Frugal Food Thursday: Poached Chicken Breasts

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Frugal Food Thursday: Poached Chicken Breasts

Welcome to Frugal Food Thursday! If you have a great frugal recipe, please link up below!

This week, I don't have a recipe per se, but more of a technique.

Since the beginning of the year, I've been trying to cut back on carbohydrates and increase the amount of protein I've been eating. Dinners are basically the same, except without the pasta or rice. But lunches have been a bit more difficult for me - until I remembered the easy technique of poaching chicken breasts.

Poaching is cooking something in a small amount of just-boiling liquid. It works really well here. The chicken is perfect to be eaten as is, cut and served over a green salad, or cooled and made into a different dish.

Poached Chicken Breasts

Using a medium saucepan, place 2-3 defrosted chicken breasts in the bottom of the pan. You want them to fit snugly, but not overlap.

Cover the chicken breasts with liquid. It can be water, chicken broth, white wine, apple juice, or some other watery liquid. The liquid should only be about 1/2 inch above the top of the chicken breasts. Add spices, depending on how you will be using the cooked chicken afterward. (I like chicken broth that I freeze in and ice cube tray, and Italian seasonings.)

Put the pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling, turn down the stove to low and wait until the liquid cools to barely a simmer - just a few bubbles here and there. At that point, cover the pan with the lid and cook for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes is up, turn off the heat but leave the pot on the burner, covered. Allow the pot to sit for 10-15 more minutes. Remove chicken breasts from pan and serve or cool in the refrigerator.

There are lots more cheap recipes posted here at Frugal Follies. Click here for the list!

Got a great frugal recipe? Link below to your actual post, not your main page. Please only link up recipes - contest entries and other posts are not allowed and will be deleted. I'd appreciate it if you would link back to Frugal Food Thursday as well!

For more great recipes, please check out the bloggers listed on the left sidebar under Food Linkups. There are lots of great recipes on each blog and I'm sure you'll find some new favorites!

19 comments:

Bibi @ Bibi's Culinary Journey, February 3, 2011 at 9:40 AM: Poaching is a great technique for healthy cooking.

I am your new follower and new Frugal Food Thursday participant. What a great idea for a linky.Hope you don't mind me joining in.I linked up my Sunshine Meatloaf.
April J Harris, February 3, 2011 at 10:16 AM: I forgot about poaching chicken breasts too! Thank you for reminding me of this great cooking technique - they stay so moist that way!

By the way, I'm co-hosting a foodie blog hop on Fridays called Feed Me Tweet Me Follow Me Home, and I'd love it if you would come along and join in tomorrow!
HaleyLeann, February 3, 2011 at 10:44 AM: I'm embarrassed to admit that I've never poached anything...ever. I'll do it one of these days! Thanks for hosting today!
Pat @ Elegantly, Gluten-Free, February 3, 2011 at 2:42 PM: Good idea! Poaching is a good way to cook boneless chicken pieces -- also for fish fillets. I like your choices of liquids to use, especially the chicken broth.

I've linked my quick, easy and frugal Corn, Tomato, Celery and Onion Salad. It's good to pull the ingredients out of the refrig/pantry on a snowy day when I don't want to go shopping for more fresh salad fixings.
Allison {A Glimpse Inside}, February 3, 2011 at 3:16 PM: I've never tried this... scares me a little. But maybe I'll work up to the courage and do it at one point. Thanks for linking up.
Miz Helen, February 3, 2011 at 3:35 PM: Your Poached Chicken is a great recipe. I love to have poached on hand to make so many different recipes. Thank you so much for sharing this with us here at Full Plate Thursday. You have a great week end and please come back!
Sandra, February 3, 2011 at 4:57 PM: Great recipe!
Lisa, February 3, 2011 at 11:47 PM: Thanks for hosting!
Chubskulit Rose, February 4, 2011 at 12:26 AM: Looks delicious!

Spice Up Your Life
Anonymous, February 4, 2011 at 1:29 AM: this dish looks healhty, might want to suggest this for hubby.
Cheerful, February 4, 2011 at 5:35 AM: thanks for sharing your technique, learn from it! happy food trip friday! :)
KimMalk, February 4, 2011 at 5:48 PM: What a great idea - I often boil my chicken breasts, but I like this technique better. Blessings, Kim
Ann Kroeker, February 5, 2011 at 1:09 PM: Good idea--healthy to keep on hand for various additions, whether stir-fry or salads.

So glad you included this over at Food on Fridays!
Leah Beyer, February 7, 2011 at 12:31 AM: Great idea to cook it in something other than water. Poaching in other liquids can add so much flavor. Thanks for linking up!
Christy, February 8, 2011 at 8:33 AM: I rarely poach my chicken, I don't know why. I will do this next time so I have some ready to eat in different ways. Lunch is always harder than dinner to keep low carb imho! Thanks for sharing this with us at the Hearth and Soul Hop. (please link back to one of the hosts within the post so everyone can join in the fun!)
Wanderluster, February 9, 2011 at 2:36 PM: I agree - cutting back on the carbs and upping hte protein is a great idea. And poaching is a healthier preparation too.
HaleyLeann, February 10, 2011 at 12:36 PM: I know I already commented on this, but I just wanted to say thanks for linking up on Recipes I Can't Wait to Try!
Miz Helen, February 11, 2011 at 6:00 PM: You have a lot of really great food here at the party. I brought over my Butternut Chowder and hope all of you enjoy it. Thank you for hosting and you have a great week end!
Sandra VanHoey, January 19, 2014 at 9:11 AM: I have never done this but now that we are starting to eat healthier, I need to do this. Glad you shared