sarah 🙂 It makes a huge difference!
I am not a huge fan of poaching chicken – these look so great though.
Thank you! I was a bit intimidated by cooking meat in water at first, Meeta, but the results are so wonderful. The chicken is moist and delicious every time.
How interesting, April! I will definitely try this method in the future. 😉
Thanks,
Shirley
I am sure you will love it, Shirley. Poaching is the best way to cook chicken breasts I know 🙂
Your chicken breast recipe comes in handy to salads, or to serve next to pasta or rice. Simple and useful great post, April!Pinning and tweeting 🙂
It really is a great way to prepare chicken and keep it on hand, Hadia. I’m so glad you enjoyed the post, and thank you so much for sharing!
I used to poach a lot of chicken at my restaurant, but I am really liking the tip of keeping them close together! Makes sense. This post is my feature on Thanksgiving at the Let’s Get Real Link Party.
Thank you, Patty, and thank you so much for the feature! You’ve made my day! Happy Thanksgiving to you, my friend 🙂
I love tutorials like this. Once you have the base recipe of poached chicken, you have so many recipes and ways to enjoy.
Thank you, Christine 🙂
Poaching is such a healthy way of cooking chicken! I have to admit that I don’t poach very often but it can be really versatile and a great starting point for lots of other recipes, especially chicken salads.
It really is, Corina. Thank you.
I have never ever poached anything. Mostly because don’t know how. Your directions makes look so easy. That love to try this with chicken 🙂
It really is very easy, Deanna. I hope you enjoy it!
Can the broth be used or consumed afterwards?
It’s not something I have done, Lisa, but if you bring it to the boil (after you remove the chicken) and boil it for a few minutes to reduce, I would think it should be food safe. I would be sure you get the broth to the boiling point for a few minutes though as the chicken goes in raw.
I’ve never poached chicken before but love cooking things in broth instead of water! I do this with pasta and rice all the time 🙂
Broth really does add so much flavour, Sarah 🙂
Love poached chicken! I have been doing it lately with coconut milk but I really like your way of doing it with stock – delicious!
Thank you, Jayne. The coconut milk option sounds delicious too!
Trying this for my chicken pot pie casserole. Your directions are spot on. Thank you for this. I have it cooking right now. Best receipe I found to stay moist.
Thank you, Brenda 🙂 I’m so glad you are pleased. It really is one of my go-to recipes!
April: I recently discovered poaching chicken and can’t believe how easy it is and how moist the chicken breasts are. However, previously, I have poach with water and discarded the liquid. Just wondering if it is safe to save the poaching chicken stock for use in soup. Could I freeze it?
Hi Joyce, I haven’t actually done that, so I’m not a hundred percent sure. I always use stock to do the poaching – I wouldn’t save or reheat that as I’m not sure it would be safe. I’m sorry not to be more help!
I love to Poach a Chicken and use it in salads, casseroles and soups. This is a great recipe, April and thanks for sharing it with us at Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen
Thank you so much, Miz Helen!
Whoo this does look tasty April. I have never cooked it like this before. Thanks for sharing at Creative Mondays 🙂 Hope you can join us tomorrow.
Hi Claire, Thank you! Poaching chicken breasts is one of my favourite ways to cook them. I definitely hope to pop by tomorrow too 🙂
Thanks for reminding me how much I used to love to make chicken this way!
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
I often do that with recipes, Michelle. I make them all the time and then suddenly forget about them. As you say, it’s lovely to rediscover them though 🙂