My favourite way to prepare chicken breast is to go the sous vide, precision cooking method. Chicken breast is lean and ideal for weight loss, but if you simply pan fry or roast it, it could end up rough. To ensure optimal tender and moist chicken breast, I would highly suggest using the precision cooking method via a sous vide. Simply cook the breast for 1.5-2 hours (depending on thickness) at 64.5C and then give it a quick sear on the cast iron pan for a hearty, low fat meal (ideal for keto dieters).
For more reasons as to why to go sous vide for meats and seafoods, click here.
So today I made an extremely simple sous vide Cajun chicken breast for lunch using the Anova sous vide device. Wilted some spinach with golden raisins and garlic as a side for a healthy keto lunch. Note that it is the first time I used my brand new matte pink plate too! Isn’t it pretty?
I opted for some Louisiana flavours so hence opted for the Cajun spice. I was lazy and had mine already made but for those who want to make their own mix, can simply follow the recipe here which involves a mixture of the below spices:
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp oregano
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp cayenne
The sous vide is a brilliant precision cooking device for lazy cooks who want to ensure their meals turn out perfectly each time and the flavours are captured.
For those who want to optimise their time and perhaps make a batch of sous vide chicken breast for usage on a whim, you can totally freeze the chicken breasts once they are done. Simply remove them from the pouches or zip lock bag, chill them in ice water, dry off, label them with content and date and store in the fridge for up to 48 hours or freeze for up to a year. You can reheat in the sous vide again and give it a quick sear.
Ingredients
- Chicken breast
- 1 cup spinach leaves
- 1 tablespoon of golden raisins
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- 1 tablespoon of cajun spice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Set sous vide to 64.5C in a pot of water.
- Marinade the chicken with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, cajun spices (rub it all over), salt and pepper. Ideally you want to marinade it overnight in the fridge but a few hours will also do.
- Either in a vacuum sealed bag or zip lock, immerse the chicken in the bag into the pot of water once the temperature has reached 64.5C. Set the timer for 1.5 hours.
- Make the spinach in the last 10 minutes. Heat a skillet on medium heat and add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Add in the sliced garlic and gently fry it along with the spinach and raisins till it wilts. Drizzle some lemon juice and crack some salt and pepper.
- Once chicken is done, remove from bag and pat dry. Heat a cast iron skillet and sear on high heat till it is browned on both sides. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving with the spinach.
