Sous Vide Chicken Breast (Extra Juicy And Moist!) (2024)

FAQs

What is the best temperature to sous vide chicken breast? ›

That's why the optimal temperature for cooking chicken sous vide is 145ºF for at least 1 hour. Now before you start thinking “that can't be safe!” let's talk about why this is actually perfectly safe. Killing bacteria is a function of heat and time.

A marinade adds both moisture and intense flavor to chicken breast. The longer you marinate, the better. Seal the chicken in your marinade for two to three hours minimum. However, overnight is ideal.

Yes, you can sous vide chicken breasts at 135 degrees so long as you cook it long enough. It takes a little over an hour to sous vide chicken breast at 135F degrees.

Bake Chicken Breast at 425°F

425°F is the best temperature for baking chicken. The chicken turns golden on the outside and unbelievably juicy inside. At a lower temperature like 350°F, the chicken can dry out, as it will need to be in the oven for a longer period.

You can absolutely sear your chicken breasts after a sous vide! This method is called a “reverse sear.” A reverse sear means you sear it AFTER the middle is cooked-though vs. before.

With sous vide you can cook chicken at a lower temperature and it'll still be just as safe to eat. So instead of 165°F you can cook it at 140°F… in beef terms, that's going from a well-done steak to a medium-rare steak, they are barely the same meal!

The best tenderizer though, is a salted yogurt marinade. The salt has the same effect as in a regular brine, but the lactic acid in the yogurt further tenderizes the meat. A 15-minute marinade with one cup of yogurt and one teaspoon of salt makes for the most tender chicken breasts imaginable.

After your chicken breasts are done cooking, let them rest for at least half the time that you cooked them for before slicing into them. This will ensure that the breasts stay super juicy and flavorful, and that they're fully cooked. Trust me, waiting the few extra minutes pays off big time — every time.

Her suggestion: Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a pan in a single layer, cover with a few inches of liquid (water, broth, etc.), add flavorings (spices, salt, herbs, soy sauce, etc.), then bring the liquid just barely to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat so the liquid simmers.

In fact, you can even pasteurize chicken as low as just above 130°F (54°C), but I don't recommend it. Partly because there's a risk that your sous vide device is mis-calibrated by a degree or two, but, more importantly, because chicken cooked to 130°F has a very soft, almost raw texture that is simply not appealing.

Is it safe to sous vide at 130? ›

So long as you're cooking at above 130°F, there are no real health risks associated with prolonged sous-vide cooking.

So the general answer to "How many chicken breasts can I put in one sous vide bag?" is as many as you can fit in a single layer.

For every 250g/8oz chicken breast strips or pieces, toss with 3/4 tsp baking soda (bi-carb) Marinate for 20 minutes. Rinse well under running water, pat with paper towel to remove excess water. Cook per chosen recipe and marvel at the most tender chicken breast you've ever had, just like at Chinese restaurants!!!

Fattier dark meat can stand a higher temperature than lean white meat. While it's safe to eat dark meat cooked to 165°, you'll get a bouncier bite. Allowing thigh meat and the like to reach somewhere between 175° and 190° will give you more tender meat because the connective tissues have longer to break down.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) instructs us to cook meat to a safe internal temperature: namely, 165 degrees for poultry and 145 for beef and pork.

Normally, proteins with large portions of fat need high heat for the fat to start rendering and consequently become tender. When you pop a raw piece of meat that has a lot of fat in a sous vide machine, the low temperature of the water will cause the meat to stay unrendered and become rubbery.

All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F (73.9 °C) as measured with a food thermometer. A whole chicken must reach this temperature throughout the bird. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.

As opposed to most traditional cooking methods, sous vided food is cooked at the temperature you want the final food to end up at. This is usually between 120°F (48.9°C) and 185°F (85°C), depending on the food being prepared. There are a few different categories of food, but in this lesson I will focus on meat.