How to Poach Chicken in Broth

Poached chicken can be used in a variety of recipes.

Poaching involves gently simmering either whole chicken or pieces in liquid such as broth, wine, water or a combination of these. This low-fat way of preparing chicken uses very little oil in the process and, when cooking smaller pieces, takes less than 20 minutes of total cooking time. Cooks often poach chicken in broth as a way to add flavor to the meat, but may also include other flavorings, such as vegetables or aromatic herbs and spices to the pot.

Things You'll Need

• Stock pot or large saucepan
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 carrot diced
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 1 stalk of celery diced
• 1 cup chopped fresh herbs (marjoram, parsley, rosemary)
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 boneless chicken breasts
• 2 quarts of chicken, vegetable or mushroom broth
• Tongs
• Kitchen thermometer
• Slotted spoon

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a stock pot until it slides easily in the bottom of the pan. Add diced vegetables and herbs and sauté for one to two minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften. Add vegetables and seasonings, such as portobello mushrooms, leeks, celery root, ginger, paprika or lemon juice for additional flavoring.

2. Pour in the broth and bring up the heat until it begins to lightly simmer. Turn down the heat before the broth comes to a full boil.

3. Carefully place the chicken into the pot and keep the broth remains about 1 inch above the meat. Allow the broth to come to a gentle simmer before covering the pot. Poaching does not mean rapidly boiling the chicken, which can cause the outside to cook faster than the inside, resulting in an overcooked bird. Maintain an even temperature of the broth for the best results.

4. Poach the chicken in the broth for 15 to 20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. After 15 minutes of cooking time, lift the lid of the pot --- watching for rising steam --- and pull one piece of chicken out of the pot with a pair of tongs and set it on a plate. Insert the probe of the kitchen thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. When it reads 165 degrees, pull all of the chicken out of the pot and prepare to serve. If cooking smaller pieces, cut into one of the thicker pieces. If it is cooked through, no pink inside, the chicken pieces are done.

5. Strain the vegetables out of the pot with a slotted spoon. Reserve the cooking broth and reduce for sauce or store in the refrigerator for use in soup or other recipes.

Tips & Warnings

• Cook a whole chicken in the same manor, but with a deeper stockpot and an extra 1 to 2 quarts of broth. Submerge the chicken completely in the broth, with about 1 to 2 inches of headroom to poach properly. A whole chicken will cook in about one hour.

References

• "The New Basics Cookbook"; Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins; 1989
• USDA: Focus On: Chicken

Resources

• Cooks.com: Poached Chicken Recipes