Yield: 4 quarts chicken stock, 3 cups chicken breast meat
INGREDIENTS
- 2 (3 to 3 ˝ pounds each) whole chickens
- 3 carrots, unpeeled, cleaned and roughly chopped
- 3 celery stalks, including green tops, cleaned and roughly chopped
- 2 Spanish onions, roughly chopped
- 2 leeks, cleaned and roughly chopped
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, stems only, roughly chopped (the leaves won't hurt, but you don't need them and can use them for other things)
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 black peppercorns
- Cheesecloth-lined sieve
DIRECTIONS
- Place the chickens in a large stockpot and add cold water to cover by 2 inches (about 4 quarts). Bring it to a boil.
- Once the water boils, lower the heat and keep the pot at a slow simmer. Be sure there are no big bubbles. If you are having trouble keeping the liquid to a consistent slow simmer, carefully slide the pot partially off the burner.
- With a large cooking spoon, skim the foam that rises to the surface and discard. Keep skimming regularly for 10 minutes.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients.
- Continue simmering for 1 hour, occasionally skimming the foam and fat that rise to the top of the stock.
- Carefully remove the chickens from the pot and place them on a platter or cutting board to let them cool.
- When the chickens are cool, with your fingers (there's really no other way - for this part I wear latex gloves), remove the skin and pull all the meat from the carcasses, taking care not to shred it too much. Try to leave the chicken breasts intact to preserve the meat’s moisture.
- To finish the broth, return the carcasses and any extra dark meat (I use only the breast meat for my poached chicken salads) to the pot and continue to simmer the broth for another hour.
- Pour the broth through a cheesecloth-lined sieve to strain. Cool it completely, and then cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to a month.
Chef’s Note: As with most things, this poached chicken is best if used in soup, salads, or sandwiches right away before it is refrigerated.
