My poached chicken recipe makes the juiciest, most tender chicken ever. Poaching is seriously one of the easiest ways to guarantee foolproof, juicy chicken breasts.
I love this easy recipe for poached chicken, and I use it all the time to make chicken for amazing salads, sandwiches, and really any recipe that calls for cooked chicken.
This is definitely one of those recipes you’ll want to keep in your back pocket. I use it for everything from green enchiladas and my favorite chicken salad to adding to this classic Caesar. I love poaching so much that I even have recipes for poached shrimp and poached salmon.
Key Ingredients
- Chicken: This recipe is perfect for chicken breasts, but you can absolutely use chicken thighs. For poaching a whole chicken, see our chicken broth recipe, where we make an incredible broth and perfectly poached chicken in 1 hour.
- Water, stock, or broth: I typically use water when poaching chicken, but for more flavor, chicken stock or vegetable broth works nicely.
- Garlic, shallot, bay leaf, and thyme: These aromatics add flavor to our poaching liquid. The combination of aromatics is up to you and can be adapted based on how you plan to use your poached chicken. For example, if you plan to add it to a Mexican-inspired rice bowl, combine garlic, cilantro, and some cumin. Adding ginger would be excellent for more Asian-inspired dishes.
- Salt: A must! By adding salt to your poaching liquid, you make sure that the poached chicken is ultra-flavorful and perfectly seasoned.
How to Poach Chicken
Poaching chicken is super simple. Start by adding your chicken breasts, aromatics, and salt to a pot, and then add enough water to cover the chicken by one inch.
Place the pot over medium heat and wait, without increasing the heat, until the cooking liquid comes to a very low simmer. This takes a few minutes and keeps the chicken soft and tender. Increasing the heat at this point to speed up the simmer will make your chicken tough.
Lower the heat and cook until the chicken is cooked through (about 10 to 15 more minutes), and then transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for a few minutes. Slice and serve.
Ways to Use Poached Chicken
Use poached chicken in salads and sandwiches, or add to recipes at the end of cooking to warm through. I love using poached chicken to make our creamy chicken salad. I also add poached chicken to rice and grain bowls. See this buffalo chicken bowl as one example. You can also use it any time a recipe calls for cooked chicken, so add it to soups, enchiladas, and quesadillas.
Perfect Juicy Poached Chicken
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
Poached chicken is tender, soft, juicy, and so flavorful. Use our easy recipe for poached chicken breast or chicken thighs. You can use skin-on chicken and remove the skin before serving. The aromatics suggested in the recipe are a guide. Ginger, chili peppers, additional herbs, onion, fennel, and carrots are all excellent options.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
1 ½ pounds (680g) skinless, boneless chicken breast or chicken thighs
3 garlic cloves, smashed with the flat side of a knife
1 shallot, peeled and quartered
1 bay leaf
2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
Water, or substitute with chicken or vegetable stock or broth
Optional for serving: fresh cracked black pepper, lemon slices, fresh herbs, and olive oil
Directions
1Add chicken, garlic, shallot, bay leaf, thyme, and the salt to a medium pot. Cover with water by an inch or two, 5 to 6 cups.
2Place the pot over medium heat and heat until the liquid comes to a low simmer. This will take a few minutes. For the most tender poached chicken, don’t try to rush this step.
3When the liquid is at a low simmer, turn down the heat to low and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. To check for doneness, an internal thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken should read 165°F, and the juices will run clear when you pierce the chicken with a knife.
4Transfer to a cutting board. Slice and serve. If you do not plan on eating the chicken straightaway, skip the slicing and store tightly covered in the refrigerator. The chicken will keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Poached chicken lasts up to 4 days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Before storing it, add some poaching liquid to the container to keep it extra juicy.
- Freezing: To freeze poached chicken, cool and drain it, then store it in a freezer-safe airtight container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw the chicken thoroughly in the refrigerator overnight before using.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
This was so easy. I love having cooked chicken on hand for protein options.
Yes! It’s such a great thing to have in the fridge!
I did not think this would work, but it did and I was so happy! Thank you for being specific on the temperature. It’s not easy believing that such a low temp can produce this result, but it does. 😀