Sous Vide Miso-Butter Chicken Thighs

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Chicken thighs cook gently in a 165°F water bath with white miso, mirin and ginger until they're impossibly juicy, then hit a hot skillet for shatter-crisp skin and a glossy miso-butter pan glaze. Almost all of it is hands-off, so it's a weeknight dinner that tastes like a Tokyo izakaya plate.

Ingredients

• 8 piece boneless, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lb)
• 3 tbsp white miso
• 3 tbsp mirin
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 clove garlic, grated

• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Clip an immersion circulator to a large pot or tub, fill with water and set it to 165°F (74°C). While it heats, whisk the miso, mirin, soy sauce, ginger and garlic in a small bowl until smooth.
2. Put the chicken thighs in a 1-gallon zip-top freezer bag with half the miso mixture (reserve the rest in the fridge for the pan glaze). Massage to coat, arrange the thighs in a single flat layer, then lower the open bag into the water until the water pressure pushes the air out and seal it just above the waterline.
3. Cook the chicken for 1 hour 30 minutes at 165°F (74°C), and up to 2 hours 30 minutes with no loss in quality. Clip the bag to the side of the pot so it stays submerged; if it floats, weigh it down with a heavy spoon.
4. Lift out the bag and transfer the thighs to a plate lined with paper towels. Discard the bag juices. Pat the chicken very dry on both sides, pressing firmly on the skin — 2 minutes of blotting is the difference between crisp and rubbery.
5. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high until it shimmers. Lay the thighs in skin-side down, press flat with a spatula, and sear undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes until the skin is deep golden and crackling. Flip and sear 30 seconds more, then transfer skin-side up to a board.
6. Turn the heat to low, add the butter and the reserved miso mixture to the skillet, and swirl for 45 to 60 seconds until glossy and just thickened (don't let it boil hard or the miso will turn grainy). Spoon the glaze over or around the chicken, keeping the skin crisp, and scatter with scallions and sesame seeds.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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