Sous Vide Spatchcock Chicken

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Get PERFECT chicken with this simple yet flavorful Sous Vide Spatchcock Chicken Recipe. You’ve heard of sous vide chicken breasts, thighs, legs and more…but what about the whole chicken? Spatchcocking your chicken makes it super easy to sous vide. Follow these simple instructions and you’re on your way to juicy, tender – never dry, delicious chicken. If you love this sous vide chicken recipe, try my Sous Vide Steak next!

What is Sous Vide Spatchcock Chicken?

Sous vide is a French term that means “under water”. So when I say we will cook this chicken “sous vide” I mean, we will use a cooking process where the chicken is cooked in a water bath using a sous vide machine which will hold the water at a constant temperature for an extended period of time, cooking the whole chicken with the backbone removed (butterflied chicken) at your preferred internal temperature without overcooking. This whole chicken sous vide method gives you perfectly cooked chicken every single time.

How Do You Spatchcock a Chicken?

Spatchcocking a chicken is basically giving it a little makeover by removing the backbone. It might sound fancy, but it’s a simple technique that makes your bird cook faster and more evenly. You just grab some kitchen shears, cut out the backbone, and then flatten the chicken out. This way, it cooks like a champ, and you end up with juicy meat and crispy skin. It’s like the superhero version of cooking a chicken – faster, more efficient, and guaranteed to save the day on your dinner table. Give it a shot, and you’ll wonder why you ever roasted a chicken any other way. If I’m being honest, I always just buy my chicken already spatchcocked through Thrive Market when it’s in stock.

Using a Sous Vide Machine

I found my Sous Vide Machine off of Amazon for a reasonable price. I have the Anova Culinary Sous Vide Nano and it works extremely well. This water displacement method works even better when you invest in a vacuum sealer. This allows you to vacuum seal the chicken which removes the air, preventing it from floating. You want the chicken fully immersed in the water to have it cook evenly and safely. Another option is to use a large sous vide bag. These reusable bags come with a pump to remove the air and are fairly inexpensive.

Pro Tip: Zip top bags with all the air removed manually also can work, as long as you have something heavy holding the chicken down in the water.

Ingredients Needed For Sous Vide Spatchcock Chicken

Who knew you could sous vide whole chicken and get such flavorful chicken so easily!? Here’s what you’ll need to gather in your kitchen or grab at the grocery store:

• chicken– whole, spatchcocked
• coarse kosher salt– divided
• butter-softened
• lemons-(zested + sliced)
• garlic cloves– minced
• black pepper
• Few sprigs rosemary-half chopped/half left whole
• Few sprigs thyme– half chopped/half left whole

Equipment:

• Sous Vide Immersion Circulator
• Vacuum Sealer + Vacuum bag (optional)
• Large Zip top Bag (if not using a vacuum sealer)

How to Make Sous Vide Spatchcock Chicken

White meat, dark meat, all of it turns out perfectly juicy using the sous vide method. I know it seems like it would be a lot of hard work, but it really couldn’t be easier! For full details about using this method of cooking a spatchcock chicken, see the printable sous vide recipe card down below. Here is step-by-step how to set up and use the sous vide method:

Prepare Chicken

Remove spatchcocked chicken from packaging and blot dry with paper towels. Using two fingers, gently separate the skin from the meat on breast, legs and back, being careful no to tear the skin. 

Place chicken in a baking dish or baking sheet and liberally sprinkle entire exterior with 1 tbsp of coarse kosher salt. You can do this the day before and place in fridge uncovered overnight for a beautiful dry brine, or do this while you wait for water to heat. 

Preheat Water

Fill sous vide container with cold water and set machine to 145° F. This can take about 30 minutes, depending on the temperature of your water to begin with. 

Make Garlic Butter Herb Mixture + Season Chicken

In small bowl, add softened butter, minced garlic, lemon zest, chopped rosemary and thyme, black pepper and remaining salt. Mix well until completely combined. 

Using your fingers, spread the garlic butter mixture evenly in between the skin and the meat AND all over the top of the skin.

Pro Tip: This is much easier to do with a room temperature bird. If the chicken is too cold, the butter will harden, making it difficult to spread evenly.

Place some of the lemon slices inside the chicken breasts and thighs.

Vacuum Seal

Carefully place whole chicken inside of a sealed on one side vacuum seal bag.

Place remaining lemon slices along with a few sprigs of the rosemary and thyme outside of the chicken breasts and thighs.

Time to Sous Vide

Once water has come to temperature, place vacuum-sealed bag of chicken into the container, ensuring it is completely emerged under water and set timer for 5 hours. 

Pro Tip: 5 hours is for a 5-6 pound chicken. If your bird is larger, you’ll want to go longer (up to 8 hours).

Roast In Oven 

Preheat oven to 450° F.

Remove entire chicken from the sous vide bag. Reserve liquid for later or discard. Discard lemons and large pieces of herbs on outside of chicken. 

Pro Tip: I like to pour the liquid in a saucepan and simmer on the stove until it’s reduced to at least half, then pour it over the finished chicken. 

Place chicken in a roasting dish and into the preheated oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165° F and skin is browned and crispy. If skin is not golden brown but it is cooked to temperature, simply turn the broiler on for a minute or two (watching carefully so it doesn’t burn) to get a crispy skin.

Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before carving and serving. 

Sous Vide Chicken Flavor Variations:

• Herb Substitutions: Experiment with different herbs like sage, oregano, or parsley to customize the flavor profile.
• Citrus Swap: Instead of lemons, try using oranges or limes for a unique citrus twist.
• Spice it Up: Add a pinch of chili flakes or smoked paprika to the garlic butter mixture for a spicy kick.
• Asian Fusion: Replace the herbs with cilantro and add a splash of soy sauce and sesame oil to the garlic butter mixture for an Asian-inspired flavor profile.
• Mediterranean Flair: Incorporate Mediterranean flavors by using olive oil instead of butter, adding olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and a sprinkle of dried oregano.
• Honey Glaze: Drizzle the chicken with honey during the last few minutes of roasting for a sweet and sticky glaze.

What to Serve with Sous Vide Spatchcock Chicken

• Roasted Root Vegetables
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Fondant Potatoes
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Oven Roasted Asparagus
• Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
• Iceberg Wedge Salad
• Greek Salad
• Famous Butter Rice

Storing + Make Ahead Directions

To Store – store cooled to room temperature sous vide chicken in the fridge, in an airtight container or in the sealed bags for up to 4-5 days. 

Make Ahead– Yes, sous vide chicken can be cooked in advance and then quickly seared before serving. Another reason why I love sous vide cooking! It’s a great make-ahead option for dinner parties or meal prepping for the next day or week.

To Freeze – you can also freeze your cooked chicken by either placing the sealed bags into the freezer, or shredding, chopping, or slicing, before sealing and placing in the freezer. Chicken will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

More Chicken Recipes to Try!

• Baked Chicken Legs
• Oven Roasted Chicken
• Chicken Parmesan
• Air Fryer Chicken Skewers
• Chicken Piccata
• Parmesan Tuscan Chicken

I hope you enjoy your perfect chicken dinner! Using the sous vide cooking technique has become one of my favorite ways to prepare chicken lately. I hope you give it a try! The printable recipe card is below. Be sure to save, print or bookmark this recipe to refer back to in the future. Have a great day! 🙂

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.