Why you Should Poach Chicken

Poaching chicken is great tool for cooking chicken AND making a broth. Use it right away or freeze the extras for later. Scroll down to see how to Perfectly Poach Chicken with Broth

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Why you Should Poach Chicken

Poaching chicken is a tool that I love to use when I want to stretch one ingredient. When you poach chicken you now have cooked chicken AND a delicious chicken broth, which is so versatile! Literally the perfect combo when making chicken noodle soup. You can now create a more flavorful dish or save your broth for another day by freezing the broth. Never throw away your poached liquid again—-

Here are my favorite recipes that use broth

Are there health benefits from poaching chicken?

“Chicken is a protein-rich meat that is healthy for muscle strength, conditioning and agility. When poached, chicken is also high in B vitamins. Different B vitamins perform unique functions, such as boosting metabolism, increasing production of red cells and backing the immune system.” Full article here

Ways to make your broth more Flavorful

When I make a broth, I’ll add any aromatics I have leftover in my fridge which mostly includes celery, carrots, onions, ginger, garlic. Simmering with fresh and dried herbs will enhance your broth. My favorite additive is to throw in a Parmesan cheese rind. Make sure to keep any leftover cheese rind to create a savory broth.

Poached Chicken & Broth

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lb skinless, boneless chicken breast or thighs
• 1 cup aromatics chopped(carrots, celery, onion)
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 2 bay leaf
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp of your favorite seasonings (I used the 21 seasoning from Trader Joes)
• 1 ½ tsp sea salt
• 6 cups water

Instructions

• Add chicken, garlic, shallot, bay leaf, thyme, seasonings and the salt to a large pot on medium high heat. Cover the chicken with 6 cups of water. Wait until the liquid comes to a simmer. You’ll see some white scummy foam collecting on the surface as the water comes to a boil, skim this off if you’re using the broth.
• Once boiling, cover the pot and turn down the heat to low. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes. Using a internal thermometer, make sure the chicken has reach a internal temp of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Transfer to a bowl or cutting board and prepare how you’d like (shred with a fork, slice up with a knife, etc). Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 days
• SAVE THE CHICKEN BROTH! Strain the broth and set aside to completely cool. Then refrigerate (if you’re going to use it soon) or freeze the poaching liquid and use it as you would store-bought chicken broth.