How to Poach Chicken Breasts

From Emma Christensen. She likes using boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this cooking method, but you can also use bone-in chicken breasts or even thighs or drumsticks. The chicken can be cooked with the skin on, but she prefers to remove it because the skin doesn't really add anything with this cooking method (it's more of a help when roasting or grilling). She also likes to strain the poaching liquid and use it for soups and cooking grains, and finds that leaving the skin on makes the liquid overly oily for her taste.

To bump up the flavor, I add whatever aromatics I have in the kitchen — a bay leave, a few smashed garlic cloves, any herbs that need using up. If I have some leftover wine or an open bottle of beer, I'll add some of that to the poaching liquid, too. All of these will season the chicken as it poaches, making it more flavorful and fun to eat.

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