From inthekitchenwithkath.com
(Adapted from an article published in Sunset’s Summer 1997 Special Issue—Quick, Light and Healthy)
1½ pounds chicken breast halves, boned and skinned
1. In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. (It's important to use plenty of water with this method.)
2. When the water is boiling, put the chicken breasts in the water, cover the pot, and remove it from the heat.
3. Set the timer for 20 minutes. (The exact time will depend on the size of the chicken breasts.)
4. At 20 minutes, check the chicken breasts. Quickly remove them from the pot and put the lid back on. (You want to maintain the temperature of the water in case you need to put the chicken back in.) You can use a meat thermometer (the internal temperature should be 165˚) or just cut the largest one in half to see if it’s done.
5. If the breasts are not quite done (mine were not), put them back in the pot, cover with the lid and check again in another 5 minutes. (25 minutes was the perfect timing for my chicken breasts.
6. When done, you can use the meat right away for any recipe calling for cooked chicken, or cover and refrigerate to use later.