Poached Chicken Breast
Everyone should know how to prepare poached chicken breast, it is such a simple cooking method and is so versatile.
Why This Recipe Works
- So simple, no fussing or stirring required!
- Poached chicken is versatile, serve it for dinner, shred it for sandwiches even turn it into homemade chicken baby food.
- It's tender texture makes it perfect for young and old.
Ingredients you will need
To poach chicken breast you literally just need chicken breasts and water.
To make a poached chicken dinner with mashed potatoes, green beans, lemon cream sauce and crispy chicken skin crumb then you will need:
Ingredient Notes and Substitutes
- Green beans: Frozen or fresh is fine, or this can be substituted for a seasonal green vegetable such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, broccolini, zucchini
- Parsley: Fresh or dried is fine
- Garlic Powder: Garlic powder or garlic granules will both work. As the sauce does not cook for long, fresh garlic can be a little too strong in this recipe.
This recipe was sponsored by Countdown Supermarkets, they stock everything you will need to make a delicious poached chicken dinner. I always stock my pantry and fridge with their own brand products as they provide great quality and excellent value!
I've used some of my favourite Countdown brand products in this recipe including, chicken breast, cream, cottage cheese, butter and green beans.
How to Poach Chicken
Below are illustrated step-by-step instructions to make poach chicken breasts, if you prefer just the written instructions then head straight to the printable recipe card below.
Prep: Remove the chicken skin from your chicken, don't throw it away it's delicious as chicken skin chips, which can be crumbled over the final meal.
If your chicken breasts are very large, slice them into smaller portions (around 200-250 grams) in weight.
You need a saucepan that is big enough to fit your chicken breasts, in a single layer. Fill a saucepan or Dutch oven with water, so that when you add the chicken breasts they will be covered by at least 2 inches of water.
Step one: Bring the water to the boil, add the chicken and pop the lid back on. Turn the heat off.
Step two: Let the chicken poach in the hot water for without removing the lid for 40 mins. After this time your chicken should be cooked. You can double check the chicken is cooked by checking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer, it is cooked if the temperature is 76 degrees Celsius or above.
If your chicken is not cooked after this time (if your pot did not hold its heat well or if the chicken breasts are large this could occur) return the pot to the heat, and simmer until cooked.
Step four: Rest the poached chicken on a board for a few minutes before slicing.
Enjoy!
Top Tips
Here is how you can make a delicious poached chicken dinner your family will love!
- Don't be tempted to salt the water when you are using this method to poach chicken, (salt actually changes the temperature that water boils at, so it actually changes the poaching temperatures).
- You can flavor the water with lemon slices, bay leaves, peppercorns or a bouquet garni if you wish
- When you slice your chicken breast, slice it against the grain, for a chicken breast this means slicing the breast on an angle lengthways.
- Please don't throw away the chicken skin, use it to make chicken skin chips which you can crumble over the poached chicken, the little salty crunchy bits make the meal scrumptious
- Serve your poached chicken with my quick lemon cream sauce, and when I say quick I mean quick, it's ready in under a minute!
- Add an extra chicken breast to the pot so that you can make shredded chicken sandwiches for lunches, chicken salads or homemade chicken baby food.
FAQs
Food safety authorities recommend 76 degrees Celsius as the temperature at chicken breast should be to be considered cooked.
Poached Chicken Breast
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Ingredients
- 500 grams chicken breast 2 x 250 gram chicken breast
- water
Instructions
- If your chicken breasts are very large, slice them into smaller portions (around 200-250 grams) in weight.
- You need a saucepan that is big enough to fit your chicken breasts in, in a single layer. Fill a saucepan with water, so that when you add the chicken they will be covered by at least 2 inches of water.
- Bring the water to the boil, add the chicken and pop the lid back on. Remove from the heat.
- Let the chicken poach in the hot water without removing the lid for 30 mins. After this time your chicken should be cooked. You can double check the chicken is cooked by checking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer, it is cooked if the temperature is 76 degrees Celsius or above.
- If your chicken is not cooked after this time (if your pot did not hold its heat well or if the chicken breasts are large this could occur) reutn the pot to the heat, and simmer until cooked.
- Rest the poached chicken on a board for a few minutes before slicing.
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