Juicy, Crispy Sous Vide Fried Chicken Recipe

sous vide fried chicken on a wood tray with lemon aioli

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Juicy, Crispy Sous Vide Fried Chicken Recipe

Sous vide fried chicken is a game-changer, especially if it's your first time making it! We marinate the chicken in a rich, tangy buttermilk brine, then cook it low and slow in a water bath until it’s tender and juicy. After that, we finish it off by deep frying it in a Dutch oven to get that perfect, crispy, golden crust. It’s the best of both worlds—juicy inside, crispy outside, and totally foolproof!

Prep Time15

Cook Time2 20

Brining Time2

Total Time4 35

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: African American, French

Servings: pieces

Calories: 313kcal

Author: Eden Westbrook

Ingredients

Buttermilk Brine

4 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons kosher salt
4 garlic cloves smashed or minced
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

For Dredging

8 pieces of bone-in, skin-on chicken mix of thighs, breasts, drumsticks, and/or wings
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cornstarch
2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper adjust to your spice preference
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Buttermilk Dip

1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

Brine the Chicken

In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, kosher salt, smashed garlic, smoked paprika, black pepper, hot sauce, and thyme. Stir well.
4 cups buttermilk, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 4 garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 2 teaspoons hot sauce, 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Add the chicken pieces to the brine, ensuring they are fully submerged. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight if possible, to allow the flavors to infuse the chicken.
8 pieces of bone-in, skin-on chicken

Sous Vide the Chicken

Fill your sous vide container with water and set the immersion circulator to 155°F (79°C).
After the chicken has finished brining, remove it from the buttermilk, letting any excess liquid drip off.
Place the chicken in vacuum-seal bags, 2-3 pieces per bag. Seal each bag and cook the chicken sous vide for 2 hours.
Once cooked, carefully remove the chicken from the bags and pat dry with paper towels to remove any moisture (this helps achieve crispy skin).

Prepare for Frying

In a shallow dish, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper for the dredge.
3 cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
In a different shallow dish, whisk together the buttermilk, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper to create the dipping mixture.
1 cup buttermilk, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
Dip each piece of chicken in the spiced buttermilk, then coat it in the seasoned flour. Give it a little shake to get rid of the excess and let it rest on a plate or baking sheet while you finish up the rest.

Double Dredge (Optional for Extra Crunch)

For an extra crispy coating, you can double dredge the chicken. After the first dredge, let the chicken rest for a few minutes, then dredge it again in the flour mixture. Shake off the excess flour, and it’s ready for frying!

Fry the Chicken

Fill a 4.5-5qt Dutch oven with vegetable oil, about halfway, and heat it to 350°F (175°C). Carefully place 2-3 pieces of chicken into the hot oil and fry for about 5-7 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and crispy.
Vegetable oil
Remove the chicken from the hot oil and place it on a wire rack over a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little salt while it’s still hot.
Serve the fried chicken with sauces and sides.

Nutrition