This is the only Poached Chicken Recipe you’ll ever need! Chicken breasts are cooked in water with aromatic garlic cloves and fresh rosemary until cooked through and deliciously tender. Serve it with some soy dressing (recipe included) for the best bold flavor!
Why We Love This Poached Chicken Recipe
This boiled chicken recipe features a handful of fresh ingredients that take it from bland to bold. Here’s why we love this easy recipe:
- The soy dressing: This perfectly poached chicken is served with the very best easy to make soy dressing. It’s deliciously bold and tangy!
- Better for you: This is the healthiest way of cooking chicken as no oils or fats are added to it unlike with other methods. This recipe also has no added salt, the chicken is flavored by adding garlic and herbs to the water that it is being cooked in.
- Cooked to perfection: Poaching the chicken (letting it sit in cool water before it boils, then letting it simmer slowly) ensures you get moist, tender, and juicy chicken that’s not overcooked.
What’s the best chicken to use?
I prefer to poach skinless and boneless chicken breast. The chicken can be cooked with the skin on, but it really doesn’t add anything as it won’t be crispy. You can use bone in chicken breast if you prefer.
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How to Store and Reheat
Once it’s totally cooled to room temperature, you can store leftover poached chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat for 30 seconds at a time in the microwave until warmed all the way through.
How to Freeze
You can freeze poached chicken once it cools to room temperature. Just be sure to store it in a freezer safe container and it’ll last for up to 3 months. Let it slowly thaw in the fridge prior to reheating.
More Chicken Breast Recipes We Love
- Pan Seared Chicken Breast
- Air Fryer Chicken Breast
- Grilled Chicken Breast
- Instant Pot Chicken Breast
- Baked Chicken Breast
Top Reader Review
“I love how easy this is to make! We do it all of the time! Love the tip on boiling in water with herbs. Such a great idea!” – Beth
Poached Chicken Recipe (How to Poach Chicken)
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- 2 sprigs rosemary
For the Sauce (Optional):
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice from 1 lime
- 1 pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
For the Chicken:
- Remove any fat from the chicken breasts.2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Fill a medium-sized pot with water. Add the garlic, rosemary, and chicken.4-5 cloves garlic, 2 sprigs rosemary
- Bring to a boil and skim off the foam/froth that forms.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the water, let rest for 2-3 minutes, then slice.
- Serve as desired. We like it paired with avocado, steamed rice, and snap peas.
For the Sauce:
- In a jar add soy sauce, honey, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and black pepper.3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1 pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Secure the lid and shake well until the sauce is combined.
- Drizzle over the poached chicken and rice.
Notes
How to Make Poached Chicken Step by Step
Prepare the chicken: Fill a pot with water, 4-5 garlic cloves, 2 rosemary stems and 2 chicken breasts.
Cook the chicken: Bring to a boil, then skim the foam off the top. Then, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and cook for about 15 minutes before removing the chicken from the water.
Slice the chicken: Let the cooked chicken sit for about 2-3 minutes before slicing.
Make the dressing: Add a tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp cilantro, the juice of 1 lime and a little salt and pepper to a jar. Shake to combine.
Serve: Serve your poached chicken with soy dressing and the veggies of your choice.
Thank you for sharing this!! It is so easy & a great way to cook chicken. I love the sauce!! I could add that to so many other things!!
I’m glad you love it!! Let me know what else you try the sauce on!
I love how easy this is to make! We do it all of the time! Love the tip on boiling in water with herbs. Such a great idea!
Thank you, Beth! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
LOVE how easy this recipe is to follow! Turned out so yummy!
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it, Katie!
My mom used to boil chicken all of the time when I was younger. Shehad never enjoyed cooking so she found it the easiest way to make it.
One of my favorite methods too!!
I cook with chicken for many of our family meals. This method is healthier and so easy! I am so glad I can make it for my family!
I’m glad you love it, Laura!