Gently Poached Chicken with Herb Broth
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen and Serious Eats.
Chicken breasts are gently poached in an aromatic broth until just tender, then served sliced with a bright herb and caper dressing.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Flavour the liquid. Combine the water, salt, onion, carrot, celery, ginger, bay leaves, peppercorns and parsley stalks in a large pan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes before adding the chicken. This gives the vegetables and aromatics time to flavour the liquid, which in turn seasons the chicken as it cooks.
- 2
Add the chicken. Lower the breasts into the pan in a single layer, making sure they're covered by at least 2 cm of liquid. Top up with a little extra water if needed so every piece is fully submerged.
- 3
Poach gently. Bring the liquid back to a bare simmer, then turn the heat right down so it barely shivers at around 75-80°C, never a rolling boil. Cover and cook for 18-24 minutes until the thickest part of the breast reads 74°C on a thermometer. Gentle heat keeps lean breast meat tender; a boil tightens the proteins fast and squeezes out moisture.
- 4
Rest in the liquid. If time allows, turn off the heat and leave the chicken sitting in the liquid for a further 5 minutes before lifting it out. This optional rest lets the meat finish gently and settle without any risk of overcooking, since the liquid is no longer actively heating it.
- 5
Make the dressing. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, chopped parsley, capers, grated garlic and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. The sharp, salty dressing contrasts nicely with the plain, delicate poached chicken.
- 6
Slice and serve. Lift the chicken from the liquid with a slotted spoon and slice. Serve with the herb dressing spooned over, and strain the poaching liquid to keep as a light broth for soups or cooking rice.
Storage
Store sliced poached chicken in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months; keep the strained broth separately in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat gently until piping hot and 74°C throughout, or use cold straight from the fridge in salads and sandwiches. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Why this label?
39.6 g protein for 303 kcal = 13.1 g per 100 kcal, so protein gives about 52% of the energy. High Protein needs at least 20% (5 g per 100 kcal), the condition in the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
0.2 g per serving
0.4 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 0.8 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- large saucepan or deep sauté pan with lid (24 cm)
- instant-read thermometer
- slotted spoon
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 303 kcal |
| Protein | 39.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 1.1 g |
| of which sugars | 0.2 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.2 g |
| Fat | 14.7 g |
| of which saturates | 2.4 g |
| Fibre | 0.2 g |
| Salt | 1.18 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
13.1 g meets High Protein (≥ 5 g, 20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
