Need help on poaching skinned/boneless chicken breast.

M

marilynfl

Moderator
I'm bringing gumbo into work tomorrow and our cafeteria will be heating it up. Knowing the fact that they overcook everything to the nth degree no matter what the instructions are, I want to poach some chicken breasts and add slices to the gumbo right before serving. I'm also precooking my shrimp and adding that later also.

I never poach. So I don't have that talent down. And I've got tonight to prep it.

I'll also be making a jellyroll-size cake and prepping for a pastry demo tomorrow with my team-members. I'm going to show them how to:

*cover mini-cakes with striped fondant

*decorate with candy flowers

*stuff cupcakes

*ice with a pastry bag.

Thank you...

 
This is how I poach chicken.

Poached Chicken

3 lb boneless chicken breasts
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 onion, sliced
2 cups dry white wine

In saucepan, bring 2/3 c water to boil. Add chicken breasts and other ingredients. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer until chicken is tender about 10 - 15 minutes. Transfer meat and broth to bowl and cover. Cool 3 to 4 hours or overnight in fridge.

Use the broth in your next soup.

 
Never done anything fancy with poaching. I just simmer breasts in champagne or white wine with

chicken stock... Very easy, very tender. What a nice thing you are doing. I am sure they will be so appreciative! ((Especially with the rain heading your way!))

 
And here's my version of poaching, actually it is rather "steeping": . . .

First get a pot at least twice as big as the amount of chicken breasts that you wish to cook. Place chicken breasts in bottom of pot, stacking to evenly distribute them in the pot and to allow water circulation, but DO NOT PACK in tightly. Fill pot with cold water to at least double the depth of the chicken.

Place pot on stove on high heat. Bring to a boil and as soon as it boils, let boil 2-3 minutes, then cover the pot, turn off the heat, and allow the chicken to stand in the hot water for 1/2 hour, cooking in the retained heat of the water. You may check one of the larger breasts after 20 minutes or so to see how cooking is going.

With the above method I have very moist, tender chicken for sandwiches, plus I have broth left over to cook the next batch of breasts, or whatever. I cook the breasts frequently so the broth becomes very richly flavored with chicken.

 
Check out # 49 in Tips. Also, when I make jambalaya ahead, I like to lightly season

split chicken breasts (with skin and bones but works without) with oil or wish bone dressing. Bake in foil line pan in preheated 425 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes (slightly under cooked). Then I debone and add to to Jambalaya with raw shrimp and cook until shrimp turns pink.

 
I lucked out and they cancelled the New Orleans luncheon for today. But chicken is thawed

so I'll be trying these methods this weekend to have for lunches. I've got 6 split breasts and about 6 different methods here...should be enlightening.

Thanks again!

 
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