Poached Chicken Breasts
Poached chicken breasts cook gently in garlic, lemon, peppercorns, and fresh herb-infused water. The result is juicy, tender chicken perfect for meal prepping. Whisk up a quick lemon-herb dressing to enjoy it as-is, or use it anywhere you typically reach for rotisserie chicken.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the Poached Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise if large
- 6 cups cold water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2 sprigs fresh hardy herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, or oregano)
- Zest from 1 lemon, peeled in wide strips
For the optional Lemon-Herb Dressing
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup chopped tender herbs (such as parsley, dill, chives, mint, tarragon, or cilantro)
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
Instructions
- Get ready. Put the chicken in a medium saucepan and add the water. Make sure the chicken is completely submerged, adding more water if necessary.
- Add seasoning. Add the salt, peppercorns, garlic, and hardy herb sprigs. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest from the lemon in long, wide strips and add them to the pan with the chicken.
- Bring to a boil. Place the pan over high heat and bring to a full boil. Boil for one minute, then remove it from the heat.
- Steep the chicken. Cover the pan and let steep in the hot poaching liquid until the chicken is cooked through and registers 165°F using an instant read thermometer at the thickest point, about 20 minutes.
- Drain the chicken. Transfer the chicken from the poaching liquid to a cutting board to cool slightly. (Strain the poaching liquid and save to use as light chicken broth, if you’d like.)
- Slice or shred the chicken. Use a sharp knife to slice the chicken against the grain or two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces.
Optional: Make an Herb Dressing
- Make the herb dressing. While the chicken is gently poaching, juice the lemon into a small mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, tender herbs, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Dress and serve. Pour the lemon and herb dressing over the poached chicken and sprinkle with another pinch of salt.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil used in this recipe.
- Choose smaller chicken breasts for poaching. A pound of four smaller breasts will cook more evenly than a pound of two large ones. If large, halve them lengthwise to help them cook more evenly.
- Storage: Let poached chicken cool completely before storing it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days.
- Meal Prep Tip: If you’re poaching chicken ahead of time to use later, wait to slice or shred it until you’re ready to eat it. It will stay juicer!
- How to Use the Poaching Liquid: You can use the poaching liquid in place of vegetable or chicken stock in any recipe that would benefit from the flavor of herb and garlic-infused, lemony chicken stock. Try it in Asparagus Risotto, Watercress Soup with Peas and Mint, Stracciatella Soup, or Avgolemono (Greek Lemon Chicken Soup).
Nutrition
Calories: 237.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.7g | Protein: 32.3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 96.8mg | Sodium: 964.6mg | Potassium: 587.2mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.04g | Vitamin A: 338IU | Vitamin C: 6.5mg | Calcium: 23.4mg | Iron: 0.9mg
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