Thai night can be healthy, low carb and delicious with these Thai sous vide chicken thighs served over a bed of tasty tomato salad.

Thai night can be healthy, low carb and delicious with these Thai sous vide chicken thighs served over a bed of tasty tomato salad.
Click here to download

When it comes to cooking up a super flavorful chicken dish, if you ask me, thighs are where it’s at. Although chicken breasts seem to be a more popular dish for weeknight cooking, chicken thighs are just as easy to whip up and naturally pack more flavor (since dark meat contains a little more fat).

Boost the flavor of your chicken thighs with mouthwatering Thai aromatics—such as ginger, garlic, basil, cilantro, and sriracha—and serve on a bed of sliced tomatoes. With that, I’d say you’ve got yourself a winner, winner, chicken dinner! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)

Thai sous vide chicken thighs marinade

While this is a sous vide chicken thigh recipe, if you don’t have a sous vide precision cooker, you can still make this dish using another cooking method, such as grilled in a cast iron skillet. You could also bake the chicken thighs in a single layer in the oven.

Thai Sous Vide Chicken Thighs Marinating

For Grilling:

Preheat grill on medium. Coat chicken with spray (discard marinade); grill 8–10 minutes on each side, turning often, or until grill-marked and 165°F. Sprinkle with fresh basil and cilantro before serving with the tomato salad. 

For Baking:

Preheat oven to 425°F. In the meantime, spray a large roasting pan with cooking spray. Lay marinated chicken in a single layer. If you’d like an extra crispy skin, place a roasting rack on top of the roasting pan and lay the chicken on the rack. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of your chicken reaches 165°F. Sprinkle with fresh basil and cilantro before serving with the tomato salad. 

Click here to download

Why Sous Vide is the Best Option for Cooking Animal Protein

The main benefit of using a sous vide precision cooker for protein is that your meat never comes out dry. When set to a precise temperature and cook time, and the food placed in a vacuum sealed bag and water bath, the sous vide machine cooks chicken thighs (and all other types of animal protein) to an exceptional degree of juiciness every time. Personally, I use the Anova sous vide machine, and I explain why in more detail here.

Thai night can be healthy, low carb and delicious with these Thai sous vide chicken thighs served over a bed of tasty tomato salad.

If you’re looking for a few more sous vide recipes for chicken, I also recommend this Sous Vide Honey Mustard Chicken Breast With Sweet Potato Mash (made with honey, dijon, and whole grain mustard) and this Sous Vide Chicken Breast With a White Wine and Lemon Juice Sauce. Both recipes will work for chicken thighs too.

I hope you enjoy these Thai crispy chicken thighs! If you get a chance to make them, please leave a comment below and let me know how you like it or share a photo of your masterpiece on social media using hashtag #streetsmartkitchen so that I can see it. Cheers! 

Thai night can be healthy, low carb and delicious with these Thai sous vide chicken thighs served over a bed of tasty tomato salad.
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Thai Sous Vide Chicken Thighs with Tomato Salad

Thai Sous Vide Chicken Thighs with Tomato Salad

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.2 from 11 reviews
  • Author: Sharon Chen
  • Prep Time: 35 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
  • Yield: 46 servings 1x
  • Category: Main, Low Carb
  • Method: Sous Vide
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

Chicken thighs marinated in a Thai sauce, and sous vide to perfection, then seared to be crispy outside. They are served over a tasty tomato salad to complete a low-carb and delicious meal.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped, divided
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped, divided
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, finely grated
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sriracha
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
  • 4 medium tomatoes, sliced

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine basil, cilantro, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, sriracha, and fish sauce until blended. Reserve one-half of the marinade.
  2. Place remaining half of the marinade in a large Ziploc bag; add chicken and knead to coat. Let stand 30 minutes (or overnight) in the fridge to marinate.
  3. When ready to cook, preheat Anova Precision Cooker to 149°F. Take out the marinated chicken from the fridge and open the bag. Slowly lower your bagged chicken into the water bath, using the water displacement method, letting the pressure of the water press air out through the top of the bag. Once most of the air is out of the bag, carefully seal the bag just above the waterline. Cook for 2 hours.
  4. Slice the tomatoes and set aside.
  5. When the chicken is done, remove the bag from the water bath and pat gently with paper towels. Heat some oil in a non-stick or cast iron pan over high heat until very hot. Place the chicken in the hot pan to sear, skin side down. Press the chicken down slightly to allow good contact between the skin and the pan. Sear for 2-3 minutes or until the skin is golden brown and crispy. You should be able to lift the chicken easily at this point.
  6. Divide the tomatoes into 4 equal portions and place on 4 serving plates. Place chicken on top and drizzle with the reserved Thai marinade. Add more kosher salt or freshly ground black pepper; sprinkle with freshly chopped basil and cilantro if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

  • If you prefer, you may transfer the marinated chicken into a sous vide bag, discard the marinade, and seal it with a vacuum sealer before adding it to the water bath.
  • When searing the chicken, wear gloves and long sleeves if you are very sensitive to small oil splatters.
  • If you sous vide a big batch, transfer the bagged chicken to an ice bath after cooking. When it’s chilled completely, chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days before finishing and serving. In this case, you might want to reserve or discard the chicken juices first to prevent having gelled juices around your chicken thighs. Therefore, you can directly sear the chicken when you are ready without waiting for the juices to thaw first.
  • If you’d like some extra sauce, reserve the chicken juices after cooking, add a pat of butter and simmer it down to half as a pan sauce.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 348
  • Sugar: 5.1g
  • Sodium: 715.2mg
  • Fat: 26.1g
  • Saturated Fat: 6.2g
  • Trans Fat: 0.1g
  • Carbohydrates: 8g
  • Fiber: 1.2g
  • Protein: 20.6g
  • Cholesterol: 111.3mg
Chicken thighs marinated in a Thai sauce, and sous vide to perfection, then seared to be crispy outside. They are served over a tasty tomato salad to complete a low-carb and delicious meal.
Click here to download

About the Author

Sharon Chen, StreetSmart Kitchen

Sharon Chen is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and author of the Complete Sous Vide Cookbook. She believes food not only brings healing but also connection. As the creator of StreetSmart Kitchen, she aims to make meal prep easier than ever and help you find balance, ease, joy, and simplicity in the kitchen as you improve your well-being.