Chicken, Three Ways
- Level: Advanced
- Yield: 4 servings
- Total: 5 hr 30 min
- Prep: 1 hr
- Inactive: 30 min
- Cook: 4 hr
Ingredients
Chicken Broth:
2 (3-pound) chickens
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, quartered
2 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
10 black peppercorns
1 cup white wine
Poached Chicken Breasts:
4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless* (See Cook's Note)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
8 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 cup white wine
2 garlic cloves, halved
1 tablespoon chicken broth
Chicken Salad:
4 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped celery leaves
1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- To begin: Cut the breasts from the chickens and refrigerate them until you are ready to use them.
- For the Broth: Put the rest of the 2 chickens into a large pot. Cover them with cold water. Bring the water to a simmer over medium-high heat, but do not let it boil. Skim off any fat and scum that rises to the surface. Once the water is simmering add the carrot, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and white wine. Simmer slowly for 3 to 4 hours. Remove the chicken from the pot, set it aside to cool, cover, and refrigerate it. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer and refrigerate until ready for use. The broth can also be frozen.
- For the Poached Breasts: Season the breasts with salt and pepper. Place each breast into a small resealable plastic bag. Divide the butter, thyme, wine, garlic, and chicken broth evenly into the bags. Press out all of the air and seal the bags tightly. Keep refrigerated until ready to cook.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and bring it to a simmer. Add the bags to the water and submerge them; don't let the plastic catch the rim of the pan or they will melt. Poach them, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is firm and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove the bags from the water and serve the chicken immediately, using the liquid in the bags as the sauce.
- For the Salad: Pick the meat from the cooled chicken, discarding the skin and bones. Cut the meat into small pieces and put them into a bowl. Add the celery, onion, celery leaves, parsley, mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, and salt and pepper, to taste. Mix until everything is evenly blended. Serve with salad leaves or make a sandwich.
Cook’s Note
The chicken breasts we used weigh about 4 1/2 ounces each. If you use larger breasts, the cooking time will be longer.