This sous vide chicken breast recipe makes perfectly cooked chicken breasts that are delectably juicy every time! I've included precise temperature charts, tips, and tricks so you can't mess it up! If you're craving an easy chicken dinner, sou vide chicken breast is the way to go!
Help Us Out!If you love a recipe, be sure to come back and share your ratings. This helps future users, and allows me to continue sharing free recipes! Angela
Instructions
Sous Vide Machine
Fill a large stockpot or sous vide container with water and set up your sous vide machine. Follow the instructions for your specific model to set the temperature to 140°F (60°C).
Season the chicken generously on all sides with salt & pepper, onion powder, and paprika. You can then seal and sous vide your chicken right away, or dry brine it overnight (*see note).
Put the seasoned chicken breast in a vacuum bag and seal it with a vacuum sealer or place it in a Ziploc bag and use the water displacement method. To do this, don't seal the bag fully and place it into the water (without letting the opening go below the water's surface). Press the bag down into the water to force out as much air as possible before sealing it fully.
Make sure the chicken is fully submerged by either clipping it to the container or placing a bowl or plate on top to keep it from floating. Cook for 1 ½ to 4 hours depending on your desired level of tenderness (*see note). Then, move on to searing the chicken if desired.
Instant Pot
Check that your Instant Pot has a sous vide function, then set the trivet in the bottom and fill it ⅔ full with water.
Season the chicken generously on all sides with
Use a vacuum sealer and vacuum bag or a Ziploc bag and the water displacement method above to remove all of the air and seal the chicken.
Press the select temperature option and set your Instant Pot to 140°F (60°C). Then, click the 'hour' button and set it to 2 hours. Seal your Instant Pot and let the chicken cook fully before moving on to searing the chicken if desired.
Reverse Sear (optional)
Remove the chicken from the bag and let it rest and cool for 10 minutes before searing.
Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
Once the oil is shimmering hot, add the chicken and sear each side for 20-60 seconds or until nicely golden brown. This will go quickly, the chicken is already cooked so there is no need to leave it on the pan for more than 60 seconds.
Transfer your chicken to a plate or cutting board and serve right away if enjoying hot.
Notes
To dry brine your chicken for added flavor, season as directed then place the chicken uncovered in the fridge to dry brine overnight before cooking.
You can use this method to prepare multiple chicken breasts at once. Either place each chicken breast in its own bag or put them in the same bag side-by-side in a single layer.
If you are using a sous vide machine (aka immersion circulator), make sure the bag of chicken is not blocking the intake/output part of the machine.
The longer you let your chicken cook, the more tender it will be! 4 hours is the maximum time before the meat fibers break down and the texture can become too tender or even mushy.
Yes, the CDC does recommend an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for chicken, however, that is not necessary when using the sous vide method. Cooking the chicken at a temperature of at least 136°F (58°C) for a minimum of 1 hour and 10 minutes is enough to pasteurize it and kill any harmful bacteria.
To store: Chicken breast can be placed in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen in a heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 4 months.
To reheat: For the most tender results, sous vide the chicken the same way it was prepared at 145°F (63°C) for 10 minutes or until warmed through. You can then quickly re-sear it to freshen up the crust if desired.
Chicken Breast Recipes, chicken dinner ideas, chicken dinners, how to cook chicken breast in a sous vide, sous vide chicken, sous vide chicken breast, sous vide recipes