Poaching Chicken

Thank you all!

Bring a large stock pot of salted water to boil. (season water if you wish with some onion, carrot, celery).
Put in whole chicken--it should cover the bird about 2-3 inches...bring back to a boil.
TURN IT OFF. Cover the pot. Wait one to one 1/2 hour.
The chicken will be perfectly poached.

Shred it remove the skin and put the bones back in the stock pot (remove or reduce some of the water) and simmer for stock.
Perfect every time and makes the most moist poached chicken you've ever had.

You want to keep the poaching liquid at a constant temperature, a bubble or two at a time, and you want to allow the steam to escape. SexyLambChops, I've poached without a lid as well but think the chicken has a nicer texture when it's poached partially covered. maybe I'm crazy!!!

When I poach chicken, I have it on very low heat and completely uncovered. I make sure only a few bubbles are present. Same thing for salmon - uncovered. Are you asking about a certain recipe? My guess would be allow for steam to escape while maintaining the desirable texture of the chicken, instead of dry & stringy. Once the pouching temperature is achieved are you covering slightly, then offing the heat and using the lid for residual cooking? I wonder if I've been doing it all wrong now, but always had pretty good results. I want to poach - not have the chicken simmering, boiling or steaming...