Citrusy Sous Vide Chicken Breast

sliced citrus glazed chicken breast over cauliflower rice with garnish.

4.84 from 66 votes

Guaranteed tender and juicy, this recipe for sous vide chicken breast is finished with a bright, sweet-and-tangy citrus glaze of maple syrup, orange, lemon, and lime. Simple enough for a weeknight, yet special enough for company.

Prep Time5

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Sous Vide

Servings (change as needed): (or 2 larger portions)

Author: Cheryl Avrich

US Measures - Metric

Ingredients

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (2-3 pieces)
seasonings: salt, black pepper, few springs fresh thyme (or dried)
optional garnishes: 1-2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds, 1 sliced green onion.

Citrus Glaze

1 large orange (1/2 cup juice and 1-2 teaspoons zest) or 2 medium oranges
1 lime (the juice)
¼ lemon (the juice)
¼ cup maple syrup (honey or brown sugar can be substituted)
2 tablespoon soy sauce (low sodium)
1 ½ teaspoon minced/grated garlic (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon chili flakes
1 ½ teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro (optional)

US Measures - Metric

Instructions

PREPARE SOUS VIDE BATH: Fill water in the sous vide container as per manufacturers instructions (not too high). Set the temperature to 144F/62C (for soft, moist breasts) and allow sous vide water bath to heat to that temperature. Note 1 for other temperatures.
PREPARE CHICKEN: Season generously both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper and place a few sprigs of thyme on top (or sprinkle lightly with dried thyme). For vacuum seal method: Fold back top of sous-vide bags about an inch to create a flap (this ensures no food touches the top of the bag where it gets sealed). Insert one or two chicken fillets per bag (I do 2 in one bag) in a single layer, ensuring no overlap. Unfold the flap and vacuum seal the bag using a vacuum sealer. Note 2 for water displacement method.
COOK CHICKEN SOUS VIDE: When temperature of the water bath has reached 144F/62C, submerge the plastic bags with the chicken into the water. Cover and cook for minimum 90 minutes and a maximum of 4 hours.
MAKE GLAZE: While chicken is cooking, whisk together all glaze ingredients in a small saucepan. Stir. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat to medium heat and continue to cook, about 8-10 minutes until sauce is reduced and slightly thickened (it should coat the back of a spoon).
FINISH THE DISH: Remove chicken from bag(s) and pat dry with paper towels. Coat with glaze, reserving 2-3 tablespoons for final drizzle. If you want to brown chicken to enhance presentation, place breasts on a foil-lined pan and broil one side a few inches from top of the oven for about 3 minutes. (Alternatively, do a quick sear in a sauté pan or cast iron pan on one side (without the glaze) with a little oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.)
Slice on angle if desired on cutting board, transfer to plates, drizzle with remaining glaze, add sesame seeds and green onions if using and serve.

Notes

Choose your preferred sous vide temp for chicken breasts:
Choose a temp below for your ideal doneness. Cook for 1.5–4 hours max. Serious Eats tested a range of different temperatures and times for chicken breasts with the results. In summary:
- 140°F / 60°C: Very soft and juicy, may appear slightly pink (but it's safe and fully pasteurized).
- 144°F / 62°C: Soft, moist (my preferred temp).
- 150°F / 66°C: Juicy and tender, slightly stringy.
- 160°F / 71°C: Firm, more traditional texture, less juicy.
Water Displacement Method (instead of vacuum sealer): Place chicken in a Ziploc bag. Slowly lower into water to push out air. Seal just above waterline.
No sous vide equipment? Use the grill, oven, or skillet, then glaze. For all 3 methods, season breasts, spray with oil, and cook to 155F/68C temperature. Test with an instant thermometer and rest the chicken after cooking for 10 minutes. It will rise to 160F/71C. Don't overcook.
- Grill: Oil grates. Medium heat. Grill 4–6 minutes per side.
- Oven: Bake at 450°F / 232°C for 10–12 minutes.
- Skillet: Medium-high heat with 2 tsp oil. Cook 4 mins per side.
For appetizers cut chicken into bite size pieces and serve with toothpicks.
Make Ahead and Storage:
- Hold in the water bath: You have a window of up to 4 hours to keep sous vide the chicken.
- Fridge: Cool in ice bath, refrigerate (in bag) for up to 2 days.
- Freeze: Cool in ice bath, freeze (in bag, in a single layer) for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: Rewarm in water bath set 10°F lower than original cook temp, for 20–30 minutes.

Nutrition values are estimates for about 1/3 lb/151 grams chicken. For a more generous portion (e.g. serving 2 people at 1/2 lb/227 grams chicken each), values would be higher.