Sous Vide Chicken Salad Recipe

I think chicken salad is a great summer and spring meal but more and more I crave something refreshing during the winter months too. It comes together really quickly, especially when using sous vide chicken breasts. I love using varied garnishes to add texture and bursts of flavor. In this recipe I call for the typical celery and carrots, but I also add toasted cashews and green grapes to add even more flavor. Some basil rounds it all out. When served on a bed of greens it's an amazingly flavorful meal.

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I like my sous vide chicken breasts cooked at 141°F (60.6°C) until pasteurized, normally 2 to 3 hours. Though with chicken salad you can get away with a higher temperature if you prefer. I often don't even sear the chicken when I'm in a hurry and no one has ever complained!

Note: You can learn more about chicken from my guide to sous vide chicken breasts or view all my sous vide chicken articles.

You can get as creative as you want with the salad part of the dish. I usually use a simple mayonnaise base with some mustard, olive oil, and lemon juice added. I always enjoy some paprika and cayenne chile powder to add some smokiness and bite.

When I want to try some more flavorful chicken, I often turn to Crowd Cow.

If you like this recipe you can get more than 85 other inspiring recipes to get you on your way to sous vide success. It's all in my best selling book Modernist Cooking Made Easy: Sous Vide - Get Your Copy Today!

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If you would like more information about the techniques, ingredients, and equipment used in this recipe, you can check out the following.

Sous Vide Chicken Salad Recipe

  • Published: July 26, 2018
  • By Jason Logsdon
  • Cooks: 141°F (60.5°C) for 2 to 4 hours
  • Serves: 4

Ingredients for Sous Vide Chicken Salad

  • For the Sous Vide Chicken Breasts

  • 2 chicken breasts (I personally love Crowd Cow)
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (2.5ml)
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder (1ml)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander (1ml)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (1ml)
  • For the Dressing

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise (118ml)
  • 1 tablespoon mustard (15ml)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (30ml)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (15ml)
  • 1 teaspoon paprika (5ml)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder (1ml)
  • To Assemble

  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (60ml)
  • 1 cup seedless grapes, halved (237ml)
  • 1/2 cup cashews, toasted (118ml)
  • Mixed greens

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Cooking Instructions for Sous Vide Chicken Salad

For the Sous Vide Chicken Breast

Preheat a water bath to 141°F (60.5°C).

Mix together the spices in a small bowl. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken breasts then sprinkle with the spice mixture. Place in a sous vide bag then seal. Cook the chicken breasts for 2 to 4 hours until pasteurized.

For more information on the cooking times you can read my detailed article which addresses why is there a range in sous vide cooking times.

For the Dressing

Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients then salt and pepper to taste.

To Assemble

Take the chicken breasts out of the water bath and remove them from the bag. Pat them dry with a paper towel or dish cloth. Quickly sear the chicken for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until just browned, then remove from the heat. Shred or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

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Toss the celery, carrot, basil, grapes and chopped chicken together with the dressing. Place some mixed greens in a bowl and add the chicken mixture. Top with the cashews and serve.

Want Great Sous Vide Recipes?

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Healthy Sous Vide is the latest cookbook from Jason Logsdon, the best selling author of 10 sous vide and modernist cookbooks, and it shares many of his favorite recipes developed over the years so you can eat nutritious, flavor-packed meals that taste amazing. If you are a looking for a way to boost the flavor of your healthy meals, this book will help you create amazing food that your friends and family will love!

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All tags for this article: Chicken, Salad, Sous Vide Chicken , Sous Vide Chicken Breast, Sous Vide Salad


Jason logsdon headshot This article is by me, Jason Logsdon. I'm an adventurous home cook and professional blogger who loves to try new things, especially when it comes to cooking. I've explored everything from sous vide and whipping siphons to pressure cookers and blow torches; created foams, gels and spheres; made barrel aged cocktails and brewed beer. I have also written 10 cookbooks on modernist cooking and sous vide and I run the AmazingFoodMadeEasy.com website.
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