Poached Chicken

Ingredients

6 cups chicken stock
8 6-to-8-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 carrots
2 ribs celery
1 fresh or dry bay leaf
2 small onions(For Double Duty Recipe #1)1 pound egg noodles
5 tablespoons butter
1 bunch chives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

2 large shallots
1 pound button mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken poaching liquid
1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, about 5 strokes over your grater(For Double Duty Recipe #2)1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
3 cloves garlic
1 loaf French bread
4 poached chicken breasts
Veggies from poaching liquid
1 28-ouce can crushed tomatoes
3 sprigs tarragon
Salt and pepper

Yields: 4 servings

Preparation

In a large high-sided skillet with a tight fitting lid place the chicken stock and bring up to a boil. Once boiling, add the chicken breasts, carrots, celery, bay leaf and onions. Shake the pan to nestle everything into the stock. Place a lid on the skillet and bring back up to a boil, turn the heat down to medium and then simmer the chicken for 18-20 minutes, turning the chicken breast over in the skillet half way through he cooking.

Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid and let cool, reserve the poaching liquid for both the dishes. Reserve the veggies for French Chicken Stew.