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Never worry about overcooked and dry chicken again with this Sous Vide Chicken Breast recipe! You just need a few simple seasonings to make the most juicy, tender and flavorful garlic butter chicken.
The sous vide makes it so easy and it goes perfectly with garlic mashed potatoes and spicy braised green beans!

Chicken breasts are usually a staple for weeknight dinners, but they're so easy to overcook and dry out. If this is your struggle, you will love boneless, skinless chicken breast prepared using the sous vide!
The sous vide method takes about 2 hours, but it’s mostly hands off and the controlled temperature of the water bath ensures the chicken stays moist, tender and juicy. You can even make this sous vide frozen chicken breast if you didn't have a chance to thaw it.
The sous vide is actually perfect for cooking all cuts of chicken. We love these sous vide chicken wings for game day, these sous vide chicken thighs for weeknights, and this sous vide whole chicken is great for Sunday dinner!
And, if fried chicken is your fave, this crispy sous vide fried chicken is easier than frying chicken the traditional way!
Check out the sous vide chicken breast story!
Why this recipe works
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are readily available. You can find fresh or frozen chicken breasts at most local grocery stores. So, it's easy to have them on hand to make this recipe for busy weeknight dinners or for Sunday meal prep!
- It’s almost impossible to dry out chicken breast using the sous vide method. The water bath keeps the chicken at a set temperature, so while it will get softer the longer you leave it in the bath, it will never dry out.
- The chicken breasts are ultra flavorful! They’re sealed in a bag with butter, garlic and other seasonings so they absorb all the flavor as they slowly cook in the water bath.
What is Sous Vide?
Sous vide is basically a method of cooking using what is called an immersion circulator. This immersion circulator circulates water in a temperature controlled water bath at a certain temperature to perfectly cook your food every time.
Because the temperature doesn't change, and it keeps your meat (or dessert, veggies, etc.) at the same temperature, your risk of overcooking becomes very minimal.
To learn even more about sous vide cooking, head over and read "what is sous vide cooking and the benefits of sous vide cooking."
What is the Water Displacement Method?
The displacement method is where you slowly submerge a ziplock bag in water pushing the air out of the top of the bag (the bag should be slightly open at the top to allow air to escape).
Use a clip (I use binder clips) to clip the bag to the side to keep it from floating and getting air and/or water inside.
Tools Used
You will also want to check out these posts on the best sous vide containers and the best sous vide bags for more information!
Other sous vide recipes
Ingredients
For the full list of ingredients and quantities, please see the recipe card below.
You’ll need 1 ½ - 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast. This recipe is only for boneless chicken breast. If you use bone-in, you will need to adjust the temperature and cooking time.
The seasonings sealed in the bag with the chicken include fresh thyme, sous vide garlic (or roasted garlic), salt and pepper.
If you can’t find fresh thyme, you can use dried thyme. Just reduce the amount to one-third as dried herbs are usually more potent than fresh. You can also use another type of fresh herb like oregano.
You’ll need 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter to cook the chicken. Half of the butter is added to the sealed bag with the chicken and the other half is used to brown the chicken at the end.
The butter becomes infused with garlic as the chicken cooks and coats the chicken with flavor. If you only have salted butter, just reduce the amount of salt you add to the chicken when seasoning it.
Step by step instructions
Heat a sous vide water bath to 140F degrees.
Combine the chicken with 2 tablespoons of butter, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper in a vacuum seal bag.
Vacuum seal, trying to keep a little space between each breast so they cook properly.
Cook the chicken in the water bath for 2 hours.
Remove from the water bath and take the chicken out of the bag (set it on a plate), reserving the juice for serving.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium high heat.
Add the breasts and brown for 30 seconds on each side, spooning butter over the top while browning.
Remove, slice and serve.
Expert tips
- To ensure the chicken breasts cook evenly and properly, make sure they’re not overlapping when you seal the bag. For this reason, I prefer to use vacuum seal bags instead of ziplock.
- To keep bacteria out of the sealed bag, make sure you seal the vacuum seal bag or ziplock bag properly.
- For safe and even cooking of the chicken, make sure the bag doesn’t start floating in the water bath. If it floats, just open the vacuum seal or ziplock bag, let the excess air out and reseal it.
- You can also use something heavy to weigh down the bag to ensure it doesn’t float. I like to use this sous vide sinker weight.
- When browning the chicken breasts, make sure you only do so for 30 seconds per side. If you leave them for longer, they may overcook and dry out.
- For extra juicy and flavorful chicken breasts, be sure to baste with butter as you’re browning them.
Common questions
For tender and juicy chicken breasts, set the temperature of your water bath to 140F degrees. If you prefer firmer chicken breasts, you can set the water bath to 165F degrees.
It takes about 2 hours to cook chicken breast in a sous vide water bath. If you leave it a little longer, that's okay. It can stay in the water bath for an extra hour or two without impacting the texture of the chicken.
Yes! When you sous vide chicken, you’re essentially pasteurizing it. So, even though you’re cooking the chicken to just 140F degrees, you’re holding it at that temperature for a long period of time. Serious Eats states that at 140F degrees, chicken has a pasteurization time of 27.5 minutes. Since we’re cooking it for 2 hours, it will be fully pasteurized.
It’s difficult to overcook chicken in a sous vide water bath. The longer you cook the chicken breasts, the softer the meat will be, but it won’t dry out. Just be careful not to leave the chicken longer than 4 hours, otherwise, the texture will start to get mushy.
Yes, you can sous vide frozen chicken breast. Just add another hour to the water bath time.
Make ahead instructions
Using the sous vide method, you can cook the chicken breasts in advance and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Once cooked in the water bath, quickly bring down the temperature of the chicken breasts by placing them in an ice bath. Once cooled, keep stored in the sealed bag in the fridge.
When you’re ready to eat, place the bag of chicken breasts in a water bath set to 140F degrees and keep them there until warmed through (about 30 minutes). Then, brown the chicken in a skillet with butter and serve.
Serving options
There are so many delicious side dish options for chicken breast! Here are a few of our go-tos:
- Truffle Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Carrots
- Sweet and Spicy Brussels Sprouts
- Instant Pot Cauliflower
- Air Fryer Broccoli
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it turned out!
Sous Vide Chicken Breast (Garlic Butter)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ - 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 garlic cloves (roasted or sous vide garlic)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat a sous vide water bath to 140F degrees.
- Combine the chicken with 2 tablespoons of butter, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper in a vacuum seal bag.
- Vacuum seal, trying to keep a little space between each breast so they cook properly.
- Cook the chicken in the water bath for 2 hours.
- Remove from the water bath and take the chicken out of the bag (set it on a plate), reserving the juice for serving.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium high heat.
- Add the breasts and brown for 30 seconds on each side, spooning butter over the top while browning.
- Remove, slice and serve.
Expert Tips:
- To ensure the chicken breasts cook evenly and properly, make sure they’re not overlapping when you seal the bag. For this reason, I prefer to use vacuum seal bags instead of ziplock.
- To keep bacteria out of the sealed bag, make sure you seal the vacuum seal bag or ziplock bag properly.
- For safe and even cooking of the chicken, make sure the bag doesn’t start floating in the water bath. If it floats, just open the vacuum seal or ziplock bag, let the excess air out and reseal it.Â
- You can also use something heavy to weigh down the bag to ensure it doesn’t float. I like to use this sous vide sinker weight.
- When browning the chicken breasts, make sure you only do so for 30 seconds per side. If you leave them for longer, they may overcook and dry out.
- For extra juicy and flavorful chicken breasts, be sure to baste with butter as you’re browning them.
Deborah
Just ok…kinda bland, though. I had problems getting it to brown, so I gave up and served it. Will be great for sandwiches tomorrow, though!
Danielle
I apologize that you found it bland! I try to adjust the salt so people don't find it overly salty as everyone has a different salt preference. I'd recommened adding more salt next time - or you can even add a dad of white miso paste and that will give it more flavor!
Ed
Some say you should absolutely not put raw garlic in a vacuum bag for sous vide because it's a perfect environment for botulism to grow, and you'll get seriously ill. You should at least put up a disclaimer or tell people to use garlic powder instead.
Danielle
Botulism dies at a temperature of 126F degrees, so unless it is a cook below that temp, it should be perfectly safe to include garlic in the bag. Anything below that temperature could possible become unsafe so it is a good idea to put a disclaimer on the site. Thanks for your input!
Leticia
Easy and delicious!
Danielle
I'm so glad to hear it!
Natalie
Such an easy, healthy and delicious dinner idea. I'm making this for sure. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Danielle
You're welcome!
Tania
My boyfriend thoroughly enjoyed this recipe! Asked for seconds too! a great sign of a delicious meal xx
Danielle
So glad to hear that!
Tavo
I can't wait to make this recipe! I love that it only uses a handful of ingredients. I am sure it is going to be as good as all your sous vide recipes!
Danielle
Thanks 🙂 I hope you love it!
Gina
If you want the most tender and juicy chicken ever this is the recipe! Wow!
Danielle
It's so tender right?
Jessica Stroup
This may be my favorite sous vide recipe! A big hit with the whole family!
Danielle
SO glad you liked it!