Things You'll Need

Instructions

1

You can poach a whole chicken or just breasts. Prepare your stock by using chicken stock instead of plain or even salted water. Add your flavorings or aromatics (green onion, pepper, lemon, etc.) and preheat to 190°F to 205°F (88°C to 95°C). Be sure not to boil; there may be bubbles, but never rolling.
2

In the old Europe, they used to wrap the chicken in a layer of pork fat or a pig's bladder, but you can achieve an ideally moist chicken, by pulling up the skin and rubbing in real butter. Or use tied parchment paper to cover the chicken or pieces, making sure to cover the breast and legs entirely.
3

Lower the chicken into hot stock 190°F to 205°F (88°C to 95°C).
4

A 4.5 lb. chicken will be thoroughly cooked in about an hour and 15 minutes, but use an instant-read thermometer to be sure that the interior breast meat has reached a temperature of about 160°F (71°C) and the middle of the thigh is about 170°F (77°C). You're now ready to cool your chicken and prepare whatever recipe you have chosen