How Long Does It Take to Poach a Chicken Breast?

One of the healthiest, easiest, and most reliable ways to cook chicken is to poach chicken breasts. Every time, the chicken comes out perfectly moist, tender, and flavorful. But how long does it really take to poach chicken breasts until they are just right?

The answer depends on a few key factors

Chicken Breast Size

The most important factor determining poach time is the size and thickness of the chicken breasts.

• For small chicken breasts (4-6 oz or 110-170g), poaching time is about 10-12 minutes.

• For average sized chicken breasts (6-8 oz or 170-225g), poach for 12-15 minutes.

• For large chicken breasts (8 oz or 225g and up), expect poaching to take 15-18 minutes.

As a general rule of thumb, poach skinless, boneless chicken breasts for about 8-10 minutes per 1 inch (2.5cm) thickness.

That means a breast that is 1 inch thick will take 10 minutes, a 5 inch thick breast will need 12-15 minutes.

Poaching Liquid

The poaching liquid used can also impact total poaching time. The standard poaching liquid is water, which conducts heat efficiently for quick cooking.

Broths and stocks may require slightly longer cooking time as they don’t transfer heat as rapidly. Add 1-2 minutes to the poaching time if using chicken or vegetable broth instead of plain water.

Poaching Temperature

If you cook chicken at too high of a temperature, the proteins can tense up and squeeze out the water, making the chicken dry and rubbery. Poach chicken at a slow simmer between 165°F and 180°F (74°C and 82°C) for the most tender and juicy meat.

The poaching liquid should never come to a full rolling boil. If it starts boiling vigorously, turn down the heat.

Higher altitudes above 3000 feet (900 meters) will require adjusting the heat to maintain a lower simmer temperature.

Bone-In vs Boneless

Chicken breasts cooked on the bone do require a little extra poaching time. The bones act as insulation, slowing down the cooking process.

Add 2-3 minutes to the poaching time for bone-in breasts compared to boneless.

Frozen vs Fresh

Always thaw frozen chicken breasts completely before poaching. Cooking from frozen can lead to uneven cooking.

Chicken breasts that have been thawed will poach in the same amount of time as chicken that has never been frozen. But to keep the food safe, it’s better to poach thawed chicken right away instead of putting it back in the freezer.

Common Poaching Methods

There are a few common methods for poaching chicken breasts, which impact cooking times:

Stovetop Poaching:

• Add chicken to gently simmering poaching liquid.
• Cook over medium-low heat at a bare simmer.
• Average poaching time is 12-15 minutes.

Poach-Simmer Method:

• Add chicken to cold liquid in a pot.
• Heat on medium until liquid comes to a simmer.
• Turn heat to low, cover and poach 10-12 minutes.

Off-Heat Poaching:

• Bring poaching liquid to a boil.
• Add chicken, cover and remove from heat.
• Let sit off-heat for 15-20 minutes.

The off-heat method takes a bit longer since the liquid is cooling, but yields very tender juicy chicken.

How to Tell When Chicken is Done Poaching

Checking doneness is important to prevent undercooking. Here are a few easy ways to test when poached chicken is fully cooked:

• Use an instant read thermometer – chicken is done at 165°F (74°C).

• Slice into thickest part of breast to check internal color – meat should be white throughout with no pink.

• Pierce with a knife – if juices run clear, chicken is fully cooked.

• The meat will become opaque and white on the surface when done.

When in doubt, poach an extra 2-3 minutes. Slightly overpoached chicken will still be tender and moist.

Carryover Cooking

An often overlooked factor is carryover cooking. The hot poached chicken will continue cooking from residual heat even after removed from the pot.

To account for carryover cooking, poach chicken around 5°F (3°C) below the final target temperature. It will coast up to perfect doneness as it rests.

The Perfectly Poached Chicken Breast

Follow this simple poaching method for juicy, tender chicken breasts every time:

• Use 1-1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

• Place chicken in a pot and add cold water or broth to cover.

• Add aromatics like garlic, herbs, citrus and peppercorns.

• Heat on medium until liquid starts simmering gently.

• Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer.

• Poach for 12-15 minutes based on thickness.

• Check doneness and poach 2-3 minutes more if needed.

• Remove chicken and rest 5 minutes before serving.

So to answer the original question – for average sized, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, the perfect poaching time is 12-15 minutes.

With this easy poaching method, you’ll enjoy incredibly moist, flavorful chicken breasts for salads, sandwiches, soups and any recipe calling for cooked chicken every time.