Poached chicken
Chicken breasts cooked gently in barely simmering water, for slicing or shredding through the week.
- Hands-on
- 8 min
- Total time
38 min, show breakdown
- Prep 5 min
- Cook 28 min
- Clean up 5 min
- Pans
- 1
- Ingredients
- 5
- Cost/serving
- $2.39
Per serving
- Calories
- 246
- Protein
- 45 g
- Fiber
- 0.2 g
- Net carbs
- 1.3 g
- Fat
- 5.3 g
High in (% Daily Value per serving): Niacin (B3) 120%, Vitamin B6 97%, Selenium 84%, Riboflavin (B2) 28%
Whole recipe (): . Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.
Everything else is scaled from this.
Nutrition per serving is the whole batch divided by this.
Already dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free.
Ingredients for 4
Tap an ingredient for other units and forms.
You changed this recipe. Nutrition and cost include your changes. This combination hasn't been tested.
- 4 breasts chicken breast, boneless skinless (800 g)
6 cups water (1440 g)
Same amount as: 1440 mL.
3 cloves garlic, smashed (9 g), smashed
Same amount as: 3 tsp fresh minced garlic, 1½ tsp jarred minced garlic, ⅜ tsp garlic powder.
1 tsp dried thyme (1 g)
Same amount as: 5 mL.
2 tbsp lemon juice (30 g)
Same amount as: 30 mL, ¾ lemon squeezed from fresh lemons.
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Use the menu next to each ingredient to skip it, halve it or add more. Nutrition updates as you go. The main ingredient changes with servings instead.
Amount for everything you're cooking. Missing an ingredient? Ask for it.
Healthier swaps
Optional. Nutrition and cost update as you choose; the recipe was written with the original.
Optional
Adds about 0 kcal per serving.
Quantities are for 4 servings. Keep the breasts in one layer. Keeps 4 days in the fridge; store it with a few spoons of the cooking water so it stays moist.
Nutrition Facts
4 servings per recipe
Serving size 1 plate (571 g raw)
| Nutrient | Per serving | % DV* | Whole recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 246 | ||
| Total fat | 5.3 g | 7% | |
| Saturated fat | 1.2 g | 6% | |
| Cholesterol | 146 mg | 49% | |
| Sodium | 246 mg | 11% | |
| Total carbohydrate | 1.6 g | 1% | |
| Dietary fiber | 0.2 g | 1% | |
| Total sugars | 0.2 g | ||
| Net carbs† | 1.3 g | ||
| Protein | 45 g | 90% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.2 mcg | 1% | |
| Calcium | 31 mg | 2% | |
| Iron | 1.1 mg | 6% | |
| Potassium | 689 mg | 15% | |
| Vitamin A | 19 mcg | 2% | |
| Vitamin C | 3.7 mg | 4% | |
| Vitamin E | 0.43 mg | 3% | |
| Vitamin K | 4.7 mcg | 4% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.2 mg | 16% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.36 mg | 28% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 19 mg | 120% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.7 mg | 97% | |
| Folate | 10 mcg | 3% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.42 mcg | 18% | |
| Magnesium | 62 mg | 15% | |
| Zinc | 1.4 mg | 13% | |
| Selenium | 46 mcg | 84% |
Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.
* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.
Steps
Put the chicken in the pot in one layer. Add the garlic, thyme and salt.
Pour in the water. It should cover the chicken by about 2 cm (¾ in).
Heat on medium-high until small bubbles rise at the edges, about 10 minutes. Do not let it boil hard.
Done looks like: Steam on the surface and a few small bubbles at the edge, not a rolling boil. Turn the heat to low and cover. Cook 12–15 minutes. The water should barely move.
Check the thickest breast with a thermometer: 74 °C / 165 °F. Lift the chicken out and rest it 5 minutes.
Done looks like: Thermometer reads 74 °C / 165 °F or higher. The meat is white all the way through. Slice or shred with two forks. Drizzle with lemon juice and add pepper.
Equipment
Medium pot with lid, about 2 L (2 qt) $15–35
What to look for
- Lid that fits snugly
- Thick base so it does not scorch
Skip: Glass lids that fog up are fine; copper is not needed.
Instant-read digital thermometer $10–30
What to look for
- Reads in 5 seconds or less
- Thin probe tip
- Shows °C and °F
Skip: Dial thermometers that take 20+ seconds.
Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50
What to look for
- Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
- Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years
Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.
Cutting board $10–30
What to look for
- At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
- Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher
Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.
What goes wrong
| What | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Rubbery, dry chicken | The water boiled hard, which tightens the meat. | Keep the heat low so the water only shivers. Pull the chicken at 74 °C / 165 °F. |
| Pink in the middle of the thickest breast | Breasts of very different sizes, or the thick end is too thick. | Leave the big ones in 3–5 minutes longer and check each one. |
| Bland chicken | Unseasoned water. | Salt the water and add the garlic and thyme. Season again after slicing. |
Versions
| Version | Changes | Per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Original | As written. Hands-on 8 min, total 38 min. | 246 kcal 45 g protein 0.2 g fiber 1.3 g net carbs 5.3 g fat |
| Higher carb | Add cooked white rice (microwave pouch). Hands-on 8 min, total 38 min. | 409 kcal 49 g protein 0.7 g fiber 36 g net carbs 5.6 g fat |
Notes
Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.
Pregnancy: Cook to at least 74 °C / 165 °F in the thickest part.