Sous Vide Chicken Thighs with Sautéed Eggplant & Okra (serves 2-4)
Hannah Hill www.visualsbyhannah.com
Ingredients
For Chicken:
- 1.5 lb of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 4-6 Tbl butter, cut
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- ¼ c. fresh thyme (if desired)
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Air-tight sealable bag(s)
- Ice bath (for rapid cooling)
- Canola Oil (or other high-flash point oil) as needed
For Eggplant & Okra:
- 3 Tbl EVOO
- 1.5 lb fresh okra, sliced
- 1 lb Japanese eggplant, sliced
- (You can also use Globe/American eggplant, and cut into ½ inch cubes)
- 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Hannah Hill www.visualsbyhannah.com
Hannah Hill www.visualsbyhannah.com
Hannah Hill www.visualsbyhannah.com
Hannah Hill www.visualsbyhannah.com
Directions
- Prepare the sous vide bath. Fill your cooking vessel with enough water to submerge your immersion circulator, and set the temperature to 165° F. To get there faster, heat water in an electric kettle or on the stove and add to the bath.
- Prep the chicken. Pat the thighs dry, and season with salt & pepper on both sides. Arrange in one layer in a vacuum sealable bag or large zip-closure bag, leaving the bag open. You’ll want to leave a few inches of space between the chicken and the seam/zip-closure so that the bag will seal properly.
- Place a tab of butter on each one of the thighs, then sprinkle in the shallot and garlic so that they are evenly distributed. Finally, add the rosemary and thyme so that they cover the thighs. If using a vacuum bag, seal according to your appliance directions. If using a zip-closure, carefully submerge the bag with the open side up, so that the pressure from the water eventually pushes out all the air, and seal to keep the water out. If necessary, weigh the bag down or clip to the side of the bath vessel, you’ll want the chicken to be fully submerged for proper cooking.
- Cook chicken at 165°F for 90 minutes, once time is up, take the sealed bag from the sous vide bath and immediately submerge in the ice bath. This process can also be done the day before, and the chicken can be stored in the refrigerator overnight in the sealed bag.
- While the chicken is cooling, heat 2 Tbl EVOO in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add ½ the garlic and cook until fragrant (30 seconds).
- Add the eggplant and toss to coat, stirring frequently. Season with salt & pepper to taste and cook until tender and browned (5-7 minutes). Transfer to a plate and cover.
- Heat the remaining EVOO over medium-high heat and add the okra. Season with salt & pepper and add the remainder of the garlic, cooking until crisp-tender (2-3 minutes). Return the eggplant to the pan to reheat, and sprinkle in lemon zest, stirring to incorporate. Turn off heat and cover to keep warm.
- Heat the canola oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium high heat. Carefully remove the chicken from the bag, and pat dry with a paper towel. Gently lay the chicken skin-side down into the skillet and press down using a metal spatula, cooking until golden brown and crisp. Flip the chicken over in the pan to warm through (2 minutes).
- Transfer chicken breast and eggplant & okra mixture to a plate and serve!