Poached Chicken

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Poached Chicken — 😍❤️🙌 Learn how to make perfectly poached chicken breasts every time with my EASY and foolproof method! The chicken is flavorful, juicy, tender, and moist! Poached chicken is so versatile to use in sandwiches, soups, stews, dips, tacos, and more! 

Slices of poached chicken.

Easy Poached Chicken Recipe

Poached chicken is so easy and there are countless ways to use and serve this juicy chicken from salads to sandwiches. 

The chicken is tender and has a very neutral flavor profile. So, it’s just as versatile as it is moist to use in the recipe of your choice.

There are gentle flavors including lemon, onion, fresh herbs, peppercorns, and optional white wine, and they are mellow yet just enough to perfectly and lightly flavor the chicken.

What Does It Mean to “Poach” Chicken? 

For those who have never done it, poaching just means cooking the chicken gently while submerged in liquid at a low to medium heat. It does not mean boiling.

To paraphrase, poached chicken cooks by being submerged in warm liquid rather than being cooked by means of a fast or hard boil. Big difference.

The former produces tender chicken and the latter tough chicken. I’ve got plenty of tips and tricks so that you have perfect, tender poached chicken breasts every time! 

Poached Chicken - Learn how to make the perfectly poached chicken every time with my EASY and foolproof method! The chicken is flavorful, juicy, tender, and moist! Poached chicken is so versatile to use in sandwiches, soups, stews, dips, tacos, and more! 

Ingredients for Perfect Poached Chicken

In order to make perfectly poached chicken, you only need a handful of common fridge and pantry ingredients including the following:

  • Chicken – boneless skinless chicken breasts are the most common type of chicken for poaching, but you can also use thighs, bone-in chicken, skin-on chicken,
  • Lemon 
  • White or yellow onion
  • Fresh thyme
  • Fresh Rosemary
  • Whole garlic cloves
  • Bay leaves
  • Salt
  • Whole peppercorns
  • Dry white wine
  • Water
  • Chicken broth

Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.

Raw chicken in a bowl with peppercorns, salt, and lemon.

How to Poach Chicken

This recipe for poaching chicken breasts is a cinch as long as you follow these basic and straightforward steps.

  1. Place the chicken in the bottom of a stockpot. Choose about 4 aromatics, and add them to the stockpot.

Tips: You do not have to use all the aromatics listed. For example, if you’re trying to make a very light-tasting poached chicken, skip the garlic and onion as they are heavier and notable. Additionally, if you want very fresh and herby chicken, use lemon and fresh thyme, and rosemary. Personally, I always use salt and peppercorns, but it’s up to you.

  1. If you’re using wine as one of your cooking liquids, add it first.
  2. Add either water or chicken broth to cover the chicken by 1 inch.
  3. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat which will take about 10 minutes, turn off the heat, flip the chicken, and cover it. Let it sit off the heat for 15 minutes.
  4. Allow it to rest out of the water for 5 minutes before slicing or shredding it, and using it how you like! 
Overhead image of a covered pot with aromatics all around.

What to Serve with Poached Chicken

Slices of poached chicken on a cutting board.

Storage

Store poached chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.

Tip: If you think you’re going to use the poached chicken in either sliced, cubed, or shredded formats it’s easier to do this when the chicken is warm and fresh as opposed to when it’s chilled or frozen so plan ahead.

You can even keep some diced and some shredded in different freezer-safe containers to make it easier on yourself when you’re going to use leftover poached chicken.

Recipe FAQs

How long do I need to poach chicken breasts?

You’ll need to bring the chicken breasts to a boil over medium-low heat —that takes about 10 minutes. Then, turn off the heat, and let it sit off the heat for 15 minutes.

In total, the chicken will sit in the poaching liquid for roughly 25 minutes, but it won’t be actively “cooking” on the stove the whole time. 

How do I know when my poached chicken is done?

White meat chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 F when measured with an instant-read thermometer. Dark meat is done when it reaches 175F when measured with a meat thermometer.

However, you can pull white meat chicken such as boneless skinless chicken breasts, from the water when they reach 150-155F, and allow them to rest, outside of the water on a cutting board, for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing or shredding them. 

During the resting period, the internal temperature will rise up to 165 due to carryover cooking. Of course, you can continue cooking poached chicken in the water until it reaches 165F if that is what you prefer. 

However, for me, the chicken can get a bit dried out because remember the internal temp will still climb out of the water, during the resting period. 

What is the best poaching liquid for chicken?

In my opinion, you will get a richer flavor overall to the poached chicken if you use wine combined with chicken broth as the poaching liquid, especially if you’re going to serve the poached chicken very simply. 

However, if all you have on hand is water or broth, that is perfectly fine.

In fact, it may actually be preferred to use just water if you plan to use the poached chicken as, say, the shredded chicken in Chicken Tinga Tacos or Salsa Verde Chicken Chilaquiles where you simply don’t want or need more flavors going on.

Takeaway: In a nutshell, it depends on what you plan to use your poached chicken for in order to determine whether wine, water, chicken broth, or a combo of all three, is the best poaching liquid.

Do I have to use wine to poach chicken?

You don’t have to! I always have a bottle of dry white wine open and it adds a richer depth of flavor so I use it, but it’s up to you.

If you want to use wine, make sure it’s a dry white wine such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Grigio.

Collage of poached chicken images.

Recipes Using Poached Chicken Breasts

Poached chicken is so versatile and whether you want to use it in soups, stews, or over chicken salads, it’s a great choice.


When thinking about recipes where you use shredded poached chicken, one good rule of thumb is that most any recipe that calls for shredded (store-bought) rotisserie chicken it will be fine to substitute shredded poached chicken instead.


Here are some recipes with poached chicken breasts that you can try: 


Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos
Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas
20-Minute Chicken Tinga Tacos
Loaded Chicken Enchilada Nachos
Easy 30-Minute Chicken Enchilada Chili
Salsa Verde Chicken Chilaquiles
Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Easy 30-Minute Chicken Noodle Soup (reader favorite!)


Bonus – each of these recipes is ready in less than 30 minutes!

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4.78 from 9 votes

Poached Chicken

By Averie Sunshine
😍❤️🙌 Learn how to make perfectly poached chicken breasts every time with my EASY and foolproof method! The chicken is flavorful, juicy, tender, and moist! Poached chicken is so versatile to use in sandwiches, soups, stews, dips, tacos, and more! 
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Additional Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
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Equipment

  • 1 Large Stockpot
  • 1 Meat Thermometer

Ingredients  

  • 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1.50 to 2 pounds total*
  • Aromatics including:, choose about 4**
  • 1 lemon, quartered or diced into large chunks
  • 1 or 2 thick slices white or yellow onion
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 hole garlic cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 teaspoons salt, or as desired
  • 1 teaspoons whole peppercorns, or as desired
  • Poaching liquids:, use one, two, or all three
  • 1 cup cold dry white wine, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio
  • 4 cups cold water
  • 4 cups room temperature chicken broth

Instructions 

  • Place the chicken on the bottom of a large stockpot.
  • Chose about 4 aromatics and add them to the pot. Tips – I always use salt and pepper, along with lemon, and fresh herb(s). I am less likely to use onion and garlic if I am poaching chicken for a salad but would include them if I know I am making tacos with the chicken; it's personal preference and end-goal dependent what aromatics to choose.
  • If you are using wine, add 1 cup wine. If you are not using wine, jump to the next step.
  • Then cover the chicken by about 1 inch with either water, chicken broth, or a combo.
  • Bring the liquid to a boil over low to medium-low heat***; it will take about 10 minutes.
  • Flip the chicken over and cover the stockpot with a lid and take it off the stove.
  • Leave the pot covered, off the heat, for 15 minutes. Check the temperature with a digital thermometer. It should read 150-155F for white meat and 160-165F for dark meat. If it doesn't, allow it to stay in the water until it does.
  • Remove the chicken from the water, place it on a cutting board, and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Note – You cannot skip the resting step because during this time the internal temp of the chicken will continue to rise to 165F for light or white meat or 175F for dark which are the internal temperatures at which chicken is considered safe.
  • Slice, dice, chop, or shred the chicken and serve as desired. Extra chicken will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Tips – It's easier to slice or shred it when it's still warm rather than trying to do it after you've refrigerated it or frozen it. If freezing shredded chicken, I like to do it in single-serving plastic containers for faster thawing.

Notes

*You can also use thighs, chicken with or without skin, and bone-in or boneless however boneless skinless breasts are the most common to poach.
**You do not have to use all the aromatics listed. For example, if you’re trying to make a very light-tasting poached chicken, skip the garlic and onion as they are heavier and notable. Additionally, if you want very fresh and herby chicken, use lemon and fresh thyme and rosemary. Personally, I always use salt and peppercorns but it’s up to you.
***Do not try to rush the process and use high heat. The chicken will be at risk of overcooking and/or cooking too quickly both of which will result in dry tough chicken.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 175kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 56mg, Sodium: 2568mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Easy Better-Than-Takeout Chicken Fried Rice in a skillet.

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Healthier orange chicken in a skillet topped with orange slices.

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Thai Chicken Coconut Curry in a skillet.

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overhead view of green chicken curry in a large skillet.

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Skinny Mexican Chicken Skillet.
4.78 from 9 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

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Comments

    1. Exactly, it’s perfect for when you don’t want to run out to buy a rotisserie chicken or need chicken on hand to add to other recipes!