In Sous Vide Made Simple, author Lisa Q. Fetterman provides recipes to make the most out of your immersion circulator.
Folklore would have it that homemade chicken soup is a powerful talisman against sickness, both physical and existential. I won’t make such bold claims, but I can certify that mine manages to bring almost all the goodness of the traditional slow-cooked versions in a fraction of the time, even if you use store-bought stock. Of course, if you should happen to have some homemade stock on hand, all the better. Crusty bread or crackers wouldn’t hurt, either.
Directions
- Preheat the water bath to 65°C (149°F).
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and place in a 1-gallon freezer-safe ziplock bag or a vacuum seal bag. Arrange the thighs in a single layer with as little overlap as possible to ensure even cooking. Seal the bag using either the water displacement method or a vacuum sealer.
- When the water reaches the target temperature, lower the bagged chicken in the water bath (making sure the bag is fully submerged) and cook for 1 1⁄2 hours (or up to 6 hours), or 2 hours (or up to 7 hours) for bone-in thighs.
- Remove the bag from the water bath, transfer it to an ice water bath, and chill until completely cold, about 20 minutes. Once cooked and chilled, the chicken can be refrigerated in the bag for up to 10 days.
- Alternatively, if you plan on using the just-cooked chicken in a spin-off recipe right away, let it rest in the bag at room temperature for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour before proceeding.
- Remove the cooked chicken thighs from the bag, reserving any liquid in the bag. (If the chicken has been refrigerated for a while, the liquid will have gelled.) Thoroughly pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown on both sides until golden, about 2 minutes per side, working in batches if necessary. Remove the browned chicken pieces from the pan and set aside.
- Add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and deep golden brown in places, about 5 minutes. Add the butter to the pan, stir in the garlic, celery, and carrots, and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the chicken stock and reserved chicken cooking juices to the pot, bring the mixture to a boil, and then lower the heat to a simmer. Using a deep spoon or ladle, skim off any scum that rises to the surface and discard.
- While the stock is coming to a boil, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces.
- Once the stock is simmering, stir in the egg noodles and continue to simmer until the noodles and vegetables are tender but not falling apart, about 10 minutes. Add the shredded chicken, along with any collected juices, to the pot. Remove the pot from the heat and season to taste with salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Stir in the lemon juice and herbs, ladle into serving bowls, and serve immediately.
Reprinted with permission from Sous Vide Made Simple by Lisa Q. Fetterman, Meesha Halm, and Scott Peabody, copyright © 2018. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Photography credit Monica Lo © 2018
