This is the foolproof way to make the JUICIEST Poached Chicken of your life. Dead-easy and guaranteed to work every time, this is a cracker of a chicken breast recipe that everyone should know! Use the chicken for any recipe that calls for cooked chicken – sandwiches, salads, pastas, pies, wraps and burritos.
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Poached Chicken
I feel like poached chicken is a life skill that everyone should know. But depending how it’s executed, on the one hand it can be like chewing on chipboard: dismally dry, impossible to swallow and completely flavourless.
On the other hand – the successful hand – it’s unbelievably succulent, with chicken flavour you never dreamt was possible, and so tender and juicy you can literally SEE the chicken juices sparkling on the surface of every slice.
See?
OK, so let’s get straight to the point – how to make this poached chicken in a way that literally cooks itself, has a huge margin for error, and yields the most incredibly succulent poached chicken you will ever have in your life!
How to poach chicken
Use 250g / 8.5 oz chicken breast that’s boneless and skinless
Place in boiling water, cover, then immediately take it off the stove
Leave for 20 minutes (up to 1 hour ok), then remove the chicken and slice/dice/shred
Prepared to be BLOWN AWAY by how juicy the breast is!
Barely cooking right?? *She says, smugly*
It’s not on the stove. You don’t need a thermometer. You literally walk away and just leave it, knowing that it’s fine even for up to 1 hour – which I have done countless times, lulled into a serious state of relaxation because of how much confidence I have in this recipe!
What you need to make poached chicken
Fundamentally, all you need is chicken breast. But if you’re intending to use the chicken without adding lots of other flavours, it’s nice to add some flavourings into the poaching liquid.
You can add other fresh or dried herbs and dried spices.
DO NOT add salt or other salted liquids like Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce etc. Salt will affect the temperature at which the water comes to a boil and cools, which may affect the chicken cooking through completely using this method.
Chicken breast this succulent and juicy is even delicious eaten plain when it’s freshly made. But here are a just a few more suggestions for what to make with Poached Chicken – the list is long, it’s a handy to have a stash!
What to make with Poached Chicken
Sandwiches – use sliced like cold cuts, or diced and used in a mayonnaise based filling (such as diced avocado, egg, mayonnaise, finely sliced celery, chives, red onion or green onion, mustard, salt and pepper);
Make your own Salad – slice, shred or dice and add to salads. Make your own – try it with the Honey Mustard Dressing (pictured above), French Dressing, Balsamic, Italian, Caesar, or a creamy Yogurt Dressing (5 varieties!);
Chicken Salad – Use it in any main course salad calling for cooked chicken, such as Chinese Chicken Salad, Thai Chicken Salad, Lemon Chicken Salad or Mexican Chicken Salad;
Add chicken into one of these salads to transform them into a meal:
Add poached chicken into one of these salads
Add into a pasta or rice salad;
Soups – add protein into soups, or use in place of chicken in the recipes (except recipes where cooking the chicken forms part of the broth flavour). Here are some suggestions:
Soups for poached chicken (shred or dice)
Serve with Sauce – One of my favourite ways to serve it as a meal is with a simple sauce, like this Honey Mustard Sauce pictured below. Either make a salad (the sauce is really just a dressing, so it’s made for salads!), or serve it over mashed potato or rice, or for low carb options, try creamy mashed cauliflower or cauliflower rice!
More sauces for poached chicken – here are some more sauce options for poached chicken. Some of these recipes have another protein in the recipe – just skip that part and make the sauce!
Ginger Shallot Sauce – this uses this poached chicken recipe! Tastes like Hainanese Chicken.
And a few final ideas for other things to make with poached chicken:
Burritos
Toss into stir fried noodles or fried rice
Make a giant Baked Frittata, add into Quiche or make Mini Quiches
Chicken Rice Casserole – stir it in at the end
Pasta! Use in place of cooking chicken in any pasta recipe (like this Creamy Chicken Pasta) or add it into a meat free one for an extra hit of protein
And with that – I’m out! I hope this poached chicken becomes a staple recipe for you like it is for me. 🙂 – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Poached Chicken – Foolproof, perfect, AMAZINGLY juicy breast
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts , boneless skinless, 250g/8.5 oz each (Note 1)
Optional flavourings (Note 2)
- 1 lemon , quartered
- 1 bay leaf , dried or fresh
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
Instructions
- Take chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
- Fill a saucepan with water so the chicken breast will be well submerged with at least 2" / 5cm of water above it in a single layer (can be snug but do not stack).
- Add Flavourings, if using (squeeze in lemon juice, add used lemon).
- Bring water to boil.
- Place chicken breast in water, place lid on, bring back up to the boil. IMMEDIATELY remove saucepan from stove and set aside for 20 minutes (it's fine up to 45 min to 1 hr, won't overcook).
- Remove chicken from water. Slice and be amazed how perfectly juicy and tender the breast is!! Or chop/shred and use as desired.
- If reserving for later use, cover loosely to cool then refrigerate whole – see Note 6.
Recipe Notes:
- 250g/8.5oz each chicken breast – leave in water 20 minutes
- 300g/10oz each breast – take out of fridge 30 minutes prior, leave in water for 25 to 30 minutes
- Larger than 300g/10oz – are you sure they are CHICKEN breasts?? ?
- 220g / 7oz or smaller – recipe works fine but is not quite as juicy, but still juicier than normal simmering method. Can pull out of water earlier using a thermometer – cooked breast is 66°C / 151°F, check at 16 minutes.
- Up to 45 minutes, and I still do not notice any loss of juiciness in the breast
- Around 1 hour, I notice that it is slightly less juicy – but still way juicier than the usual methods of poaching!
- Frozen chicken – must be fully thawed before using.
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
The pool filter is working overtime!
Thank you so much!!! I tried this using the high altitude instructions and used it in a chicken salad last night!! It was wonderful!!! I didn’t have any lemon or seasonings, so made it without them!!
Great recipe.
Had a bone-in breast; deboned it, added the bone to the poaching water.
Used bay leaf, lemon, garlic.
Meat was as advertised: no dryness; left it in for 30 minutes (rather hefty breast).
Going to see if the leftover poaching liquid will work as broth/stock.
Many thanks for this recipe.
Joe
Everything in my being said surely this wont work!
Everything in my being said it will taste weird!
Everything in my being said you will end up with food poisoning!
Everything in my alter egos being said trust Nagi, trust the process….You Nagi and this recipe are simply amazing – thank you so much, I am in awe!
This is a game changer! So easy and absolutely succulent and tasty chicken. And, healthy too. I used lemon, bay leaves, garlic, rosemary and thyme. Huge thumbs up from this household. And, as a bonus, the cooking water makes stock for a soup base.
This is a game changer! So easy and absolutely succulent and tasty chicken. And, healthy too. Huge thumbs up from this household.
I REALLY tried to love this, The texture is pretty good, but flavor-wise, it fell flat. I’ve gotten used to thighs. Will try lemon and a bay leaf (from my wee tree) next time.
I’ve used this recipe for boneless skinless breasts but wondering how it works with bone-in breast. Same?
Poached chicken is so versatile, This simple recipe makes juicy chicken that can be used in salads, sandwiches and stir fries and works perfectly every time.
Love this recipe – it’s quick, easy and foolproof. Tender juicy chicken every single time. I shred for sandwiches, salads or pizzas and slice with mushroom gravy and vegies.
Wow! I was sceptical of such a simple easy recipe. I was terrified I’d end up with tough, flavourless chicken. I had nothing to fear! Like the author and all the reviewers said, the chicken was juicy and soft and effortless. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
OMG life changing! I used chicken thighs cos I’m not a fan of breast meat. I only had a lemon and peppercorns. So flavoursome and clean tasting. Thank you so much for the recipe! 🫶
Thanks Nagi! We recently travelled to Singapore and our toddlers loved Hainese chicken rice. I wasn’t able to replicate the chicken till I poached it your way. Now we have very happy kids and husband and a nostalgic taste of Singapore.
I wanted to serve Guinea Fowl with crisped skin so I used this method but wrapped GF breasts (with skin) in a twist of clingfilm then, when ready to eat, fried skin side down in hot evoo until dark golden and for a few minutes on the reverse to colour. It was tender and the cling wrap kept it dry and orderly. No need to worry about it not cooking right through.
Easiest chicken ever!!!! And SO yum!
Sometimes I just pop in a star anise, bay leaf and garlic & ginger in the water. I’ll happily eat it with a drizzle of sesame oil & pinch of salt, in a salad or with rice. Oh my … simple but scrumptious!
General technique works fine. BUT definitely add a lot of salt (at least a tablespoon). Adds flavour. Impact on boiling point is immaterial (maybe 2 degrees C).
Best time saver and tastes great!!! I chop raw chicken breast into chucks (large nuggets) and freeze. Thawed some and used this method to cook today. Looking for faster and heathier ways to eat chicken. Tried this with the chicken chucks, cooks very tender, then sprinkled Jamaican style spices and ate. No more marinating, no oil, no frying! Thank you!!!
Perfectly poached chicken every time. I like to cool, refrigerate, then pull apart with forks to use in salads. I omit thé the garlic, and toss in a few peppercorns, but the lemon is key!
I just bought a two pack of breast fillets from Aldi. 1x 200g & 1x 400g. Must’ve been a very lop-sided chicken! 😂
Cooking method is perfect.
Nagi, (or anyone) do you reserve the cooking liquid in this recipe for anything? Or is it too bland because no bones etc
I most definitely save this liquid. With just chicken and no other ingredients it starts out bland but can easily become a thing of beauty! Plus, it has the mild flavor of the chicken breasts.
I would remove the chicken for whatever recipe its for and then, to that pot I would add 1 or 2 onions, root left on to keep it together. Whole or halved depending on size. 3 or 4
Carrots cut into large chunks, 3 or 3 ribs of celery cut in half or 3 depending on size. 4 or 5 whole cloves of garlic, peeled but uncut.
Then, I lay out a piece of kitchen twine and bundle together FRESH flat Italian parsley, 7 or 8 sprigs of thyme, 1 of rosemary, a small. Undle of chives, marjoram, savory and tie togther and let float on top. Into a tea ball I put 8-10 whole peppercorns and thin peels of lemon zest. Plop that in. Bring to a simmer and turn down so it is just a light rolling simmer. Let it go an hour or so. Taste for salt and adjust. More of this or that? Do it now. Want to add a splash of white wine? I do it near the end and then add and let simmer 15 mins to get rid of alcohol taste. (Specially great stock to use for risotto!)
Nagi, I’ve been loving on your recipes for a few years. So many of them are now my absolute favorites. Thanks so much for all your hard work to make them so good.