These are great basic techniques for chicken that you can use in any recipe that calls for rotisserie chicken. The poached chicken recipe produces broth that you can use whenever canned stock is called for.

　　

Ingredients

makes 8 cups (2 pounds) poached chicken and 8 cups broth

　　4 1/2 to 5 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (about 6)

　　1 onion, cut into 8 wedges

　　2 carrots, quartered crosswise

　　2 celery stalks, quartered crosswise

　　2 dried bay leaves

　　3 garlic cloves

　　6 sprigs fresh parsley

　　3 sprigs fresh thyme or

　　1/4 teaspoon dried

　　

Step 1

Combine all ingredients in a 5-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cover. Cook the chicken until no longer pink in the center and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat (avoiding bone) registers 160°F, about 15 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Transfer the chicken to a rimmed baking sheet; arrange in a single layer, and let cool. With a slotted spoon, remove and discard the vegetables. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a damp paper towel. If the broth is more than 8 cups (2 quarts), return to the pot; reduce over medium-high heat until you have just 8 cups. Once cooled, refrigerate for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

　　

Step 3

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin and bones. Shred with forks or chop the chicken, as desired.

　　Reprinted with permission from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart Living Magazine. Copyright © 2007 by Martha Stewart Living Magazine. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Martha Stewart Living magazine was first published in 1990. Over the years, more than two dozen books have been published by the magazine's editors.Martha Stewart is the author of dozens of best-selling books on cooking, entertaining, gardening, weddings, and decorating. She is the host of The Martha Stewart Show, the successful daily syndicated television show.