PERFECT Sous Vide Chicken Breasts (2024)

July 25, 2024February 12, 2020 by Erin

Learn how to make the PERFECT Sous Vide Chicken Breast. This fail proof recipe results in perfectly tender & juicy chicken every time. Plus, it provides tips on flavoring your chicken breasts in several different ways. You can even sous vide a frozen chicken breast.

Sous vide, which means “under vacuum” in French, refers to the process of vacuum-sealing food in a bag, then cooking it to a very precise temperature in a water bath. This technique is amazing because it makes it virtually impossible to overcook your food.

Making it perfect for cooking tender & juicy chicken breasts.

I’ve used my immersion circulator in the past to make a delicious sous vide filet mignon and sous vide ribeye, but today I’m taking on chicken.

I’ve developed what I consider to be the BEST sous vide chicken breast recipe.

Why is this the best sous vide chicken breast recipe?

1. It’s perfectly cooked every time.
2. You can switch up the seasonings in so many different ways. More on that below.
3. It’s perfect for meal prep, as you can just leave your cooked chicken in sealed bags in the fridge.

How to season your sous vide chicken breast

I prefer using a dry rub or thick sauce to season my chicken. The reason being that you need to vacuum seal the bag before the sous vide cooking process.

Marinades with excess liquid tend to make that sealing process difficult. If seasoning from the onset, here are some of the flavor combinations that I like to use.

Or, keep reading, to find my method that seasons the chicken breasts after they come out of the sous vide.

Dry rub options

• Chicken Dry Rub
• Lemon Zest + Oregano
• Orange Zest + Rosemary
• Taco Seasoning
• Italian Seasoning
• Cajun Seasoning
• Seasoning Salt

Wet sauce options

Tip: When using a wet sauce, I find it works best to use the water displacement method for sealing your bags.

• BBQ Sauce
• Peruvian Green Sauce
• Creamy Mushroom Sauce
• Honey Mustard
• Italian Dressing
• Pesto
• Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
• Mojo Sauce
• Chimichurri Sauce
• MORE → 25+ tasty sauces for chicken

My favorite method for seasoning a Sous Vide Chicken Breast is a simple one.

I like to sprinkle it with salt and pepper, add a couple sprigs of fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley) and a few lemon slices.

Then, once it’s done cooking, I pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and sear it in a hot skillet with some compound butter.

You can season your butter in so many different ways. My favorite add-ins are garlic, lemon zest and fresh herbs. You can also add a bit of heat by adding in a pinch of cayenne, or some horseradish.

How to make compound butter

• Combine softened butter with garlic and fresh herbs.
• Place on a piece of parchment or plastic wrap and roll into a log.
• Refrigerator for 1 hour, or place in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up.

How to sous vide chicken breasts

Season your chicken and place in a plastic bag. Remove the air from the bag and seal using a vacuum sealer or the water displacement method.

Place the sous vide machine in a vessel that’s large enough to hold enough water for your bag to be fully submerged and deep enough to ensure that the water level falls between the minimum and maximum level indicators on your sous vide circulator. Cook at your preferred temperature for at least 1 hour, up to four hours. Use immediately, or sear according to the recipe card below.

Sous vide chicken breast temp

145-degrees is the ideal temperature for sous vide chicken breasts that are tender, juicy and perfectly cooked! However, you can cook it at a higher heat according to your personal preference.

How long do you sous vide a chicken breast?

• Sous vide chicken for at least 1 hour. Once an hour is up, it will keep in the sous vide bath for up to 4 hours without losing its texture.

Sous vide chicken breast from frozen

• If you’d like to sous vide frozen chicken breasts, simply add 30 minutes to the cook time. So, sous vide the chicken for at least 1 ½ hours.

Recipe FAQs

What to serve with it

• Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
• Creamy Mushroom Sauce
• Easy Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream
• Glazed Carrots
• Roasted Miso Cauliflower
• Arugula Salad
• German Potato Salad
• Cherry Tomato Salad
• Click here for MOREside dishes to serve with chicken

Wine pairings for chicken

• A Viognier or unoaked Chardonnay would pair nicely with this dish.
• If you would like to go the red route, I’d suggest a Pinot Noir, or other light bodied red. Avoid hard, oaky tannic reds and they can overwhelm the delicate flavors of the chicken.
• MORE → the 8 BEST Chicken Wine Pairings.

More Chicken Guides

• Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
• Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
• Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
• Oven Baked Chicken Breasts

More Sous Vide Recipes

• Sous Vide Shredded Chicken
• Sous Vide Pork Chops
• Sous Vide Lamb Chops
• Sous Vide Homemade Limoncello
• Sous Vide Filet Mignon
• Sous Vide Infused Vodka
• Sous Vide Ribeye with Compound Butter
• Sous Vide Corn on the Cob
• Sous Vide Vanilla Extract

Did you Make This Sous Vide Chicken Recipe?

If you made this sous vide chicken breast recipe I would appreciate it so much if you would give it a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me onInstagramusing the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

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