• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

RecipeTin Eats

Fast Prep, Big Flavours

Small book

My cookbook "Dinner" now available!

  • My RecipeTin
  • My cookbook!
  • Recipes
  • Recipes By Category
    • Cookbook recipes
    • Iconic + cult classics
    • Mains
      • Chicken
        • Chicken mince
      • Beef Recipes
        • Ground Beef (Mince)
      • Pork
      • Lamb
      • Turkey
      • Shrimp / Prawns
      • Salmon
      • Fish
      • Salad Meals
    • Quick and Easy
    • Soups
    • One Pot
    • Stews
    • Slow Cooker
    • Sides
      • All
      • Salads & veg
      • Show Off Salads
      • Rice (all)
      • Fried rice recipes
      • Rice (plain)
      • Potato
    • Pasta
      • All
      • Pasta bakes
      • Pasta salads
    • Sweet
      • Cakes
      • Cheesecakes
      • Cupcakes & Muffins
      • Cookies
      • Puddings & Cosy Desserts
      • Bite Size
      • Pies
      • Slices & Bars
      • Frosting & Icing
      • Ice cream
    • Cuisine
      • Asian
        • All
        • Stir fries
        • Noodles
        • Soups
        • Chinese
        • Japanese
        • Korean
        • Thai
        • Vietnamese
      • French
      • Greek
      • Indian
      • Italian
      • Mediterranean
      • Mexican
      • Middle Eastern
      • South American
    • Dietary
      • Gluten Free
      • Low Calorie
      • Vegetarian
    • Other Categories
      • BBQ
      • Breakfast
      • Burgers
      • Cocktails
      • Easter
      • Party Foods
      • Rice Recipes
      • Roasts
      • Sandwiches & Sliders
  • Collections
  • About
    • Me
    • RecipeTin Meals
    • Free Recipe Books
    • Contact
    • Nitty Gritty
      • Policy: Use of Recipes & Images
      • Privacy & Disclosure
Home Dietary Gluten Free Recipes

Foolproof Poached Chicken Breast with Ginger Shallot Sauce

By:Nagi
Published:17 Oct '16Updated:5 Feb '19
212 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

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!

Extra juicy perfect Poached Chicken Breast guaranteed to work every single time! This technique is so easy, it will blow your mind. Served with a gorgeous Ginger Scallion (Shallot) Sauce. recipetineats.com

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!

Extra juicy perfect Poached Chicken Breast guaranteed to work every single time! This technique is so easy, it will blow your mind. Served with a gorgeous Ginger Scallion (Shallot) Sauce. recipetineats.com

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.

Extra juicy perfect Poached Chicken Breast guaranteed to work every single time! This technique is so easy, it will blow your mind. Served with a gorgeous Ginger Scallion (Shallot) Sauce. recipetineats.com

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!! 😉

Extra juicy perfect Poached Chicken Breast guaranteed to work every single time! This technique is so easy, it will blow your mind. Served with a gorgeous Ginger Scallion (Shallot) Sauce. recipetineats.com

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

Extra juicy perfect Poached Chicken Breast guaranteed to work every single time! This technique is so easy, it will blow your mind. Served with a gorgeous Ginger Scallion (Shallot) Sauce. recipetineats.com

Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Extra juicy perfect Poached Chicken Breast guaranteed to work every single time! This technique is so easy, it will blow your mind. Served with a gorgeous Ginger Scallion (Shallot) Sauce. recipetineats.com

Foolproof Poached Chicken with Ginger Shallot Sauce

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 35 mins
Dinner
Asian
4.93 from 56 votes
Servings3 -4
Tap or hover to scale
Print
  • 168
A foolproof method for poaching chicken breast with guaranteed juicy chicken every single time. Served with a Ginger Shallot (Scallion) Sauce that is so good, you will want to put it on everything! Also accompanied with a quick chilli sauce (optional). This is like a (much) faster, healthier midweek version of the famous Hainanese Chicken & Rice. Also see cooking video below recipe - don't miss the Dozer cameo at the end! HIGH ALTITUDE locations - please see note 4

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:

1. This method works for chicken breast up to 300g/10 oz. If you use a 300g/10 oz chicken breast, you must take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking, per the recipe. 250g/8oz chicken cooks just fine straight out of the fridge but I always take it out of the fridge early out of habit.
If using frozen chicken, it must be fully thawed before using.
2. This recipe works consistently every time because the chicken starts off in boiling water which is 100C/212F no matter which country, what stove, and what pot you're using! Chicken cooks at around 65C/150F, so while the boiled water is at or above this temperature, the chicken is cooking. Once it falls below, the chicken stops cooking and thus prevents the breast from overcooking, yielding a guaranteed perfectly cooked juicy chicken breast every single time!
3. Cook time: A 250g/8.5oz chicken breast will be done at 20 minutes, for a 300g/10oz one, I leave it for 25 to 30 minutes. Up to 45 minutes, and I still do not notice any loss of juiciness in the breast. Around 1 hour, I notice that it is slightly less juicy - but still way juicier than the usual methods of poaching!
4. High altitude locations: The higher above sea level you are, the lower the boiling point of water. This means that if you are located in a high altitude area, the recipe needs to be amended to boil for longer before taking it off the stove, to ensure the chicken cooks through. I intend to do some research on this and will update this note when I find out more - or if any readers leave definitive information about this!
5. Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings and the all the ginger sauce is consumed which it probably will not be because a little bit goes a long way! The oil in the sauce accounts for 150 calories of the total calories shown below.poached-chicken-with-ginger-shallot-sauce

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 167gCalories: 381cal (19%)Carbohydrates: 5.4g (2%)Protein: 40.9g (82%)Fat: 21.7g (33%)Saturated Fat: 3.4g (21%)Cholesterol: 107mg (36%)Sodium: 396mg (17%)Potassium: 407mg (12%)Fiber: 0.8g (3%)Sugar: 1.5g (2%)Vitamin A: 150IU (3%)Vitamin C: 4.1mg (5%)Calcium: 30mg (3%)Iron: 2.2mg (12%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

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!!

dozer-ginger-shallot-sauce

Extra juicy perfect Poached Chicken Breast guaranteed to work every single time! This technique is so easy, it will blow your mind. Served with a gorgeous Ginger Scallion (Shallot) Sauce. recipetineats.com

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

Previous Post
Lemon Pepper Chicken
Next Post
Smoked Salmon Appetizer Bites

Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

Read More

Free Recipe eBooks

Join my free email list to receive THREE free cookbooks!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Cooked this? Rate this recipe!




212 Comments

  1. Dorothy Jenkins says

    October 21, 2016 at 7:03 pm

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
  2. Mandy says

    October 20, 2016 at 9:02 pm

    4 stars
    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. ??

    Reply
  3. Luke says

    October 19, 2016 at 9:04 pm

    Could you recommend a good chili paste recipe? Thanks! 🙂

    Reply
  4. Fida | Sweet and Savoury Pursuits says

    October 19, 2016 at 1:05 am

    Sounds delicious and so simple. I’m really looking forward to trying the ginger shallot sauce, looks so yummy!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 19, 2016 at 7:47 pm

      Thanks Fida! Hope you do try it soon, it really is DELISH!!

      Reply
  5. Carly says

    October 18, 2016 at 11:28 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 19, 2016 at 7:45 pm

      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!!!

      Reply
  6. Soe @limeandcilantro says

    October 18, 2016 at 2:37 pm

    I saw this in your Instagram, and I just have to come visit. Definitely making this recipe.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 19, 2016 at 7:43 pm

      Hope you do Soe! Would love to know what you think! N x

      Reply
  7. Eha says

    October 18, 2016 at 10:11 am

    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 . . . .

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 19, 2016 at 7:41 pm

      Oooh, I would love to know what you think if you do try it Eha!!!

      Reply
  8. Mike in South Dakota, USA says

    October 18, 2016 at 7:59 am

    4 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 19, 2016 at 7:41 pm

      Thanks Mike! I really appreciate it 🙂 Totally forgot about high altitude, I will add notes. Undercooked chicken is yuck! N xx

      Reply
  9. Shalryn says

    October 18, 2016 at 4:44 am

    5 stars
    “…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.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 19, 2016 at 7:36 pm

      Hi Shalryn – thank you so much for picking that up, I really appreciate it! I will add notes for high altitude cooking! N xx

      Reply
  10. Dahn says

    October 18, 2016 at 4:31 am

    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!!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 19, 2016 at 7:35 pm

      YES HE CAN!!

      Reply
  11. Mila Furman says

    October 18, 2016 at 4:26 am

    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

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 19, 2016 at 7:35 pm

      Hi Mila! I use Final Cut Pro 🙂 N x

      Reply
  12. Maureen Wadsworth says

    October 18, 2016 at 4:15 am

    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

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 19, 2016 at 7:34 pm

      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. 🙂

      Reply
  13. Janna Renee says

    October 18, 2016 at 3:39 am

    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 🙂

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 19, 2016 at 7:31 pm

      Oooh I do hope you try this Janna, and I’d love to know what you think!

      Reply
  14. CK says

    October 18, 2016 at 3:23 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 19, 2016 at 7:31 pm

      I think they would be swear words coming out of his mouth…. 😉

      Reply
  15. Oddree says

    October 18, 2016 at 3:13 am

    LOL poor Dozer! Broccolini stem?! Pssshhhh…

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 19, 2016 at 7:30 pm

      Let’s not feel too sorry for him, he lives a pretty plush life!!! 😉

      Reply
  16. Jem says

    October 18, 2016 at 1:38 am

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 19, 2016 at 7:30 pm

      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

      Reply
  17. Susan in PDX says

    October 18, 2016 at 1:27 am

    5 stars
    I’m making this very soon and making both sauces for it. Yum!!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 19, 2016 at 7:29 pm

      Hope you do Susan! It really is crazy good!

      Reply
  18. Diane L Anasovich says

    October 18, 2016 at 1:25 am

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi, Love your recipes! Love the video and your Dog! So fun! Thank you so much for sharing.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 19, 2016 at 7:29 pm

      Thank you Diane!! 🙂 N x

      Reply
  19. Dorothy Dunton says

    October 18, 2016 at 12:44 am

    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! 🙂

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 19, 2016 at 7:28 pm

      Right as usual Dorothy!!! And you are absolutely right – I love using it in Caesar salad!

      Reply
Newer Comments

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

Free Recipe eBooks

Join my free email list to receive THREE free cookbooks!

Meet Dozer

Official taste tester of RecipeTin Eats! Meet Dozer
As Featured On

What's for Dinner?

Close up of beef enchiladas in a baking dish, fresh out of the oven

Beef Enchiladas

Butter Chicken served over basmati rice in a bowl, ready to be served

Butter Chicken

Overhead photo of 2 black bowls with Chinese Chicken Salad with Asian Dressing, ready to be eaten

Chinese Chicken Salad

Salisbury Steak recipe in skillet.

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken - 7 ingredient magic. The coconut fragrance is heavenly! recipetineats.com

Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken

Fast prep. Big flavours!

Never miss a recipe

Back to Top
  • Related
  • RecipeTin Japan
  • Food Bloggers Center
  • Help
  • Contact Us
  • Image Use
  • Privacy Policy & Terms
Site Credits Maintained by Zao Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled © RecipeTin Eats 2023 · All Rights Reserved Back to Top