Sous Vide Chicken Breasts

Get PERFECT Sous Vide Chicken Breast every time with this simple method. You’ll get chicken that is tender enough to cut with a butter knife, super juicy and with texture and flavor that you can’t get with other cooking methods. Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Oven Roasted Asparagus would be great side options to your Sous Vide Chicken. Follow these simple instructions and you’re on your way to juicy, tender – never dry – boneless skinless chicken breasts.

What is Sous Vide Chicken?

Have you ever heard the term Sous Vide and not fully understood what the heck that meant? Sous Vide is a French term that means “under water”. So when I say we will cook this chicken “sous vide” I mean, we will cook it in water using a sous vide machine which will hold the water at the same temperature for an extended period of time, cooking the chicken breast at your preferred temperature without overcooking.

Using a Sous Vide Machine

I found my Sous Vide Machine on Amazon for a reasonable price. I have the Anova Culinary Sous Vide Nano and it works extremely well. You might find a good one on sale right now with all the sales going on this time of year…also a fun Christmas gift idea. It’s also a good idea to invest in a vacuum sealer so you can vacuum seal the chicken which removes the air, preventing it from floating. You want the chicken fully immersed in the water to have it cook evenly and safely. Zip top bags with all the air removed manually also can work, as long as you have something heavy holding the chicken down in the water.

How to Sous Vide Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts can be kind of boring and lack flavor, so I give my chicken breasts a little love by adding lemon, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper to the bag before cooking. The slower cook time keeps the meat moist and ensures it won’t overcook, letting the flavorings work their way into the meat.

For full details about using this method, see the printable recipe card down below. Here is step-by-step how to set up and use the Sous Vide Method:

Bring Water to Temperature Using the Sous Vide Machine

You will need a large tall pot or container (like this one). Fill container or pot with hot tap water. Add sous vide machine and set to 145° F. It will take some time for the water to come up to temperature, depending on how efficient your machine is. Starting with hot water will help the sous vide machine bring the water to the right temperature more quickly.

Season Chicken Breasts

Season with salt and pepper. Place lemon slices and herbs on top of each chicken breast. Carefully place chicken into plastic bags and vacuum seal. Alternately, place in gallon-size ziploc bags, remove all the air and seal.

Cook Chicken Sous Vide

Place vacuum sealed chicken in water and set timer for 1 hour. Make sure the chicken is completely submerged in water. The purpose of removing all the air out of the bag is to ensure the chicken sinks in the water. If you still find your bag floating, simply weight it down with something like a small plate. They make all kinds of things to help with this…I just put these sous vide magnets on my wish list.

Sear Cooked Chicken on the Stovetop

Chicken Breasts are not fully cooked at 140° F. We also want the chicken to have a bit of color and brown it up a bit, so we will sear it off quickly in a hot pan.

Heat skillet over medium high heat and add butter, olive oil and smashed garlic.

Remove chicken breasts from bag and sear in skillet, flipping once.

Let Chicken Rest + Serve!

When chicken is nice and browned and has reached 165° F, remove and let rest for 5 mins or so.

Serve warm, whole or sliced…spooning pan juices over chicken.

Ways to Season Sous Vide Chicken Breasts

As aforementioned, this is just a cooking METHOD and you can add whatever seasonings, spices and aromatics you wish to your Sous Vide Chicken Breasts. Here are some more ideas:

• Cilantro and Lime – make it Mexican inspired by also adding Oregano, Chili Powder and/or Cumin.
• Earthy Herbs – Use Rosemary and Thyme like I did or try other earthy herbs like Sage, Tarragon or Marjoram
• Dried Spices – Paprika, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Cayenne and more!
• Give it some tang: Marinate with Mustard, Vinaigrette or Lemon
• Make it Asian inspired – Soy Sauce, Fresh Ginger, and Garlic. Add Brown Sugar for a sweet and tangy version.
• Give it a Greek twist – Cucumber, Mint, Garlic, Dill and plain Greek Yogurt

The options are endless! Let me know your ideas in the comments!

Storing + Freezing Directions

To Store – store sous vide chicken breast in the fridge, in an airtight container or in the sealed bags for up to 4-5 days.

To Freeze – you can also freeze your cooked chicken by either placing the sealed bags into the freezer, or shredding, chopping, or slicing, before sealing and placing in the freezer. Chicken will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.

What to Serve with Sous Vide Chicken Breasts

• Roasted Root Vegetables
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Broccoli Salad
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Oven Roasted Asparagus
• Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
• Iceberg Wedge Salad
• Greek Salad
• Famous Butter Rice

More Chicken Recipes to Try!

• Chicken Salad Sandwich
• French Onion Chicken
• Orange Chicken
• Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Shells

The printable recipe card is below. Be sure to save, print or bookmark this recipe to refer back to in the future. If you made this sous vide chicken breast recipe I would LOVE it if you would give me a star review! Have a great day!

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