This is the only way to make poached chicken breast that guarantees it comes out perfectly cooked and ridiculously juicy, every single time! No fancy kitchen gadgets required.
The chicken is so juicy, you can eat it plain with no sauce, I swear. But because I love sauces so much, I’m serving this perfect poached chicken breast with a classic Ginger Shallot (Scallion) Sauce. So good, you will want to put it on everything!
Every since I discovered this genius way to poach chicken breast well over a decade ago, I have never used any other method. In fact, I barely consider this cooking. Well of course, the chicken is cooked. But this technique to poach chicken can barely be considered cooking.
Because this is all you do: Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Plonk in chicken breast. Bring the water back up to the boil, plonk the lid on, then remove the saucepan from the stove. Let it stand for 20 – 45 minutes (seriously, there’s a big window!). And hey presto! A chicken breast that is so perfectly cooked and so crazy juicy, you will not believe your eyes!
Every time I make this, I always have a twinge of self doubt, worried that when I cut into the chicken it won’t be cooked through. And every single time, I worry for no reason. Because it always works. Always. Every single time. I have never had a fail – ever.
This is truly a foolproof recipe. And the simple reason is this: in every country, in every kitchen, on every stove, in every pot, the boiling point of water is 100C / 212F*. Because that is the key to this recipe: by simply leaving chicken breast submerged in boiling water and removing the saucepan from the stove, the chicken cooks in the residual heat but the falling water temperature is such that it does not allow the chicken to overcook.
It is bizarrely hard to take a photo that truly captures the juiciness of this chicken, but you can definitely see it in the video (below the recipe). You can literally see the glisten of juice on each slice as I slice it with my Baby Hands.
* Except at high altitudes, see recipe notes about this.
I mentioned earlier that this perfect poached chicken breast is so juicy, you can eat it plain. Honestly, try it. You won’t believe me until you try it for yourself.
In fact, it’s so juicy you can even eat it cold, straight out of the refrigerator. Yes, I put myself through the paces to really test out this recipe for you!! 😉
However, as good as the perfect poached chicken breast is, I couldn’t resist serving it up with a sauce. For today, I chose a Ginger Shallot Sauce. Aka Ginger Scallion Sauce, to the Americans reading this. ❤️ Or Ginger Spring Onion Sauce.
I am not actually sure of the real original of this sauce. It is basically the sauce used for Hainanese Chicken – in fact, this whole recipe I’m sharing today is like a simpler, much faster version of Hainanese Chicken (minus the rice). This sauce is also similar to David Chang’s recipe which I use in his Momfuku Marinated Beef Skirt Steak Ssam recipe that I shared in my early days.
Do not be fooled by the short ingredient list. This Ginger Shallot Sauce packs a serious flavour punch and is so good, you will want to put it on everything. Long after the chicken is gone, you will be dolloping it on the rice.
In fact, you know what? It’s 5.52pm on Monday right now. And 2 seconds after I hit publish, I’m making this for dinner for about the 3rd time in the last week. It’s that easy, that fast and that good! – Nagi x
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Foolproof Poached Chicken with Ginger Shallot Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts , boneless skinless, 250g/8.5 oz each (Note 1)
Ginger Shallot Sauce
- 3 - 4 shallots / scallions , green and white part thinly sliced (1 heaped cup)
- 2 tbsp finely grated ginger
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil (or peanut or grapeseed oil)
Quick Chilli Sauce
- 1 tbsp chilli paste
- 1 tbsp Sriracha
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tsp grated ginger
Instructions
Chicken
- Take chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
- Fill a saucepan with water so the chicken breast will be well submerged with at least 2" / 5cm of water above it.
- Bring water to boil. Place chicken breast in water, place lid on, bring back up to the boil. Remove saucepan from stove and set aside for 20 minutes (it's fine up to 45 min, won't overcook).
- Remove chicken from water and slice. Serve with Sauces (below) and rice.
Ginger Shallot Sauce
- Combine and mix ingredients in a bowl. Set side for 20 minutes. It will sweat and become more liquidy.
Chilli Sauce
- Mix ingredients in a bowl. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Cooking video! So you can see for yourself how insanely juicy this perfect poached chicken breast really is!
LIFE OF DOZER
Looking thoroughly unimpressed with my offering of a teeny tiny scrap of broccolini stem…..Only because I ran out of leftover chicken after multiple takes which you’ll see at the end of the cooking video!!
I have only tried to poach chicken once before (on another website!) and it was a disaster. This one turned out so well. Thankyou so much. We love your cook book too!
Really easy and flavorful!
So good
I feel like I’ve found big chef secret ! This technique is fantastic. Thank you Nagi 🙂
This is one of the most delicious meals I’ve ever eaten. The chicken is always so soft and tender. We love the ginger shallot sauce!
I cannot stress how delicious AND authentic this recipe is. It reminds me of the Hainanese chicken I used go eat when I was younger. This recipe is foolproof. Easy and so good!!!!
Thank you ! Delish.
Thanks for so many clear, simple delicious recipes. I make a poached chicken like this & use peppercorns, ginger, salt & shallots in the water. As you say, so simple, so good. Our shallot ginger sauce is made by pouring the heating oil onto the other ingredients. Yours is just combined, no heating wow!! I have to try this. Thanks Nagi
Hello! How would the timing change if using a whole chicken?
Um is it just me? Shallots and scallions are two completely different things…
it’s referring to the green shallot (aka green onion/spring onion/scallion), not the bulbing onion
First time poaching chicken breast, and it came out lovely and juicy! I also made the ginger shallot oil to go with it, and also some chicken stock rice. Yum! Great dinner! Thank you Nagi
Yum! Will definately make this again. I added a few drops of sesame oil to the shallot and ginger sauce. My food pickie partner loved this dish and ate what was suppose to be leftovers.
This has become one of our favourite midweek meals! Love that it is foolproof but still super delicious and healthy!
Omg did a hainanese chicken rice version with this poached chicken and it was DELICIOUS!!! Idiot proof and much easier than the typical recipes for hainanese chicken rice I’d usually make. Perfect for lazy dinner nights! Poached the chicken with ginger and garlic and spring onion for the hainanese chicken rice touch!
Hi Nagi what brand chilli paste do you use Re your poached chick breasts. Love this recipe!
Fell in love with this recipe the moment I read fail-proof. I have never been good at cooking chicken so at long last maybe this is my saving grace. Thank you so much, Nagi!
Good so good, OK I tweaked it, Why not, I used noodle, thin ones, added a tad of lemon to the spring onion sauce, I did not have Chili paste so used Harissa paste instead and tossed the noodles in Sesame oil….. Oh yes and added a chicken stock cube plus bay leaves to the poaching liquid….. My husband loved it – so did I.
The baby hands comment… I laughed so hard haha great recipe
Dear Nagi,
Love your recepies.
Ginger Shallot Sauce made first time.
Tasted amazing.
Poached chicken breast, fantastic.
The best regards.
For the altitude issue, can I recommend a book called ‘Pie in Sky’ from the University of Denver. Someone had a copy when I lived in Addis Ababa, which was passed from hand to hand and was invaluable.