Best Sous Vide Fried Chicken Without Eggs

4.85 from 13 votes

Crispy Sous Vide Fried Chicken is juicy and tender with an irresistible crunchy coating. Never worry about undercooked fried chicken again!

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 40

Total Time1 55

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 867kcal

Heat a sous vide water bath to 155F degrees.
Season the chicken on both sides with the salt and pepper and place in a sealable bag.
Use a vacuum sealer to vacuum seal the bag, or use a heavy duty ziplock bag along with the water displacement method (see in post instructions above) to remove the air from the bag.
Cook for 90 minutes. (You can leave the chicken in the water bath for up to 3 hours before it will start to become too mushy).
While the chicken cooks, mix together the buttermilk and hot sauce and store in the fridge until ready to use.
Mix the flour, cornstarch, Cajun seasoning and cayenne (if using) in a bowl and set aside
Remove the chicken from the bag and pat dry.
Dip each piece of chicken in the flour mixture and shake off the excess.
Dip in the buttermilk and back in the flour mixture to create a batter.
Heat about 3-4 inches of oil in a Dutch oven to 350F degrees. Gently lower in 2-3 thighs and cook about 3-5 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
Remove the chicken and place on a wire rack (with a paper towel underneath) to drain. Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt and serve while hot.
Repeat for the second batch.

Removing the air from the bag is an important step that should not be skipped to avoid bacteria entering the bag.

If you use other cuts of chicken for this recipe like wings, drumsticks or breasts, just remember that they all have different cooking times and you may also need to adjust the temperature of your water bath.

When frying the chicken, keep the oil hot. The ideal temperature is 325°F. I like to keep a thermometer handy to check the temperature while cooking.

You also don’t want to overcrowd the pan as the temperature of the oil may dip below 325°F. To maintain this temperature, fry the chicken in at least two batches.

Keep the cooked chicken warm in a 200°F oven while finishing all the batches.

Use a flaky sea salt to finish the chicken when it is just coming out of the oil so it sticks to the crispy batter.

Reheat leftovers in the oven (400°F) for 10-15 minutes for the best results. You can also use an air fryer at 375°F for 10-15 minutes. I do not recommend reheating in the microwave or it will be soggy.