Poached Chicken is one of the best ways to get a tender and juicy chicken breast so you can actually enjoy your high-protein meals!
Chicken breast is one of the cheapest and best sources of protein there is, but let’s be real, it can also be very delicate; if you don’t cook it at the right time or temperature, it can easily become like a flavorless cardboard—so easy to overcook and dry up.
During my 90-day Six Pack Challenge, one of the best discoveries I had was how to poach chicken. By using this method, you literally yield a tender and juicy chicken breast that you will love to use to make high-protein recipes! I promise, this will help you actually enjoy the process of meeting your fitness goals.
Here I’ll teach you how to poach chicken breast that’s quick, easy, and foolproof! You literally leave the chicken to cook in the poaching liquid, and you don’t have to worry if you accidentally forget it a few minutes more, as it’s off heat and won’t overcook. This method will retain the most moisture so that when you slice through it, you literally see the juices oozing out of every piece!
Afterwards, the sky is the limit to the recipes you can make with it. Spreads, salads, pastas, fried rice, or soup—you can literally add this anywhere, and all good recipes start with a delicious and juicy chicken breast.
What You’ll Need to Poach Chicken
- Chicken Breast – You need boneless and skinless chicken breast to ensure that the whole thing cooks through.
- Water – The simplest poaching liquid is water, but in other recipes, they use stock for more flavor.
- Salt – Adding salt to the poaching liquid will make the chicken flavorful. Some recipes also use aromatics, lemon, and/or herbs; depending on the recipe it will be used in.
How to Poach Chicken Breast
Prepare the poaching liquid: Add water to the pot; it should be to the level where the chicken will be fully submerged in the water. Add a generous amount of salt, mix it well, and bring it to a rapid boil.
Poach the chicken: Once the water is at a rapid boil, add the chicken, cover the pot tightly with a lid, then turn off the heat. Leave the chicken to poach for 30 minutes.
Check for doneness: Remove the chicken from the water, then stick a kitchen thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken, and it should read around 160-165F. Let it rest for a couple of minutes so the residual heat cooks the chicken thoroughly.
Recipe Notes:
- The chicken is safe to eat once it reaches 165F. If you don’t have a kitchen thermometer, an alternative way to check the doneness is to slice through it, and the juice should run clear. Nevertheless, I still highly recommend using a thermometer to ensure safe consumption.
- If for some reason, the chicken did not reach 165F after a couple of minutes of resting, bring the poaching liquid to a boil, add back in the chicken, cover, and turn off the heat again. Check the temperature every 5 minutes or so until it is cooked through.
- Put the poaching liquid to good use by using it for Chicken Teriyaki. Since the water is already salted, gradually add the soy sauce, then taste and adjust after.
The Best Way to Serve Poached Chicken: Korean BBQ-style
If you’re getting sick and tired of eating chicken breast, try it Korean BBQ-style! This has been my recent favorite among all these recipes I’ve tried.
It’s super simple—slice the chicken breast, dip it in ssamjang, and make a ssam by wrapping it in lettuce along with some radish wraps, kimchi, and pickled radish & jalapeño. Eat this all in one bite! It’s so delicious, and the flavors are harmonizing so well.
I don’t know if I’m just tricking myself or I’m going crazy, but when you’re at KBBQ you can alternate between poached chicken, pork belly, and LA galbi so you can hit your protein goals for less fat and less sodium and I promise it tastes just the same!!
Other Poached Chicken Recipes
There are several things you can do with poached chicken breast. The meat is already flavorful on its own, but it’s also a blank canvas that you can mix and match with many recipes!
- Make this Healthy and Delicious Chicken Fried Rice or Stir Fried Shirataki Noodles for a quick, easy, and satisfying meal
- Or try this Chicken and Cucumber Salad for a refreshing side dish
- Swap the tuna in Tuna Salad with Chicken
- Add them to Egg Salad
- Add it to Corn Soup or Egg Drop Soup for a boost in protein
Storing Poached Chicken Breast
For any leftovers, store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Do not leave them out in the open, and use them immediately, as they can easily dry out.
Make sure to leave a rating, a comment, or tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Tiktok when you chop them up! Yeobosayo!
How to Poach Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- Water
- 1-2 tbsp Salt
- 2 pcs Chicken Breast Around 450-500 grams
Servings Korean BBQ-style
- Lettuce
- Samjang
- Radish Wraps
- Pickled Radish/Jalapeño
- Kimchi
Instructions
- Fill your pot with enough water to submerge the chicken.
- Add a generous amount of salt and mix it well.
- Bring the salted water to a boil.
- Once rapidly boiling, put the chicken in the water, cover it tightly, and turn off the heat.
- Let chicken poach for 30 minutes.
- Afterwards, remove chicken from the water and check the internal temperature at the thickest part of the chicken; it should read around 160-165F.
- Let it rest for a couple of minutes before slicing or shredding.
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