How to Poach Chicken Breast

This is the easiest method to poach chicken breast so that it's perfectly cooked and juicy, every time! This tutorial will show you that poaching chicken is so much easier than you may think. Poached chicken is great for meal prep and can be shredded or diced and used in so many different recipes.

Course Light Lunch

Cuisine Australian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 40

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 132kcal

Author Sally

Equipment

thermometer

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts
Water enough to cover the chicken
1 chicken stock cube
1 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves

Instructions

Place the chicken breasts in a pot. Cover them with water, ensuring the water level is high enough to fully submerge the chicken. Add the stock cube, salt, and bay leaves.
Set the pot on the stove over medium heat. Let the water slowly come to a gentle boil. Avoid rushing this step—allow the liquid to heat up gradually along with the chicken.
Once the water reaches a gentle boil, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, reduce the heat to low and allow the chicken to simmer gently for 3-5 minutes.
After simmering, cover the pot with a lid and turn off the heat completely. Let the chicken rest in the poaching liquid for 20-30 minutes. The size of your chicken breasts will determine the exact time, but this method helps prevent overcooking and keeps the chicken moist. The chicken is done when the internal temperature is 74°C / 165°F.
Once cooked, remove the chicken breasts from the pot and let them rest for 5-10 minutes before shredding, slicing, or dicing. Use the chicken in your favourite recipes.

Notes

Serving size is dependant on how the chicken is used. Two chicken breast typically yield around 2 cups of cooked chicken but can vary based on the size of the chicken breasts.

Nutrition