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
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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!!
Hi Nagi, Made this last night and once again Mr Fussy loved one of your recipes!!! (I know this because he said he “would have that again) Fab way to make sure chicken breast is perfect. Sauces are ACE!!! Thanks for sharing your lovely recipes.
I have been reading your recipes and tried a number of them. They turn out really good. I would like to say ‘Thank You’ for your recipes and the way (with so much energy and enjoyment) you describe them. They make cooking so much fun and less anxious in trying new ones.
Looking at your website has become a hobby for me. ??
Could you recommend a good chili paste recipe? Thanks! 🙂
Sounds delicious and so simple. I’m really looking forward to trying the ginger shallot sauce, looks so yummy!
Thanks Fida! Hope you do try it soon, it really is DELISH!!
Method is super! Thanks. Depending on how much higher your altitude is, you will need to increase cooking time by up to 1/4 of the original sea level time. Just use a thermometer for checking internal temp…165 for chicken and won’t be a problem. After checking as you go, you’ll know how long for next time in your area.
Thanks Carly! You tried it already?? I am going to do some research for high altitude. I am just not sure whether it’s better to simmer for longer before taking off the stove, or whether leaving it for longer will work. I might have to find a recipe tester in a high altitude location!!!
I saw this in your Instagram, and I just have to come visit. Definitely making this recipe.
Hope you do Soe! Would love to know what you think! N x
Hello teacher! There you go again! Because I steam, rather than poach [well, except eggs and sometimes fish 🙂 !] Oh absolutely believe your results and the super easy sauces . . . and the ‘water’ left is almost a weak stock . . . must do it this way . . . .
Oooh, I would love to know what you think if you do try it Eha!!!
Shalryn is right. Boiling points decrease as altitude increases. Where I live (in the Black Hills of South Dakota, USA), I’m at about 3,500 feet and the boiling point is about 207° F!
Thanks Mike! I really appreciate it 🙂 Totally forgot about high altitude, I will add notes. Undercooked chicken is yuck! N xx
“…in every country, in every kitchen, on every stove, in every pot, the boiling point of water is 100C / 212F.” Actually, not quite. I live at higher altitude in the mountains, and the boiling point of water is lower. Adjustments need to be made, whether via salt content, longer boiling times, or augmenting stovetop cooking with low-temp oven cooking. I just thought I should mention that.
Hi Shalryn – thank you so much for picking that up, I really appreciate it! I will add notes for high altitude cooking! N xx
I love this recipe, this is something that Jon can make when I am working late. I have been trying to get him to cook healthy meals for himself when I am not home (and save the leftovers for me). Great foolproof method Nagi!!
YES HE CAN!!
Nagi , only YOU can make a simple thing like poached chicken be AMAZING!!!! And your video! Incredible!!! I love the ending 🙂 do you use ivideo??? I love the editing
Hi Mila! I use Final Cut Pro 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi: As CK mentioned in an earlier e-mail he poaches an entire chicken this way. Can you tell me how long a
5 to 6 lb chicken would need to stay in the water? Would you simmer a whole chicken for a while after the water comes back to a boil when the chicken is put in? I am just afraid immediately taking an whole chicken off the heat and letting it sit for say 45 minutes might not be enough to cook it all the way through. Also can we add flavour to the water such as onion, cilantro, cumin, garlic…. whatever flavours we like? Hopefully the spices will not affect the poaching process. However please confirm if I can add salt to the water or will this dry the chicken out? Your recipe sounds fabulous and I am going to try it.
Maureen from Toronto
Hi Maureen! Using this method for a whole chicken requires more steps, you need to bring it back up to the boil. I’m afraid I don’t have the recipe on hand but will do a recipe for poaching a whole chicken soon!! And no, do not add salt. Not needed if you make the sauce 🙂 And as for extra flavours, they will not infuse into the chicken using this method. 🙂
Can’t wait to try this tonight! Love your recipes and am on a mission to try them all!! Hoping to pair this with the Thai cucumber salad 🙂
Ps. thank you for always making your recipes so easy to follow 🙂
Oooh I do hope you try this Janna, and I’d love to know what you think!
Yes, I use the same method for Hainese Chicken Rice but I have only used whole chicken.
If Dozer could speak, I wonder what he would say to a broccolini.
I think they would be swear words coming out of his mouth…. 😉
LOL poor Dozer! Broccolini stem?! Pssshhhh…
Let’s not feel too sorry for him, he lives a pretty plush life!!! 😉
One huge correction: water does *NOT* boil at the same temperature everywhere. Water boils at lower temperatures as elevation increases. Only at sea level does water boil at 100C/212F. When we lived in the Rocky Mountains in the USA, my water boiled at appx 195F. Depending on the elevation and the food, boiling may not cook food sufficiently to be safely eaten.
Thank you SO MUCH for picking that up Jem! Truthfully, I didn’t even think about high altitude cooking. I will add a note in about this. Thanks again! N x
I’m making this very soon and making both sauces for it. Yum!!
Hope you do Susan! It really is crazy good!
Hi Nagi, Love your recipes! Love the video and your Dog! So fun! Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you Diane!! 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi! What a genius and “hands off” way to cook chicken! This would be ideal for making chicken salad! So often chicken breast gets a bad rap because it is not properly cooked, now there’s no excuse for dry chicken! After all, it’s not the chicken’s fault! 🙂
Right as usual Dorothy!!! And you are absolutely right – I love using it in Caesar salad!