I’ve always struggled with overcooking my chicken until I learned how to sous vide chicken breast. This low-and-slow method ensures tender, juicy chicken every single time! Coated in a flavorful marinade, my sous vide chicken breasts are the perfect topping for a salad or pasta dish.
Sous Vide Chicken Breast Recipe
When you cook meat sous vide style, you are cooking it at a low temperature for a long time. The temperature of the water is precisely controlled by the sous vide machine. This makes it nearly impossible to overcook the meat!
The first time I had sous vide chicken was a real eye-opener! The chicken was so flavorful and perfectly juicy and I was so stoked when I was able to create this restaurant quality at home! I took the extra step of searing it to get some nice browning on the outside. This is the best chicken breast I’ve ever tasted!
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover sous vide chicken breast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 140°F sous vide bath for about 1 hour.
How to Freeze
Freeze sous vide boneless chicken breast in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Notes and Tips
- Marinate the chicken overnight in the refrigerator for even more flavor!
- You can sous vide chicken directly from frozen. No need to defrost it first, simply add an extra 30-60 minutes to the sous vide time.
- It is possible to make this recipe without a sous vide setup if you have a large enough pot and an instant-read thermometer. You’ll need to continuously monitor the temperature of the water throughout the cooking time to ensure it never dips below 160°F.
- You can place the bottom of a Ziplock bag filled with the chicken into the water, then squeeze any remaining air out before sealing. This is called the water displacement method.
- Because we are cooking this chicken at a lower temperature, it may remain slightly pink in the middle. As long as it is fork-tender and has been cooked for at least an hour, it is cooked through and safe to consume.
- Searing is optional. Once the chicken has cooked in the sous vide for 1 hour at 160°F, it is ready to eat. Enjoy whichever way you prefer.
Sous Vide Chicken Breast Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (from ½ lemon)
- ½ tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 clove garlic minced
For Searing
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ tablespoon unsalted butter
Equipment
- Sous Vide Cooker
- Dutch Oven (or large stock pot)
- Vacuum Sealable Bag (or gallon Ziplock bag)
Instructions
- Place the sous vide cooker in a Dutch oven or large pot and fill it with water to the fill line. Turn the machine on and set it to 160°F. Let the water come to temperature while you prepare the chicken.
- To a small bowl, add the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and minced garlic clove. Whisk until well combined.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 clove garlic
- Add the prepared marinade to a gallon-size Ziplock bag, then add the chicken breasts. Seal the bag, making sure you get as much air out as possible. Move the chicken around so everything is evenly coated with the marinade. Place in the refrigerator until the sous vide is ready.1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Once the water has reached 160°F, place the sealed bag of marinated chicken breast in the pot, and let cook for 1 hour.
- Once the chicken is ready, remove from bag and place on a plate or baking sheet.
- In a cast iron skillet, heat up ½ tablespoon each of butter and olive oil over medium to medium-high heat.½ tablespoon olive oil, ½ tablespoon unsalted butter
- Once the butter has melted, place the chicken breast in the skillet and sear on each side for 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove and serve immediately.
Notes
- This recipe is easily doubled or tripled. Up to 2 pounds of chicken breast can fit in a 1-gallon Ziplock bag.
How to Sous Vide a Chicken Breast Step by Step
Make the Marinade: Place the sous vide cooker in a Dutch oven or large pot and fill it with water to the fill line. Turn the machine on and set it to 160°F. Let the water come to temperature while you prepare the chicken. To a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, ½ tablespoon of honey, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper, ¾ teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and 1 minced clove of garlic. Whisk until well combined.
Marinate the Chicken: Add the prepared marinade to a gallon-size Ziplock bag, then add 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Seal the bag, making sure you get as much air out as possible. Move the chicken around so everything is evenly coated with the marinade. Place in the refrigerator until the sous vide is ready.
Cook the Chicken: Once the water has reached 160°F, place the sealed bag of marinated chicken breast in the pot, and let cook for 1 hour. Once the chicken is ready, remove it from the bag and place it on a plate or baking sheet.
Sear the Chicken: In a cast iron skillet, heat up ½ tablespoon each of butter and olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, place the chicken breast in the skillet and sear on each side for 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and serve immediately.
Becky, I’ve been making sous vide chicken since I got my Anova Pro about 4 years ago. Your recipe is spot on, with one exception. You state that the chicken is safe to eat at 160° F. That’s not quite right. According to the USDA, all poultry needs to be a minimum of 165° F, in order to be safe to eat. Please understand that I’m not saying to belittle or berate your talents. I’m telling you this as a retired executive chef from NYC with 60+ years of experience, in order to prevent a tragedy which could actually lead to legal issues, if you know what I mean. However, cooking the poultry at 160° F, then finishing it off in either pan, or broiler as I do, should raise the temperature to 165° F, especially if covered and left to rest for at least 5-10 minutes. All meats, no matter what, continue co cook after they’ve been removed from the heat source; except for sous vide. God bless.
Chris Thomas, please check out Serious Eats (among many other sources) regarding the safety of cooking poultry and other proteins sous vide. Lower temps at longer times make for safe cooking!