Poached chicken two ways

Poaching chicken thigh fillets is quick and easy. For two meals for a family of four, I cook 5-6 fillets. Place them in water, along with 2 cloves of garlic, some peppercorns and herbs. Bring this to a really, really, really low simmer. You want gentle bubbles rising to the surface, rather than a rapid boil, which will dry out the chicken. Poach for 12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

Meal option 1: tomato and avocado salad

Shred 1/2 the chicken and place in a bowl. Add 3 cups of salad leaves, 1 small chopped cucumber, 1 punnet of halved cherry tomatoes and a sliced avocado. Drizzle lemon juice over and toss to combine. Serve with sourdough bread.

Meal option 2: noodle soup

Place 2 tablespoons of Thai curry paste into a saucepan. Add 11/2 litres of water, some fresh rice noodles and 6 cups of frozen “stir-fry” vegetables. Cook gently for two minutes. Shred the remaining chicken and add to the noodles, along with the juice of 1/2 lime and 1/2 cup coriander. Continue cooking until vegetables are soft and the chicken is heated through. Serve immediately.