Poached Chicken With Lardons And Lentils Recipes

POACHED CHICKEN WITH LARDONS AND LENTILS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a small or medium (depending on how many chicken breasts you are cooking) heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add lardons, carrot, leek, parsley, mint, and lemon zest and cook, stirring frequently, until lardons are crisp and vegetables are soft, about 7 minutes. Stir in lentils and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add mustard and stir to combine.
• Place chicken on top of lentil mixture in saucepan and add 2 (or 3 if cooking 2 chicken breasts) cups water. Bring to a boil and cover; reduce heat to a simmer and cook until chicken is cooked through and lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve immediately or remove saucepan from heat and uncover. Let cool at room temperature for no more than 1 hour. Cover saucepan and transfer to refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, place saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until heated through. This dish is best served when made in advance.

POACHED CHICKEN FOR SALADS

Steps:

• Put the parsley, thyme, onion, carrot, celery, and chicken breasts in a medium saucepan. Cover with the broth, and bring just to a boil. Lower the heat to very low and cover. Poach the chicken for 20 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove the pan from the heat, uncover, cool the chicken in the liquid for 30 minutes.
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and reserve the liquid. Bone and skin the chicken and cut the meat into cubes. Discard the bones and skin.
• Strain the broth and store, covered, in the refrigerator for 3 days or freeze for later use. Remove any fat from the surface of the broth before using.

ONE-POT LENTIL CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a non-stick wide, shallow pan, add bacon and fry briskly until lightly coloured, then lift on to a plate. Add the chicken and fry on each side until lightly brown. Set aside with the bacon. Tip onion and garlic into the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and tomato purée, then stir over a low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the wine, stock, lentils and thyme. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the mushrooms. Add the bacon and chicken, pushing them under the liquid. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until lentils are tender and the chicken cooked. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a non-stick wide, shallow pan, add bacon and fry briskly until lightly coloured, then lift on to a plate. Add the chicken and fry on each side until lightly brown. Set aside with the bacon. Tip onion and garlic into the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and tomato purée, then stir over a low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the wine, stock, lentils and thyme. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the mushrooms. Add the bacon and chicken, pushing them under the liquid. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until lentils are tender and the chicken cooked. Season with salt and pepper.

BASIC POACHED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large, straight-sided skillet or pot, combine all ingredients except chicken; cover with water by 1/2 inch. Bring to a boil over high. Add chicken and return to a boil. Cook 3 minutes, then cover skillet and remove from heat. Let stand until chicken is cooked through, 15 to 18 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove chicken from poaching liquid immediately.