Fitness / March 16, 2024

Juicy Poached Chicken

This simple and succulent chicken recipe is the perfect protein base for your next dinner!

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One thing I love about chicken is that it’s a fairly neutral protein, so even picky eaters will enjoy it. Poached chicken acts as a blank canvas for you to paint with whatever sides, sauces, and salads you see fit. It’s truly a universal dish you’ll find in Cantonese recipes and Julia Child’s cookbook, so yeah—talk about versatile.

Poached chicken is as juicy as a steak and has a savory, lemony garlic flavor. You won’t be “wowed” by the flavor here, nor are you meant to be. My poached chicken is simply meant to be a lean, healthy protein that you can throw on literally anything. Salads, fried rice, pasta, sandwiches, you name it, I’ve put this poached chicken on it. This is one seriously adaptable dish.

Is Juicy Poached Chicken Healthy?

Chicken is considered by many to be a healthy protein, but oftentimes, we like to lather this lean meat with butter and fried batter. I know I certainly do. Poached chicken, on the other hand, manages to maintain the tender juiciness we love about chicken breast without cooking it in oil or butter. All you need to make this chicken tender is a bit of lemon and water. So, is this recipe healthy? Absolutely. The chicken itself contains high concentrations of B vitamins and minerals such as phosphorus and selenium which help with all sorts of stuff from heart health to bone density.

The power of poaching

I adore oil and butter just as much as the next chef. They both act as catalysts for flavor and even help give the chicken that appetizing pan-seared look we all love. But when you’re looking to reduce your caloric intake, water proves to be a surprisingly useful ingredient when poaching chicken. However, poaching isn’t just boiling your chicken. It’s a much gentler process. Boiling chicken often leads to tough and rubbery meat. In contrast, poaching chicken involves cooking it in water that’s hot enough to cook it thoroughly but not so hot as to cause rapid boiling. This method is key to getting a perfectly moist and tender chicken breast. Poaching is an example of how, sometimes, less is indeed more.

INGREDIENTS

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts approximately 8.5 oz each
1 lemon quartered
1 bay leaf
2 cloves of garlic minced

INSTRUCTIONS

Prep

Bring chicken to room temperature for even cooking.

Fill

Use enough water in the pan to fully submerge the chicken.

Flavor

Enhance the poaching liquid with lemon, bay leaf, and garlic.

Boil

Start the poaching process with a rolling boil.

Poach

Let the chicken cook gently off the heat for perfect doneness.

Check

Slice the chicken to reveal its juicy tenderness.

Store

Cool and refrigerate if saving for later.

Serve

Enjoy the deliciously poached chicken.

Devour!

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store?

While I’d recommend serving this right away, poached chicken also tastes delicious cold on salads or sandwiches. Store in foil or an air-tight container. It’ll be good for 3 to 5 days. You could freeze it, but I’ve yet to enjoy thawed poached chicken. But you do you!

Can I add other spices to this recipe?

Absolutely! I’ve added thyme and rosemary before for a more complex herbaceous flavor. You could also use more Asian herbs like ginger and green onions.

Can I poach the Chicken in a broth instead of water?

Yes! In fact, I’ve found that using chicken or veggie broth is especially tasty for sandwiches. Go for it!

Can I poach frozen chicken breasts?

I wouldn’t. Frozen chicken breasts probably won’t cook evenly, so you’ll have parts of meat that are overdone (and underdone). If you plan on using frozen chicken, thaw it first.

Serving Suggestions

This is the fun part! Poached chicken goes with anything and everything. Serve it on rice, pasta, salads, tacos, and more. With this recipe, the sky is the limit. Lately, I’ve been really into Indian food, so I like to top it on my vegetable curry. I also enjoy cutting the breasts into smaller pieces and putting them on cauliflower fried rice.

Juicy Poached Chicken

This simple and succulent chicken recipe is the perfect protein base for your next dinner!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 75kcal

Author FoodFaithFitness

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts approximately 8.5 oz each
1 lemon quartered
1 bay leaf
2 cloves of garlic minced

Instructions

Remove the chicken breasts from the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking to allow to come to room temperature.
Fill a saucepan with enough water to submerge the chicken breasts by at least 2 inches when placed in a single layer.
Add the quartered lemon, bay leaf, and minced garlic to the water for added flavor.
Bring the water to a rolling boil.
Carefully place the chicken breasts in the boiling water, cover with a lid, and bring back to a boil. Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside for 20 minutes, allowing the chicken to poach in the hot water.
After poaching, remove the chicken breasts from the water and slice to check it.
If not serving immediately, allow the chicken to cool uncovered before storing in the fridge.
DEVOUR!