Juicy and Tender Poached Chicken With Watercress and Miso Dressing Recipe

Daniel Gritzer
Juicy and Tender Poached Chicken With Watercress and Miso Dressing Recipe
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  • Yield:Serves 4 as a light meal
  • Active time:30 minutes
  • Total time:1 hour 15 minutes
  • Rated: 5.0

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

Poached chicken may not be as popular as fried, roasted, and braised chicken, but when it's done correctly, its tenderness and juiciness are unmatched. Served with a bright, flavorful dressing like this miso vinaigrette, it makes an easy, light, clean-tasting dinner or lunch.

Why It Works

A lighter, gentler, juicier chicken. Read the Whole Story
  • Starting the chicken in room-temperature water and then cooking it at a gentle heat keeps the flesh tender and juicy.
  • An aromatic poaching liquid with scallion, ginger, and salt becomes a tasty broth for sipping.

Ingredients

  • 2 quarts (2L) room-temperature water
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons (15g) kosher salt
  • 2 medium skin-on, bone-in chicken breast halves (about 1 1/2 pounds; 680g)
  • 1 whole scallion, root end trimmed, plus thinly sliced scallion for garnish
  • 1 (2-inch) knob peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) fresh juice from 1 lemon
  • 2 teaspoons (10ml) white miso
  • 2 teaspoons (10ml) soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon (3ml) toasted sesame oil
  • 7 ounces watercress (200g; about 2 quarts, loosely packed)
  • Warm cooked rice, for serving

Directions

  1. 1.

    In a large saucepan, combine water and salt, stirring to dissolve salt. Add chicken, scallion, and ginger and set over medium-high heat until water temperature reaches between 150 and 160°F on an instant-read thermometer; adjust heat to maintain water temperature in the 150–160°F range. (It's okay if the temperature bounces around a little, but try to keep it above 150 and below 170°F.) Cook until thickest part of chicken registers 150°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 hour. Remove chicken from broth and let rest. Strain broth through a fine-mesh strainer and save for sipping or another use.

  2. 2.

    Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, miso, soy sauce, and sesame oil until smooth. In a medium bowl, toss watercress with just enough miso dressing to lightly coat.

  3. 3.

    Remove and discard chicken skin and cut chicken meat from bones; discard bones. Slice chicken crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Scoop rice into bowls and top with watercress and chicken slices. Drizzle miso vinaigrette onto chicken and garnish with sliced scallions. Serve.

Daniel Gritzer
Culinary Director

Daniel cooked for years in some of New York's top American, Italian and French restaurants - starting at the age of 13, when he began staging at the legendary restaurant Chanterelle. He spent nearly a year working on organic farms in Europe, where he harvested almonds and Padron peppers in Spain, shepherded a flock of more than 200 sheep in Italy, and made charcuterie in France. When not working on, thinking about, cooking and eating food, he blows off steam (and calories) as an instructor of capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian martial art.

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