Poaching is a great way to cook boneless chicken pieces. You do not need fat or oil but the result of this cooking method is juicy, succulent chicken. You can poach chicken for burritos, salads, pot pies, and sandwiches. You can also thicken up the poaching liquid and make it into a sauce.
Eggs, fish, beef, pork, and pears can all be poached too, as can a lot of other foods. Poached chicken is lower in sodium than store bought rotisserie chicken and it is really moist and tender. You can poach chicken in herbed water, wine, broth, coconut milk, fruit juice or pretty much any other liquid.
Rotisserie Oven
How to Poach Chicken
Put some chicken breasts into a pot in one layer. You can get a pair of chicken breasts snugly into a two quart pan. Add whichever poaching liquid you want to use, covering the chicken with it by an inch.
You can also add some aromatic vegetables like onions, celery, ginger root, lemon, garlic, and carrots, as well as herbs like bay leaf, rosemary, parsley, oregano or thyme and spices such as allspice, chilies, and peppercorns.
Bring the liquid to a boil, then immediately turn down the heat, partly covering the cooking pot, and cook it at a bare simmer for twelve to fifteen minutes. The chicken needs to be submerged in liquid the whole time, so add more if need be.
Turn off the heat, take the chicken out and eat it hot or chill it for later use. You can shred or slice it or serve it whole.
Lemon Poached Chicken Recipe
The following recipe is very easy and the chicken takes on the subtle flavors of white wine and lemon, as well as a hint of mustard.
You can serve this lemon poached chicken recipe with rice or potatoes and some seasonal vegetables. This recipe serves four people. The parsley is optional but it does add some color, as well as a good flavor.
You will need:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup skim milk
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
How to make it:
Use the pepper to season the chicken. Combine the wine, lemon juice, lemon peel, and chicken broth in a big, deep skillet and bring it to a boil.
Add the chicken, and then turn the heat down to medium low. Cover the skillet and simmer the chicken for 12 to 15 minutes, until it is cooked. Take out the chicken and put it on a serving plate.
Combine the cornstarch, milk, and mustard until smooth, and then stir this mixture into the liquid in the skillet. Turn the heat up to medium and cook, stirring all the time, until the mixture is thick.
Put the chicken back in the skillet and coat it well with the sauce. Sprinkle the parsley over it and serve immediately.
