This sous vide fried chicken is tender, but juicy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. Never worry about undercooked chicken again.
I love the precision of sous vide cooking, from sous vide duck confit to sous vide egg bites to sous vide short ribs.
But fried chicken? It may seem crazy at first thought but after one bite you'll be converted. Instead of marinating chicken in buttermilk which is traditional for fried chicken, you actually cook in it to the point of almost being done.
Then you get that wonderful crunchy exterior that fried chicken is known for and you don't have to worry about anything being undercooked. This sous vide fried chicken recipe can use any cut of mean you like - from thighs to breasts to legs to wings.
Why This Recipe Works
- Flavor - You get a super a salty, crunchy and juicy bite all in one.
- Texture - By cooking in a sous vide before frying, you avoid tough chicken that can sometimes happen with frying. It remains tender and juicy.
- Cooked - Sometimes if you make fried chicken, you get the crispy outside but then find out the inside is raw. By cooking to 155°F before frying, you know your chicken will be done.
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Ingredient Notes
- Chicken - any type of bone-in chicken will work. I'm partial to thighs.
- Buttermilk - key to creating a tender chicken. The acid helps tenderize it.
- Eggs - mixed with the buttermilk, it helps the flour stay coated to the chicken.
- All-purpose flour - where you get that lovely crunch when the chicken is fried. Other options are rice or semolina flour.
- Spices - adds flavor and color.
- Oil - you want a flavorless oil like vegetable or canola oil. Peanut oil can also be used if you don't have allergies.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Make the marinade by mixing the buttermilk, eggs, hot sauce and sauce. Then place in a vacuum bag with the chicken and seal according to instructions.
Add the chicken to a water bath that is set to 155°F with the immersion circulator. Cook for 2 hours.
Mix together the dredge ingredients in a bowl. Toss each piece of chicken and pressing the flour into it with your hands so it adheres well.
Fry the chicken for 3 minutes per side at 350°F. Place chicken on a wire rack and sprinkle with salt.
FAQs
Sous vide is French for "under vacuum." It typically involved sealing food in a bag and cooking in a water bath at a precise temperature.
If you don’t have buttermilk you can easily make it at home. Simply add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes and it’s ready.
350°F is the best temperature. However it is important to not overcrowd the skillet with the chicken or you will lower the temperature of the oil and not get crispy skin.
Yes. The buttermilk acts as a marinade so just place in a sealed bag for up to a day in the fridge or the freezer for up to 3 months.
You can also place the chicken in the fridge after you've cooked with the sous vide before frying.
Place on a wire rack on a baking sheet and reheat at 400°F for 12-15 minutes.
Side Dish Suggestions
Sous vide fried chicken can be paired with a variety of sides, including:
- Baked Cheddar Mac and Cheese
- Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits
- Baked Beans
- Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- Coleslaw
Equipment
The equipment you use is important to how the fried chicken turns out. What is needed is the following:
- Vacuum sealer - used to seal the chicken in a bag and cook in the water bath. A zipper freezer bag works as well.
- Immersion circulator - used for sous vide cooking.
- Skillet/Dutch oven - you want something large enough to fry the chicken.
- Candy thermometer - helps you monitor the exact temperature of the oil.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- If you don't have a vacuum sealer, you can use a freezer grade zipper bag and zip almost to closed. Submerge the bag in the water and the air will start to come out and zip once everything is released.
- Place some wet towels on top of the chicken so it remains submerged.
- If you want spicier fried chicken, add 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the flour mixture.
- Don't add too much chicken to the oil or you will lower the temperature so the skin won't get crispy. Cook in batches.
- Use the oven at 200°F to keep the fried chicken warm while you are making everything in batches.
Other Chicken Recipes
If you’ve tried this sous vide fried chicken recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Sous Vide Fried Chicken
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2 lbs bone-in chicken (breasts, thighs or legs)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Dredge
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For Frying
- vegetable oil
- kosher salt
Instructions
Marinade
- Set up an immersion circulator in a large pot and preheat the water bath to 155°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, hot sauce and chicken. And the chicken to a sealable bag before adding the buttermilk marinade to it. Massage the chicken so it is completely coated.
- Use a vacuum sealer to vacuum seal the bag.
Sous Vide
- Add sealed chicken to water bath and cook for 2 hours.
Deep Fry
- In a shallow bowl, add flour, baking powder, paprika, salt, garlic powder and black pepper, mixing until combined.
- Remove one piece of chicken from the bag. Allow some of the excess buttermilk to drip off before tossing in the flour mixture. Toss until every piece of chicken is coated, pressing your hands in it get the flour to adhere.
- Fill cast iron skillet with oil about ¾" deep. Heat to 350°F. Working in batches, fry each piece of chicken about 3 minutes per side or until cooked through. Place chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt when done.
Notes
- If you don't have a vacuum sealer, you can use a freezer grade zipper bag and zip almost to closed. Submerge the bag in the water and the air will start to come out and zip once everything is released.
- Place some wet towels on top of the chicken so it remains submerged.
- If you want spicier fried chicken, add 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the flour mixture.
- Don't add too much chicken to the oil or you will lower the temperature so the skin won't get crispy. Cook in batches.
- Use the oven at 200°F to keep the fried chicken warm while you are making everything in batches.
Linda says
Are you leaving the skin on the chicken?
Ryan says
Yes. You can remove the skin as well if you want.