Sous vide cooking involves sealing food in airtight plastic bags and submerging it in warm water for an extended period of time. This allows the food to cook gently at a precise, consistent temperature. Sous vide chicken cooked at 140°F is considered safe by many chefs, but there are some important factors to consider regarding time, temperature, and food safety.
How sous vide works
With traditional cooking methods like grilling, baking or pan frying, the outside of the food gets hotter than the inside. This means the outside can overcook and dry out before the interior reaches the ideal doneness temperature. With sous vide, the entire piece of food is heated evenly throughout. The water bath surrounds the entire vacuum bag, transferring heat softly and steadily to the chicken inside over a longer time.
Sous vide enables very accurate temperature control. Whereas ovens and grills have hot and cold spots and fluctuate in heat, an immersion circulator maintains a water bath at a single target temperature. For chicken breasts, many chefs recommend cooking sous vide at around 140-145°F. At this low temperature, the chicken cooks gently, becoming tender and juicy throughout while retaining a soft, silky texture.
Time and temperature considerations
The USDA states that chicken is safe to eat after reaching an internal temperature of 165°F. However, sustained lower temperatures can also effectively pasteurize chicken by killing any potential pathogens. With sous vide’s precision temperature control, chicken can be safely cooked at much lower temperatures as long as the temperature is held consistently over sufficient time.
According to USDA research, chicken achieves a 7 log10 relative reduction of Salmonella at the following time/temperature combinations:
| Temperature | Time |
|---|---|
| 136°F (58°C) | 68.4 minutes |
| 140°F (60°C) | 27.5 minutes |
| 145°F (63°C) | 9.2 minutes |
This means that cooking chicken sous vide at 140°F for at least 27.5 minutes reduces Salmonella to safe levels. Many chefs recommend cooking for an hour or longer at 140°F for pasteurization plus tenderization.
Is 140°F long enough?
Some health departments and food safety experts specify minimum temperature and time thresholds higher than 140°F for 27.5 minutes. For example, Baldwin’s sous vide time and temperature tables, a respected resource among sous vide chefs, recommends:
– 140°F (60°C) for 41⁄4 to 8 hours
– 144.5°F (62.5°C) for 21⁄4 to 41⁄2 hours
– 149°F (65°C) for 1 to 2 hours
Cooking at 140°F can achieve safe pasteurization, but holding for longer than 27.5 minutes provides a greater safety margin. Many chefs cook chicken breasts for 1-4 hours at 140°F or 144°F for tender meat with peace of mind.
Is 140°F safe for chicken?
Chicken cooked properly sous vide at 140°F is generally considered safe by chefs, but there are some caveats:
- Use fresh, high quality chicken stored properly at all times before cooking
- Preheat water bath to 140°F before adding bagged chicken
- Allow sufficient time for inner temperature to equilibrate, at least 1 hour
- Keep water bath at precise 140°F throughout cook time with immersion circulator
- Chill chicken promptly after cooking for food safety if not consuming immediately
Provided these guidelines are followed using fresh chicken, cooking sous vide at 140°F for at least an hour should destroy pathogens and yield deliciously moist, tender chicken.
Higher temperatures = shorter cook times
If concerned about the safety of lower temperature 140°F cooking, going slightly higher to 144-149°F significantly reduces the minimum safe cook time. For example:
| Minimum Safe Cook Time | 144°F | 149°F |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken breasts | 2 hours 30 minutes | 1 hour |
| Chicken thighs | 3 hours | 1 hour 15 minutes |
These higher sous vide chicken temperatures still produce juicy, tender meat. Going to 149°F reduces cook time to just over an hour, providing safety comparable to 165°F with superior texture.
Pasteurization times via sous vide
Cooking sous vide relies on steady low temperatures over time to pasteurize food. Here are approximate minimum safe cook times for chicken at different temperatures:
| Minimum Safe Cook Time | 136°F | 140°F | 145°F | 149°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breasts | 1 hour 10 minutes | 45 minutes | 15 minutes | 1 hour |
| Chicken thighs | 1 hour 25 minutes | 1 hour | 20 minutes | 1 hour 15 minutes |
Extending cook times beyond the minimum safe levels provides insurance for food safety. But in general, sous vide chicken achieves safe pasteurization faster at higher temperatures.
Tips for safe sous vide chicken
When cooking sous vide chicken at 140°F or higher:
- Use fresh, high quality chicken within 2-3 days of purchase
- Trim excess fat and skin which can harbor bacteria
- Sanitize work surfaces, bags, equipment before use
- Season chicken and seal very tightly in bags, removing air
- Submerge bags fully in 140°F+ preheated water
- Weigh down bags if needed to keep fully submerged
- Cook at target temp for minimum safe time or longer
- Chill promptly after cooking if not eating immediately
With proper handling and minimum cook times, sous vide chicken at 140°F and above can be a safe cooking method.
Is 140°F long enough for chicken breast?
For 1-inch thick boneless, skinless chicken breasts, the recommended minimum cook times at different temperatures are:
| Sous Vide Temperature | Minimum Safe Cook Time |
|---|---|
| 136°F | 1 hour 10 minutes |
| 140°F | 45 minutes |
| 145°F | 15 minutes |
| 149°F | 1 hour |
Cooking at 140°F for 45 minutes should safely pasteurize chicken breasts according to USDA data. But most chefs recommend going longer for tenderization. 1-4 hours produces incredibly moist, tender chicken.
Pasteurization times for chicken
The minimum safe cook times needed to pasteurize chicken differ for white meat (breasts) and dark meat (thighs). Here are the approximate guidelines:
| 136°F | 140°F | 145°F | 149°F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breasts | 1 hr 10 min | 45 min | 15 min | 1 hr |
| Chicken thighs | 1 hr 25 min | 1 hr | 20 min | 1 hr 15 min |
For both white and dark meat chicken, pasteurization happens faster at higher temperatures. But juiciness and tenderness favor longer cooks at 140-145°F.
Time vs. temperature for chicken
With sous vide cooking, time and temperature have an inverse relationship. Chicken cooked for shorter periods needs higher temperatures for safety. But the appeal of sous vide is extended low temperature cooking for tenderization. Here are some time and temperature combinations for chicken:
| Cook Time | Temperature | |
|---|---|---|
| Quick | 45-60 minutes | 145-149°F |
| Intermediate | 1-3 hours | 140-144°F |
| Extended | 4-8 hours | 136-140°F |
In general, cook chicken sous vide for 1-4 hours in the 140-145°F range for ideal texture and moisture.
Pasteurization guidelines
Understanding the time and temperature guidelines for pasteurizing chicken sous vide can ensure food safety:
- The higher the temperature, the faster pasteurization occurs
- Cook times beyond the minimum recommendations provide a safety buffer
- White meat cooks faster than dark meat at the same temperature
- 140°F for 45 minutes pasteurizes chicken breast; go longer for tenderness
- Holding precise temperature is critical for food safety
With proper handling and accurate temperature control, sous vide chicken can be safely cooked at 140°F or above using recommended time guidelines.
Conclusion
Sous vide chicken cooked at 140°F for at least 45-60 minutes is considered safe, as low-temperature pasteurization kills pathogens over time. However, cooking for 1-4 hours is recommended for tender, juicy results. Higher temperatures of 144-149°F speed up pasteurization, but 140-145°F for extended periods yields supremely moist, tender chicken. As long as precise temperatures are maintained, sous vide chicken at 140°F and above can be a safe, foolproof cooking method when food safety guidelines are followed.