Smoky Sous Vide BBQ Chicken with Grilled Finish

Sous vide chicken delivers unbelievably juicy, tender results with minimal effort. Simply vacuum-seal chicken breasts with your favorite BBQ sauce and cook them in a sous vide bath for 90 minutes for a dependable, flavorful meal every time.

Since introducing my first sous vide recipe years ago, I’ve come to rely on the method for reliable weeknight cooking. Its precise temperature control produces consistent, restaurant-quality results with very little hands-on time. Below you’ll find a straightforward sous vide BBQ chicken recipe, practical tips for preparing and storing the chicken, timing and temperature guidance, and several serving ideas to stretch one batch across multiple meals.

How to make it

This sous vide BBQ chicken is exceptionally simple. Toss each chicken breast in BBQ sauce so it’s evenly coated, then place each breast into its own vacuum-seal bag. Remove the air and seal the bags, or use a high-quality zip bag and the displacement method if you don’t have a vacuum sealer. Submerge the sealed chicken in a sous vide bath set to the target temperature and cook for 90 minutes.

After the chicken finishes in the sous vide, remove the bags, take the chicken out, and pat it dry. For an appealing glaze and a bit of color, sear the breasts quickly on a very hot grill or skillet for 30–60 seconds per side—just long enough to develop caramelization without overcooking. Let the chicken rest for about five minutes before slicing and serving.

Can you cook frozen chicken in the sous vide?

Yes. One of sous vide’s conveniences is that vacuum-sealed items can be frozen and then cooked straight from frozen—no thawing required. When planning ahead, portion and seal chicken breasts with sauce or seasonings, freeze them flat, and transfer them from freezer to sous vide when needed. Keep in mind that cooking from frozen can add a few extra minutes to the total cook time, but the recommended method and final texture remain the same.

How long does it take to sous vide chicken?

For this recipe, cook boneless, skinless chicken breasts at 150°F (65.5°C) for 90 minutes. This temperature and time produce a tender, fully cooked breast with a slightly firmer texture than lower-temperature options while still remaining moist. Because sous vide cooks evenly, you don’t need to worry about overcooking in the same way you would with conventional methods—the chicken will not exceed the set temperature.

How to serve the chicken

This sous vide BBQ chicken is versatile and reheats beautifully, making it perfect for meal prep. Use one batch to create a variety of meals across the week. Below are several easy and delicious serving ideas:

1. Baked Spaghetti with BBQ Chicken and Bacon — fold diced sous vide chicken into baked pasta for a smoky, saucy casserole.
2. BBQ Chicken Pizza — slice the chicken thin and arrange on pizza dough with extra BBQ sauce, red onion, cilantro, and mozzarella for a quick homemade pizza.
3. BBQ Chicken Salad — top a bed of greens with sliced chicken, tomatoes, red onion, cheddar, and ranch or your preferred dressing for a hearty salad.
4. Peach Bacon BBQ Chicken Quesadilla — combine chopped chicken with cheese, sweet peach slices and crisp bacon inside a skillet-warmed tortilla.
5. BBQ Chicken Mac & Cheese — stir diced chicken into creamy macaroni and cheese for added protein and flavor.
6. BBQ Chicken Wraps — roll sliced chicken with lettuce, tomato, and cheddar in a tortilla for an easy handheld lunch or dinner.

More sous vide recipes to try

• Sous Vide Chicken Wings
• Steak Crostini
• Korean BBQ Short Ribs
• Pork Chops with Cherry Balsamic Sauce
• Sous Vide Turkey Breast
• Sous Vide Chipotle Apple Pork Loin

Sous Vide BBQ Chicken

Summary: A simple, dependable method for tender, juicy chicken breasts coated in BBQ sauce and cooked sous vide for perfectly even results. Finish with a quick sear for color and caramelized flavor.

Servings: 4 chicken breasts

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Author: Whitney Bond

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts (about ½ lb each)
• ¾ cup BBQ sauce (adjust to taste; see notes)

Instructions

1. Preheat your sous vide water bath to 150°F (65.5°C).
2. Toss the chicken breasts with the BBQ sauce in a large bowl until evenly coated.
3. Place each coated chicken breast into a quart-size vacuum seal bag. If using a zip bag, remove as much air as possible using the water displacement method.
4. Seal the bags using a vacuum sealer or by carefully sealing zip bags while minimizing trapped air.
5. Submerge the sealed BBQ chicken in the sous vide bath and cook for 90 minutes.
6. When the timer finishes, remove the bags from the water bath and transfer the chicken to a plate. Pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture and sauce.
7. Heat a grill or skillet over high heat. Sear the chicken for 30–60 seconds per side until the exterior develops light char and caramelization.
8. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.

Notes

If cooking additional chicken breasts, plan on about 3 tablespoons of BBQ sauce per breast. Vacuum-sealed, sauced breasts can be frozen for later use and cooked from frozen in the sous vide; allow a few extra minutes of cook time when starting from frozen.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

• Calories: 350 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 22 g
• Protein: 48 g
• Fat: 6 g
• Sodium: 813 mg