Poached Chicken

• 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves
• 1 medium carrot, French cut style
• 1 medium rib celery, French cut style
• 1/4 large onion, thickly sliced
• 1 T dried parsley
• 2 T dried thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/2 lemon, sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Place chicken in a pot just large enough to hold chicken breast halves and add enough water to barely cover.

2. Add carrot, celery, onion, lemon, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, white pepper, and salt.

3. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.   When the liquid is almost to a boil, reduce heat to low.  Cover and continue to simmer for around 20 minutes.  If the breasts are large, simmer an extra five minutes.

4. After 20-25 minutes, turn off the heat.  Leave the cover on the pot and allow the chicken to cool in the broth for around 15-20 minutes.

5. You’re done.  Remove the breasts from the broth.  Debone, skin, and slice.

I thought it would be fun to document my thought process when deciding upon what to make for a meal.  We were completely out of milk so I had to go to the store.  Note the date of this post.  We are less than a week away from November and the temperature was damn near 90 degrees.  It might have even topped 90.  Despite having reservations for brunch, we had to wait for our table today.

“Would you like a table outside?”

 

“Thank you but Hell No.”

I digress.  So I’m at the store and I pass by the bagged salad section.  Remember, it’s nearly November.  Stacked up and looking fresh were a bunch of salad kits seductively named Endless Summer.  I kid you not. 

Chicken breasts bone-in were on sale for $1.99 a pound.  Dinner. Done.

I guess the title of this recipe really should be Bagged Salad with Chicken.