While it’s best to strive for two hot, meat meals for Shabbos, sometimes it’s too hot for hot (meals that is)! We like to have salads in August, including our main course of chicken salad. Our logic is that we think it’s okay to eat cold food a couple of times a year, for the sake of not experiencing discomfort on Shabbos. Making chicken salad, of course, calls for poaching chicken breasts. If you don’t know the technique, you’ll end up with rubbery, tough, tasteless chicken. Which is a bummer.
Lucky for you, I have the perfect method to guarantee perfect results, every time: poached chicken breasts that are succulent, juicy, tender, and flavorful. The flavor and texture will elevate a simple chicken salad, to gourmet heights!
How to Poach Chicken Breasts for Chicken Salads
Looking for a tried and true method for preparing perfect poached chicken breast for chicken salad? This is it. Follow the steps exactly and keep a close watch on things for tender, flavorful breast meat, every time. Save the poaching liquid to use in recipes in place of chicken stock—it keeps in the freezer for up to six months.
Ingredients
- 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about1 1/2 pounds)
- 1/2 preserved lemon, rinsed
- 1 small onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 large garlic clove, crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 handful fresh parsley
- 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Allow chicken to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Fill a large pot with 3 cups of water. Add salt, and stir to dissolve with a wooden spoon.
- Add chicken breasts to the pot in a single layer. Add remaining ingredients, and then fill with water to cover the chicken by 1 inch.
- Place pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Give the pan an occasional shake to more evenly distribute the heat. Lower the heat allow to stay at a bare simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken at its thickest part reaches 170 degrees F. An alternative way to check for doneness, is to insert the tip of a thin knife to check that juices are no longer pink and run clear.
- Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid and allow it to cool. Place in fridge for several hours before dicing chicken for salad. (Can be done the night before.)