Food - Drink
The Absolute Best Way To Cook Chicken For Chicken Salad
By LAUREN ROTHMAN
Whether it's stuffed into a sandwich, piled on top of greens, or served with crackers, chicken salad is a great lunchtime option that is infinitely customizable. Whether you add chopped apples, herbs, nuts, or dried fruit to your salad, perfectly-cooked chicken is absolutely vital for any recipe.
Even experienced cooks can struggle with cooking white-meat chicken, and the best technique for chicken salad may surprise you. Poaching involves gently cooking the meat by starting it in cold water or stock and letting it come to a simmer until it’s fully cooked, producing chicken that’s moist, tender, and juicy.
Poached chicken also has a neutral flavor that pairs well with any kind of chicken salad dressing. Cook's Illustrated recommends adding chicken breasts to salted water, bringing it to a "sub simmer" at 175 degrees Fahrenheit, then turning off the stove and letting the meat finish cooking via residual heat.