Easy Sous Vide Chicken Drumsticks Recipe (+VIDEO)

Sous Vide Chicken Drumsticks are the easiest way to make juicy and tender chicken that’s full of flavor. Only 3 steps: season, sous vide, and sear! These chicken legs are seasoned with a simple seasoning, and then sous vide cooked to perfection. The skin crisps up when seared in the end, making the best chicken drumsticks ever!

5 from 3 votes

Easy Sous Vide Chicken Drumsticks Recipe (+VIDEO)

Sous Vide Chicken Drumsticks are the easiest way to make juicy and tender chicken that’s full of flavor. Only 3 steps: season, sous vide, and sear! These chicken legs are seasoned with a simple seasoning, and then sous vide cooked to perfection. The skin crisps up when seared in the end, making the best chicken drumsticks ever!

Prep Time5

Cook Time2

Total Time2 5

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: French

Keyword: Sous Vide Chicken Drumsticks, Sous Vide Chicken Legs

Servings: Drumsticks

Author: Izzy

Equipment

Ingredients

6 chicken drumsticks (fresh or frozen*)
2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
1 teaspoon paprika (or smoked paprika)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Pre-heat the water bath: Fill a large container or pot with water. Attach the sous vide precision cooker and set the temperature to 165°F (74°C).
Place the chicken drumsticks on a plate and rub 1 tablespoon of olive oil on all sides.
In a small bowl, whisk together paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper until combined. Then rub half of the seasoning evenly over the chicken legs.
Place the seasoned chicken legs to a zip-lock bag and arrange in a single layer.
Seal the bag using the “water displacement” technique: seal all but one corner of the bag, and slowly place it in the cold water. Make sure everything below the zip-line is covered by water. Then seal the rest of the bag. (Feel free to use a vacuum sealer if you have one.)
Place the bag in the sous vide water bath and cook for 2 hours. (Make sure the chicken is fully submerged while the seams of the bag are above water. You can add heavy kitchen items to weigh the bag down if necessary.)
When the timer goes off, remove the chicken from the bag and pat dry with paper towels. (Be very gentle and not to break the skin.)
Sprinkle the rest of the seasoning over the cooked chicken drumsticks.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining oil (if using a grill, you can rub cooked chicken with the oil). When it gets smoking hot, add the chicken drumsticks, cook for about 1 minute each side until nicely seared.
Remove the chicken from the heat and let it rest for a few minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

*If you use frozen chicken, add 30 more minutes to the sous vide cooking time.
Store cooked chicken legs in an airtight container in the refrigerator and it can last 3-4 days. They’re great for meal prep. Alternatively, you can freeze them for up to 3 months.

Nutrition