Equipment
Ingredients
Poaching Liquid & Chicken
- 1000 ml chicken broth, low-sodium preferred
- 600 g chicken breast, boneless, skinless
- 1 garlic, crushed
- 2 fresh thyme, whole sprigs
- 1 bay leaf, dried
Vegetables & Mushrooms
- 200 g cremini mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
- 150 g carrots, peeled and sliced into 1cm coins
- 200 g asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut into 4cm pieces
Persillade Finish
- 20 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 2 garlic, finely minced
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 399 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbohydrates
- 9 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 419 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 14 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 96 mg
- Potassium
- 816 mg
- Calcium
- 61 mg
- Iron
- 2.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 57 mg
- Phosphorus
- 366 mg
- Zinc
- 2.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 389 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 14 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.7 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 115 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.25 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.48 mg
- Niacin
- 17.7 mg
- Folate
- 60 mcg
- Water
- 239 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a small mixing bowl, combine the finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper to create the persillade. Stir well and set aside to allow the flavors to meld.
In a wide pot or deep sauté pan, combine the chicken broth, crushed garlic clove, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, targeting a temperature around 75°C to 80°C (165°F to 175°F). You should see only a faint shiver on the surface of the liquid, not rolling bubbles.
Add the sliced carrots to the simmering broth and cook for 3 minutes to give them a head start.
Gently submerge the chicken breasts into the liquid in a single layer. Partially cover the pot with a lid and poach for 8 minutes.
Remove the lid and add the quartered mushrooms and asparagus pieces to the pot, nestling them around the chicken. Continue to poach for an additional 4 to 5 minutes, or until the thickest part of the chicken registers 74°C (165°F) on a meat thermometer and the vegetables are tender.
Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board and let them rest for 5 minutes. Leave the vegetables in the warm broth off the heat.
Slice the rested chicken breasts against the grain. Scoop the warm vegetables and mushrooms from the broth and divide them among shallow serving bowls. Top with the sliced chicken, ladle a small amount of the poaching broth over the top for moisture, and generously spoon the reserved persillade over the chicken and vegetables.
Chef's Notes
- Visual cue for poaching: The French call the ideal poaching temperature a frémissement, or a shiver. Look for tiny bubbles occasionally rising to the surface, completely avoiding a rapid boil.
- Temperature carryover: For the absolute juiciest results, pull the chicken when it registers 71°C (160°F). The residual heat will carry it to a safe 74°C (165°F) as it rests on the cutting board.
- Do not discard your poaching liquid! It is essentially a quickly fortified chicken and vegetable bouillon. Strain it and save it for cooking rice, making a pan sauce, or sipping as a light broth.
- The persillade provides a crucial raw, acidic, and fatty contrast to the lean, mild profile of poached chicken. Ensure your parsley is as fresh and vibrant as possible.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store the chicken fully submerged in the strained poaching liquid to retain maximum moisture.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop in the poaching broth just until heated through to prevent overcooking the chicken.
Troubleshooting
Chicken is dry, tough, or stringy
Cause: The poaching liquid was too hot and reached a rolling boil, which violently cooks and seizes the muscle fibers
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but the texture can be improved by shredding the chicken instead of slicing it, tossing it thoroughly with extra poaching liquid and the olive-oil rich persillade
Prevention: Monitor the heat closely to maintain a gentle sub-simmer (75°C to 80°C) rather than boiling
Vegetables are mushy and have lost their vibrant color
Cause: Vegetables were added too early or left in the hot broth too long while resting the chicken
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Add delicate vegetables like asparagus only in the final 4-5 minutes of cooking
Cultural Context
Persillade is a traditional French culinary finishing sauce or garnish made primarily of chopped parsley and garlic. When added at the end of the cooking process, its raw, pungent aromatics elevate the gentle, mild flavors of lightly cooked dishes. This pairing balances the soothing, comforting nature of a classic bouillon-poached poultry with a bright, herbaceous punch.
