Sous Vide Chicken Breast Recipe, Tender & Juicy

Wondering how to cook the most tender, juicy chicken breast? Try sous vide. This cooking method has become so popular in recent years, and it’s easy to see why. By cooking at a precisely controlled temperature, it ensures that food cooks evenly and retains moisture, turning meats like chicken breast from dry and bland to tender and juicy. Fortunately, this recipe will show you how to make the perfect sous vide chicken breast without ever overcooking it.

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder (optional)
• 1/2 tablespoon honey (optional)

Equipment:

• INKBIRD Sous Vide Circulator
• Large pot or container
• Vacuum bags or resealable bags
• Large skillet
• Tongs
• Vacuum sealer (optional)

Why Sous Vide Chicken Breast?

Traditional ways of cooking chicken breasts make it difficult to cook them perfectly - either the middle of the chicken doesn’t reach the safe temperature in order to maintain its tenderness, or the breasts are cooked dry and rubbery at that USDA-recommended temperature for chicken.

But sous vide changes the game, which heats the chicken breast evenly without affecting the texture of the meat even during long cooking times. Since the chicken breasts are in a vacuum-sealed environment, they retain moisture and absorb flavors from any seasonings you add.

In addition, most sous vide cookers support remote control or scheduling functions, so simply submerge the chicken breasts in the water bath before you leave home, and let it work before you get back. Just choose the time and temperature to suit your taste, and you can cook the same perfect chicken breasts every time.

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Bone-in or Boneless Chicken Breasts

I recommend using boneless, skinless chicken breast for this sous vide recipe. If cooking traditionally, I’d probably suggest bone-in chicken breast, like in KFC’s original chicken, for extra juiciness. But since we’re using sous vide, the chicken breast will remain tender and juicy with or without the bone. Also, the bones in the chicken breast are irregularly shaped and sharp, and if you’re not careful, they can puncture the vacuum bag during sealing.

How Long to Sous Vide Chicken Breast?

For sous vide chicken breasts, I prefer the temperature of 145°F for 2 hours. At this point, the chicken breasts are incredibly juicy and tender, with a silky texture, while also ensuring that most harmful bacteria are effectively pasteurized.

Actually, the cooking time of sous vide is very flexible. For chicken breasts, I recommend between 1.5 hours and 4 hours. Since the water bath is controlled at a constant temperature, you don’t have to worry about overcooking if you leave them longer.  However, the temperature has a greater impact on the chicken texture. The higher the temperature, the more moisture the chicken loses. How exactly? See the sous vide chicken breast time and temp chart below.

How to Sous Vide Chicken Breast?

Although it sounds a bit complex, sous vide chicken breast is actually very simple. Here are the detailed steps, so let’s get started!

Step 1: Preheat your sous vide cooker

Fill the large pot or any heat-resistant container with enough water to fully submerge the chicken. Then, insert the precision cooker and secure it in place. Set the temperature to your preferred texture based on the chart above, and if you’re unsure, try 145° Fahrenheit.

Step 2: Season and seal chicken

Prepare 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, rub olive oil evenly on their surfaces and season them with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Then put the chicken, along with 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary and 1 clove of garlic, into the bag.

You can either seal the bag with a vacuum machine or use the water displacement method to extract as much air as possible from the bag. For the best results, the vacuum sealer is still the better choice.

Step 3: Sous vide chicken breasts

Once the water bath has preheated to 145°F, drop the sealed bag in. If it’s properly sealed, the chicken should sink. After that, set the timer to sous vide chicken breasts for 2 hours.

Step 4: Sear for a crispy crust

When the timer goes off, remove the chicken breasts from the bag, discard the rosemary and garlic, and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat until smoking, then add a teaspoon of butter. Place the chicken breasts in and sear them for 1-2 minutes on each side until they're nicely browned.

Suppose you have elderly people, children, or those with weakened immune systems at home, it's best to use your best food thermometer to ensure the chicken breasts reach the safe chicken internal temperature of 165°F.

Step 5: Slice and serve

Use a sharp knife to cut the perfectly sous vide chicken breasts into 2-finger thick slices for serving, and pair it with your favorite sides. I personally enjoy it with mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli. You can also try making a chicken Caesar salad wrap or a curry chicken salad if you’re in the mood for something different, both are delicious!

Can I Sous Vide Frozen Chicken Breast?

Yes, just like you can sous vide frozen steak, you can definitely sous vide frozen chicken breast. Just add an extra 30 minutes to an hour, the chicken will thaw gradually during the process. However, I still recommend thawing the chicken beforehand to let the seasoning absorb better.