poached whole chicken

Poaching a whole chicken is one of the easiest and most economical things to make.  You&#39;ll get savory broth and silky shredded chicken for savory soups, chicken salads, sandwiches, and much more.

Tender Poached Whole Chicken

chicken

salt

Water

onion

garlic (peeled (optional))

Fresh Rosemary or Thyme leaves

- 1 leek (chopped)

carrots

celery

First, check if the chicken doesn&#x27;t have any giblets in the cavity. If so, remove it, and set it aside.

Use paper towels to pat-dry the whole bird, including the cavity. Take the giblets out of the small bag and pat-dry as well.

Place the whole chicken and the giblets (except liver) in a large, deep stockpot—the chicken has to fit in the pot comfortably.

If using, add either veggie scraps or freshly chopped vegetables and herbs like Rosemary or Thyme leaves, onions, carrots, leeks, and celery. I don&#x27;t always add garlic, but that&#x27;s an option too.

Then add enough water to cover the whole chicken with a depth of two inches.

Add one tablespoon of salt.

Cover the pot and bring to a boil on medium/high heat. As soon as the water has come to a boil, immediately lower the heat to a very slow but steady simmer—a few bubbles should rise now and then steadily but gently. Then partly cover the pot.

Cook for about 60 to 90 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and the meat almost falls off the bone. Turn over the chicken at least once during the cooking process.

Now and then, you might see a froth (protein scum) coming up to the surface. Skim it off with a ladle and discard.

When done and the chicken is very tender, use tongs (I also like to use a slotted spoon in the other hand to support the chicken from below) to transfer the whole chicken from the pot to a large bowl or shallow container. Cover and set aside until it&#x27;s cool enough to handle.

Strain the liquid through a sieve and discard any vegetables if used.

You can use all or some of it to make a soup or reserve the broth for later.

If you want to reserve it for later, transfer it to individual-sized airtight containers and allow it to cool first before storing it in the fridge or freezer.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, use your fingers to separate any chicken meat from bones and skin. Discard the bones and skin.

Shred big pieces of meat with your hands into smaller chunks, or use a fork to pull the meat apart. Use the meat immediately to make a chicken salad or in sandwiches, or store it in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days for later use.

Can't thank you enough for posting this.  What a superb foundation recipe for such a plethora of great hot or cold dishes; great for variety not only in family meals, but also for people who live alone and all too often, do not take the time to prepare healthy meals.

Cantonese-Style Poached Chicken is tender in texture and so juicy and delicious. The leftover chicken is great in other recipes such as fried rice and I use the poaching liquid to make chicken broth for soups or rice porridge (jook/congee). This recipe is free of top 9 allergens and very shareable since the ingredients are so simple.

Cantonese-Style Poached Chicken Recipe

ginger

scallions

Approximately 30 minutes before you want to begin cooking, note the weight of the chicken (take a photo or write it down). Prepare the chicken by removing any excess fat near the cavity, remove any chicken parts from inside the chicken (I add the gizzard, heart, and neck to the pot, and discard or reserve the liver for other uses), and remove any stray feathers.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of salt all over the chicken skin and inside the cavity and rub the chicken to remove any debris. Add more salt as needed. Use paper towels to remove any excess salt, feathers, etc.. OR Fill a large bowl with cold water in your sink. Gently lower the chicken into the bowl to soak for a few minutes and then drain.

Fill an 8-quart stock pot approximately 2/3 full with water and bring to boil on high heat. Add the ginger slices and scallions. If you have a chicken neck or any internal organs you wish to cook, add them now. When the water comes to a boil, add 1 teaspoon salt.

Hold the chicken firmly by the wing tips and dunk the chicken up and down in the pot of hot water three times. Note whether there&#039;s enough water in the pot to cover the chicken without overflowing the pot. Set aside the chicken and return the water in the pot to boil. Add 1-2 cups of water as needed.

When the pot returns to a boil, hold the chicken firmly by the wingtips and place the chicken into the pot breast-side up. Cook on medium heat with the lid off for 5 minutes. When the water begins to simmer, cover the pot with a lid, lower the temperature to low. Set one timer for 25 minutes to flip the chicken over at the halfway point. Set a second timer for 10 minutes per pound of chicken, which is 50 minutes for a 5 pound chicken.

Flip the chicken over by inserting a wooden spoon into the cavity and lift the chicken tail up and over, cover the pot, turn off the heat and poach for the remaining time, approximately 25 minutes for a 5.0 pound chicken. During this time be sure to have clean utensils ready to take the chicken out of the pot and a clean serving platter, and make a ginger dipping sauce if desired.

Use a digital meat thermometer to check the internal temperature at the inner thigh (without touching the bone). The chicken is ready when the internal temperatue is 165°F otherwise turn the heat on low and poach for 5 more minutes. Use two large slotted or perforated serving utensils to carefully transfer the chicken out of the pot and onto a large serving platter.

Allow the chicken to rest for a 5-10 minutes so that it&#039;s safe to handle. To serve warm, carve the chicken at the table and avoid splatters by not cutting through the bone. Drizzle green onion and ginger sauce and/or serve on the side.

I love Cantonese cuisine! I really would love to go someday and learn about its gastronomy. For now, I'm glad I found your blog to learn about it from afar.

I love cantonese chicken and had no idea it was so easy! The ginger and scallion sauce looks really tasty - cant wait to make it!

The chicken comes out so tender and flavorful, and the ginger and green onion sauce is the perfect complement. It's a simple dish that's packed with deliciousness.

This article was so helpful! That table will definitely come in handy, I am saving this for later. Thank you so much for sharing ;)

This is an excellent article on precisely how I can now get that velvety chicken that I love so much. Thank you.

I can't wait to try this! The recipe details are so thorough. I know it will be a hit.

Thanks for sharing this recipe. The chicken is so moist and you provided great instructions!

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Top 2 poached whole chicken recipes from across the web

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Tender Poached Whole Chicken

Cantonese-Style Poached Chicken Rec...

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