Sous Vide Chicken Confit

Give us anything “confit” and we’re likely to eat it. Very quickly. And ask for seconds. This Sous Vide Chicken Confit is no exception. A more traditional confit would be prepared using chicken fat and would involve at least a day of seasoning in the refrigerator. But because we like flavorful, healthy, and time-saving recipes, we use extra-virgin olive oil instead of chicken fat, remove the refrigeration step, and cut the time by more than half by using the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker. Searing the skin at the end adds much needed textural contrast. That, and crispy chicken skin is just really, really delicious. After eight hours in the sous vide, you’ll be saying “tradition schmadition,” or something like that. NOTE: If you’re not planning to serve the chicken immediately, you can leave the chicken sealed and refrigerate for up to three days. When ready to serve, remove from the bag, pat dry, season, and sear it then.

Author

Emily Farris and Jeff Akin

Emily Farris and Jeff Akin are the co-founders of Feed Me Creative, a former culinary creative agency in Kansas City, MO.

Prep Time: 00:15

Recipe Time: 08:00

Temperature : 165F / 73.9C

Ingredients

• 2 whole chicken legs
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (or chicken fat, duck fat, or lard)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves

Directions

1. Set the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 165°F (74°C).
2. Place all ingredients in a large zipper lock or vacuum seal bag. Seal the bag using the water immersion technique or a vacuum sealer on the moist setting. Place in the water bath and set the timer for 8 hours.

Finishing Steps

1. When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath. Remove the chicken from the bag and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the chicken legs, skin-side down, and sear until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
3. Serve on the bone with a salad or pickled vegetables.