Half-and-Half Poached Chicken with Herb Pan Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-08-03 · Updated 2026-08-03

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Poached gently in half-and-half cream and milk blend, finished with a fresh herb pan sauce. This French-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs boneless skinless chicken breasts, half-and-half, water for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 2, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 20 min Serves 2 French cuisine 320 cal/serving

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Ingredients

2 pieces (6 oz each) boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup water
3 fresh thyme sprigs
2 cloves, smashed garlic cloves
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp, chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

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Instructions

Step 1: In a deep skillet, combine 1 cup half-and-half, 1 cup water, 3 fresh thyme sprigs, and 2 smashed garlic cloves. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Step 2: Season 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (6 oz each) with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper, then carefully submerge in the simmering half-and-half mixture. Poach gently for 15 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.
Step 3: Remove chicken and keep warm. Discard thyme and garlic from the liquid, then reduce heat to low and whisk in 2 tbsp unsalted butter and 1 tbsp all-purpose flour. Stir continuously for 3 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
Step 4: Stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, season sauce with salt and pepper to taste, then pour over the poached chicken to serve.