Poached chicken breasts can be either offensively bad or surprisingly excellent. When you understand how poaching actually works, it becomes one of the easiest ways to make juicy, tender chicken breasts in under 20 minutes, perfect for salads, noodle bowls, sandwiches, or meal prep. Why poaching works for chicken breastUnlike grilling or searing, which expose meat to intense direct heat, poaching (cooking something submerged in liquid at a low temperature) is gentle. We admit that cooking chicken breasts in water does not sound glamorous—or even particularly delicious. What you’ll needIngredients2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 lb.