These sous vide chicken thighs are incredibly juicy, tender and flavorful! This method of cooking is way easier and more foolproof than grilling, frying or baking. Using a sous vide yields perfect chicken thighs every time!

White plate with sous vide chicken thighs

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • These sous vide chicken thighs are easy and foolproof.
  • The sous vide method is easy, hands off, and almost impossible to mess up.
  • These chicken thighs are so juicy and not dry!
  • This recipe is Whole30 approved, Paleo, Keto, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, nut free and low carb.
  • Great for meal prep.
  • This chicken is versatile and great as leftovers. So are these Baked Chicken Thighs.
  • Check out these Instant Pot chicken thighs and potatoes for another great recipe.
  • This Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin is another favorite!

Ingredients & Substitutions

See recipe card below for full ingredients list and instructions.

Skin on, bone in chicken thighs are my preference. They are incredibly flavorful. If desired, use skinless boneless chicken thighs. For the chicken breast version, check out this Sous Vide Chicken Breast.

The onion powder and fresh herbs are a quick and easy way to add flavor.

Add sea salt and pepper to suit your taste.

Minced garlic is another great way to add flavor. Feel free to omit if desired.

Fresh herbs add a pop of flavor and freshness to these sous vide chicken thighs. Fresh basil, parsley, and oregano are all great options.

Feel free to try these BBQ Chicken Thighs!

Ingredients for chicken thighs

What is Sous Vide?

Sous vide means “under vacuum” in French. It is a method of cooking that involves vacuum sealing food, submerging the food in a water bath and cooking on a low temperature for a long time.

A sous vide heats the water and keeps the water at a regulated temperature for hours on end.

Sous vide cooking has become very popular! This method has many advantages. Expect consistent results with sous vide cooking since the water temperature remains the same for the duration of the process.

Since food cooks in its own juices, this yields very tender and juicy meats. In addition, unlike more traditional methods, meat does not dry up and shrink while sous vide cooking.

Using a sous vide is a very hands off process. There is no need to be constantly checking or watching the food cook.

Time & Temperature

The beauty of sous vide cooking is that there are several ways to cook food. There is not necessarily a perfect time and temperature. With that said, here is my experience cooking sous vide chicken thighs.

Cooking chicken thighs at 165 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 to 6 hours yields juicy and tender meat.

A lower temperature yielded slightly rubbery chicken and took longer to cook.

Cooking over 165 degrees yielded chicken that was less juicy.

Depending on the size of your chicken thighs and whether use bone in or boneless, cooking times may vary slightly. In addition, frozen chicken thighs need at least another hour of cooking.

Sous vide chicken thighs with herbs

Displacement Method

Sous vide cooking requires either vacuum sealed bags and vacuum sealer or Ziplock bags. Vacuum sealed bags are easy to use and can be immediately placed into the water bath.

I typically use a Ziplock bag because I always have them at home. Insert food into Ziplock bag. Then slowly lower the bag into the water bath. The pressure from the water bath will suck the air out of the bag. Once almost fully submerged and the bag contains very little air, zip the top shut and submerge carefully.

This is known as the water displacement method.

How to Make

Step 1

First, fill tall pot with water. Preheat water to 165 degrees Fahrenheit using sous vide.

Step 2

Meanwhile, pat dry chicken. Then, season chicken thighs with onion powder, sea salt and pepper.

Seasoned chicken thighs on plate

Step 3

Add seasoned chicken thighs, minced garlic and fresh herbs to a Ziplock bag or vacuum sealable bag.

Ziplock bag with food inside

Step 4

If using vacuum sealed bag, seal bag. If using Ziplock bag, use displacement method by slowly lowering bag into preheated water bath. Once almost fully submerged, the air will be sucked out of the bag. Zip it shut.

Step 5

Cook for 4 to 6 hours. The longer it cooks, the more it will fall apart in your mouth.

Clear plastic bag with food inside

Step 6

Once done cooking, immediately remove bag from water bath. Place in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

Ice bath for chicken

Step 7

Add a drizzle of oil to a skillet over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, carefully place chicken thighs in skillet.

Step 8

Sear for 1 to 2 minutes per side to get crispy skin chicken thighs. Remove from pan. Lastly, serve!

Skillet with crispy chicken thighs

Expert Tips & Tricks

Do not be afraid to season your chicken thighs. The seasonings add a great flavor.

Either use vacuum sealed bags or use displacement method, as outlined above.

Be sure that there is enough water in the pot to fully cover the chicken thighs. They must be fully submerged.

After cooking, place bag in ice bath to stop the chicken from cooking any further.

Searing the chicken thighs is optional but highly recommended.

If searing, use medium high heat to produce crispy skin. Browning chicken thighs adds more flavor.

Chicken thigh cooking temperature must reach 170 degrees Fahrenheit internally.

Use a meat thermometer to measure temperature.

How to Serve & Store

Serve sous vide chicken thighs once fully cooked and seared. They go well with roasted veggies, sous vide potatoes, or a side salad.

The internal temperature of chicken thighs must be at least 170 degrees Fahrenheit.

Store chicken in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Use leftover chicken thighs in soups, stews, casseroles and salads. Try this Buffalo Chicken Casserole or this Buffalo Chicken Pasta.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do you sous vide chicken thighs?

Sous vide chicken thighs at 165 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 to 6 hours.

What temperature should I sous vide chicken?

Sous vide chicken thighs at 170 degrees Fahrenheit for best results.

Do I have to sear them?

No. I highly recommend searing the chicken to create crispy skin but it is not mandatory.

Do I have to use an ice bath?

An ice bath helps stop the process of cooking so the chicken does not become overcooked. It is recommended but not mandatory.

Can I sous vide frozen chicken thighs?

Yes, you can sous vide frozen chicken thighs for this skin on chicken thigh recipe. I recommend cooking for at least 5 to 7 hours and double check that the chicken is cooked through.

Sous vide meat on plate

You May Also Like

If you make this sous vide chicken thighs recipe, I would really appreciate a review! You can find me on InstagramFacebook, and Pinterest. I would love for you to follow along!  For more ideas, check out these Dinner Recipes.

White plate with sous vide chicken thighs

Get the Recipe: Sous Vide Chicken Thighs

These sous vide chicken thighs are incredibly tender and flavorful! The chicken is melt in your mouth delicious and so easy to make. These chicken thighs are so juicy and tasty!
5 from 15 votes

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken thighs
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • sea salt
  • pepper
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • ½ tsp herbs, basil, oregano or parsley

Equipment

  • sous vide

Instructions 

  • First, fill tall pot with water. Preheat water to 165 degrees Fahrenheit using sous vide.
  • Meanwhile, pat chicken dry. Then, season chicken thighs with onion powder, sea salt and pepper.
  • Add seasoned chicken thighs, minced garlic and fresh herbs to a Ziplock bag or vacuum sealable bag.
  • If using vacuum sealed bag, seal bag and place in water. If using Ziplock bag, use displacement method by slowly lowering bag into preheated water bath. Once almost fully submerged, the air will be sucked out of the bag. Zip it shut.
  • Cook for 4 to 6 hours. The longer it cooks, the more it will fall apart in your mouth.
  • Once done cooking, immediately remove bag from water bath. Place in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
  • Add a drizzle of oil to a skillet over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, carefully place chicken thighs in skillet.
  • Sear for 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove from pan.
  • Finally, serve!

Notes

  • Use a tall pot and fill water line to almost maximum water line on sous vide.
  • I use and love Anova sous vide.
  • Be sure there is enough water in the pot to fully cover the chicken.
  • The longer the chicken cooks, the more it will become fall apart tender!
  • If using frozen chicken thighs, add at least 1 hour cooking time.
  • After sous vide cooking the chicken, place in water bath.  Then either store in the fridge for up to 3 days or immediately sear on stovetop.
  • Chicken thigh temperature needs to reach 170 degrees Fahrenheit internally.
  • The liquid from the bag creates a delicious sauce if desired.
  • Store chicken for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Calories: 251kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 111mg, Sodium: 88mg, Potassium: 242mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 89IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 14mg, Iron: 1mg

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