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If you are looking for the best way to cook chicken thighs so they stay juicy, flavors and tender every time, look no further! These sous vide boneless chicken thighs come out perfect EVERY SINGLE TIME, and are incredible serve with a creamy, tangy, balsamic cream sauce.
Not only does cooking these thighs using this sous vide recipe give you perfectly tender chicken every time, the balsamic cream sauce that goes along with the is plate-licking worthy (just ask the boyfriend). You can use sous vide to make the bone-in sous vide chicken thighs or sous vide drumsticks as well (isn't dark meat chicken the best??).
PLUS, most of the sous vide cooking is hands off so this juicy chicken super easy to prepare and will always be a hit for busy weeknights or special weekend dinners!
Also check out this complete guide to sous vide chicken for some amazing tips and tricks for making amazing chicken using the sous vide method. Also check out the benefits of cooking sous vide over traditional methods.
Jump to:
- Why you'll love this sous vide chicken thighs recipe
- Ingredients for boneless chicken thighs
- Variations and substitutions
- Step by step instructions
- Sous vide chicken thigh temperature and time to cook chicken thighs
- How to make balsamic cream sauce
- Expert tips for the best sous vide chicken
- Frequently asked questions
- More favorite sous vide chicken recipes
- Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why you'll love this sous vide chicken thighs recipe
- The results come out perfect EVERY TIME because we use precision cooking to make sous vide chicken thighs. You'll never get dry chicken again using sous vide. It always comes out ultra juicy and ultra tender!
- Most of the cook time is hands off, allowing for other tasks (like whipping up these sour cream mashed potatoes) and/or relaxing to be done while the thighs cook. Chicken thighs are forgiving, so no worry about overcooking them.
- You can cook them straight from frozen as well, making this recipe ultra convenient.
- While the cream sauce recipe is optional, it is absolutely to die for and will keep everyone coming back for more.
- It's perfect when using this recipe to prepare chicken for sous vide meal prep.
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Ingredients for boneless chicken thighs
The full list of ingredients and amounts for this recipe for sous vide chicken is included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Boneless and skinless chicken thighs are used for this recipe. You can use any thighs you'd like, but I find the local organic thighs tend to have more flavor and tenderness than the larger commercially available thighs. But either will work for this recipe. If you prefer to use breasts, try this sous vide chicken breasts recipe.
Fresh thyme sprigs are used in the balsamic sauce, but feel free to replace with any other fresh herb you like (rosemary, sage, parsley, etc.).
I highly recommend ensuring you use heavy cream to make sure the sauce is thick and creamy enough. You can also substitute coconut cream if needed, it just needs to be a full bodied type of cream.
The better quality the balsamic vinegar, the better your sauce will be. We've grown spoiled after our trip to Italy and have fallen in love with this brand of authentic balsamic vinegar.
Variations and substitutions
- You can use bone-in thighs for this recipe. I would add 45-60 minutes to the cook time to allow them to cook through.
- If cooking the thighs straight from frozen, I recommend adding 60 minutes to the cook time.
- You can also use this recipe to make sous vide fried chicken. Just cook the thighs per the recipe instructions, then use this sous vide fried chicken batter recipe to fry it up for the best fried chicken you'll ever eat!
- You can use any seasoning you like for your chicken if you prefer not to use the accompanying balsamic cream sauce. Make Cajun chicken with Cajun remoulade sauce by seasoning it with homemade Cajun seasoning before cooking and then serving it with the sauce. Any sauce or seasoning you like goes great with this chicken - it's extremely versatile!
- It can be great served with tangy barbecue sauce to make bbq chicken, cilantro chimichurri sauce, or even this Thai peanut sauce.
Step by step instructions
Serve these chicken thighs with a side of sous vide carrots or instant pot carrots (both are perfectly tangy to go along with the flavor profile). You can also serve with sous vide mashed potatoes, these truffle mashed potatoes (so good!!), or this delicious oven baked bacon wrapped asparagus.
Sous vide chicken thigh temperature and time to cook chicken thighs
| Cooking Temperature | Time | Result |
| 150°F-155°F | 2-6 hours | Juicy and firm |
| 160°F | 2-6 hours | Juicy and tender (recommended) |
| 165°F+ | 6 hours | Fall-off-the-bone tender and shreddable |
A lower temperature will yield firmer texture of the chicken thighs. A higher temperature yields more fall-off-the-bone, shreddable and slightly drier final texture of the chicken. Cooing them for a longer time yields more tender results.
If you like this sous vide chicken, you will also like these sous vide turkey thighs and sous vide turkey legs.
How to make balsamic cream sauce
Expert tips for the best sous vide chicken
- Get as much air out of the bag as possible to prevent floating. Using a vacuum sealer works best for this, but you can also use the water displacement method.
- If the bag floats use one of these sous vide weights or weight it down with something to ensure the chicken cooks evenly.
- Adjust the sauce to taste at the end. You may need to add additional salt to your own taste.
- Browning the chicken is optional. It can add extra flavor to the outside, but is completely unnecessary to have an amazing dish.
- Cooking the chicken for 4 hours will provide the best, most tender results, however, you can cook the thighs anywhere between 2-6 hours and they will be fully cooked through and juicy.
- Always season the chicken before putting it in the water bath to ensure it soaks up all the flavor while cooking.
- If you are making these in advance, plunge them directly in an ice bath for 20-30 minutes when done cooking. Then store in the fridge or freezer.
- It's ok if the chicken is a little pink in the middle. It is fully cooked and safe to eat.
Frequently asked questions
Typically chicken thighs can be cooked sous vide between 2-6 hours at a temperature of 155°F to 160°F for the best results. Bone-in chicken thighs will have the best results cooked at 4+ hours.
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs should be cooked in a sous vide water bath at a temperature of 155°F to 160°F for the most tender, juicy results.
These sous vide chicken thighs can be made in advance in the water bath, then reheated at 150°F for 15 minutes, or until warmed through. Make or heat up the sauce and serve the thighs.
Store them in the fridge for up to 7 days, or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Sauce should be stored separately.
Reheat the chicken in a 150°F water bath for 15 minutes, or until warmed through. You can also reheat in the microwave at 30 second intervals on 50% power to avoid overcooking, until warmed through. Serve with heated sauce (may need to add 1-2 tablespoons of broth while heating if it's too thick)
You can also freeze leftovers. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat according to above instructions.
When you sous vide chicken thighs at temperatures lower than 165°F, the chicken gets pasteurized due to the length of time it cooks. For instance, chicken thighs are pasteurized at 150°F after being held at that temperature for 10 minutes (at 1 hour for the chicken to get to 150°F internally). It only takes 3 minutes at 155°F, and under a minute at 160°.
More favorite sous vide chicken recipes
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Recipe
Sous Vide Boneless Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Balsamic Cream Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Heat a sous vide water bath to 160°F degrees.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper and seal in a vacuum seal bag along with the butter.
- Cook for 2-4 hours in the sous vide water bath.
- Remove, remove from bag and serve with the balsamic cream sauce. **brown in a cast iron skillet over medium if preferred (optional, not required).
Balsamic Cream Sauce:
- Heat the olive oil in a small/medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the thyme, salt, pepper, stock and cream and cook down until thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in the vinegar. Remove from heat, adjust salt to taste if needed and serve.
Expert Tips:
- Get as much air out of the bag as possible to prevent floating. Using a vacuum sealer works best for this, but you can also use the water displacement method.
- If the bag floats use one of these sous vide weights or weight it down with something to ensure the chicken cooks evenly.
- Adjust the sauce to taste at the end. You may need to add additional salt to your own taste.
- Browning the chicken is optional. It can add extra flavor to the outside, but is completely unnecessary to have an amazing dish.
- Cooking the chicken for 4 hours will provide the best, most tender results, however, you can cook the thighs anywhere between 2-6 hours and they will be fully cooked through and juicy.
- Always season the chicken before putting it in the water bath to ensure it soaks up all the flavor while cooking.
- If you are making these in advance, plunge them directly in an ice bath for 20-30 minutes when done cooking. Then store in the fridge or freezer.
- It's ok if the chicken is a little pink in the middle. It is fully cooked and safe to eat.
Nutrition
Ernie
Very tender and juicy. Did 2:30 hours at 160F
Danielle
So glad to hear it!
Danielle
I loved how juicy these came out, and the sauce was amazing!