Milk-Poached Chicken with Tarragon and Peas

I don’t love boneless, skinless chicken breasts. They rank among the ingredients that, as a recipe developer by profession, I see well enough in my work life that I would rarely — if ever — bring home in a grocery sack of my own choosing. Poaching chicken breasts in milk, however, is a very simple way to enhance the cut’s texture and flavor through tender, gentle cooking that ends with tucking it into a bed of noodles. Watch the milk carefully to ensure it never visibly simmers — the key to this recipe’s success is taking usually quick-cooking ingredients and slowing down the tempo to find their softer side.