• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Sous Vide Ways logo

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Beef
    • Eggs
    • Desserts
    • Poultry
    • Pork
    • Lamb
    • Fish & Seafood
  • Tips
  • Time & Temp Guide
  • Shop
  • About
    • About
    • Work With Me
    • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Tips
  • Time & Temp Guide
  • Shop
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Poultry

    Sous Vide Chicken Quarters with Alabama White Sauce

    Oct 4, 2019 · 4 Comments

    Deep down in the heart of Alabama, a legendary sauce was born at  Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q. This mayo-based sauce was simply named "Alabama white sauce," and is creamy, tangy with a little punch of heat. The flavor profile perfectly lends itself to smoked or grilled chicken. Given this, we thought we'd give it a sous vide twist.

    Cue sous vide chicken quarters. As we already know by now, sous vide chicken is simply unbelievable. It is insanely tender and juicy every time, the definition of perfection.

    Then you top it with creamy, zesty sauce, and you've got yourself the perfect flavor profile.

    Save yourself a trip to Alabama and make this sauce at home now.

    sous vide chicken with Alabama sauce

    Time and Temperature

    Through loads of experimentation, we’ve found that cooking chicken quarters at 74C/165F for 3 hours is the perfect combo. Cooking the chicken for 3 hours results in extremely tender, juicy chicken that Thomas Keller would be proud of. Also, cooking the chicken at 165F ensures that it is fully cooked to the bone. Just make sure you have a reliable sous vide that accurately regulates the temperature of the bath or your results may vary (check out the Anova or Joule). For other time and temperature options, check out our cooking guide here.

    Special Equipment

    Sous Vide Machine – This one is obvious. To cook sous vide, you’re going to need a device to precisely regulate the temperature of the bath water. The two best sous vide machines in the game right now are the Anova Precision Cooker and the Breville Joule. The main difference between the two is that with the Anova you can control the device both manually and with a mobile device, and with the Joule you can only control the device by using your mobile device. Either way, both sous vide machines are top class and you can’t go wrong with either choice.

    12-quart Container – Although you can use a basic stockpot for your sous vide cooking needs, I highly recommend buying a large plastic container. They are inexpensive and spacious, so you won’t have to worry about cooking a big roast in a small pot. I recommend a 12 quart Rubbermaid container, as it is BPA free, sturdy, and large enough for just about anything you will be cooking.

    Container Lid – If you are going to buy a plastic container, I highly suggest buying a compatible lid for it. When you sous vide for a long duration, the heat of the water causes evaporation. With a lid, it eliminates a majority of the evaporation so you can cook for 72 hours care-free.

    Cast Iron Skillet – If you are looking to take your searing game to the next level, we recommend investing in a cast iron skillet. By using a cast iron in this recipe, you’ll achieve a deep sear on the protein. Cast irons are also extremely handy for searing just about any and all sous vide meat. Lodge offers the best quality and price, which is why it is our favorite cast iron brand.

    Next Level Sous Vide –Looking to take your sous vide skills to the next level? The Next Level Sous Vide eCookbook will push your culinary boundaries with 65 delicious recipes that are equally approachable and tasty. With pro tips and a detailed explanation of the sous vide process, you will be on your way to maximize your sous vide skills.

    Check out our full list of recommended gear here.

     
    sous vide chicken with Alabama sauce
    4 from 2 votes
    Print

    Sous Vide Chicken Quarters with Alabama White Sauce

    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Keyword alabama, chicken, chicken quarters, sous vide, white sauce
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Hands-On Cook Time 5 minutes
    Sous Vide Time 3 hours
    Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
    Servings 4 people

    Ingredients

    Chicken Quarters and Seasonings

    • 2-3 lbs chicken quarters
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon pepper

    Alabama White Sauce

    • 1 cup mayonnaise
    • 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 2 tablespoon extra hot horseradish
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
    • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

    Instructions

    Alabama White Sauce

    1. In a bowl, mix together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, extra hot horseradish, lemon juice and yellow mustard. Once stirred, add salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and garlic powder and stir again. Put Alabama white sauce in the fridge for an hour to let flavors combine.

    Chicken Quarters

    1. Set sous vide machine to 74C/165F.

    2. Place chicken in freezer bag and remove the air through a vacuum sealer or the displacement method. Drop the bag in the bath for three hours.

    3. Remove bag from bath. Take chicken quarters out of the bag, pat dry and season with blend of salt, pepper, cumin, paprika and garlic powder.

    4. Heat a large skillet on high and add oil. Sear for 60 seconds on each side. If you have a grill, preheat on high and sear for 60 seconds on both sides. Remove from pan or grill and place on plate to rest. Serve the chicken quarters with Alabama white sauce and enjoy!

    « How to Select the Perfect Time and Temperature
    Sous Vide Tri Tip - Santa Maria Style »

    About Jason Veselak

    Jason is a home chef with a passion for preparing perfectly-cooked, gourmet meals at home - so naturally he became obsessed with cooking sous vide. This obsession led to a quest to find the perfect cooking time, temperatures and techniques for every type of food he puts in the bath. Jason is excited to share his pro-tips and favorite recipes to help make cooking sous vide an unforgettable experience for everyone. Follow his culinary adventures at @sousveezy on Instagram to learn more!

    This post may contain affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Samantha says

      July 22, 2020 at 4:53 pm

      The chicken was great, and flavorful, and the timing of the sous vide cook was spot on - tender juicy meat. The only negative I'd say is that the meat was so well flavored it didn't even need the sauce. The sauce was kind of meh, when compared to the delicious, flavorful chicken.

      Alterations I made: I added the seasoning before doing the sous vide, and touched up with a little garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin before searing.

      Reply
      • Jason Veselak says

        July 23, 2020 at 9:57 am

        Hi Samantha, glad you had great success with the chicken! The sauce can be a bit polarizing, some love it, some are just average on it. I'm working on changing it up to make it more awesome. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Scott says

      August 15, 2021 at 3:37 pm

      This is a great recipe and no surprise! This is the 4th recipe I've tried from this site and they've all been awesome. A couple tweaks I made was seasoning before sous vide. Also for the white sauce i substituted Greek yogurt (I think this changes the meal from unhealthy to fairly healthy) and regular horseradish vs extra hot. My wife loved the sauce and I thought it was really good but there could be something to make it a little better (maybe using mayo lol).

      We had Cajun roasted potatoes as a side. Any suggestions on other sides that would fit well with this?

      Reply
      • Jason Veselak says

        August 16, 2021 at 8:40 am

        Thank you Scott, so glad to hear you've been enjoying the recipes! When I think of Alabama white sauce my mind goes to delicious BBQ joints, so some great pairings could be coleslaw, mac n cheese, potato salad. If you are trying to go a healthier route, I think a nice arugula salad with sliced cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onions, and a simple lemon and olive oil dressing would be delicious as well.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    New ECookbook!

    Next Level Sous Vide Sidebar asset

    Opt in below to receive our free Sous Vide 101 - A Beginner's Guide ebook!

    Crowd Favorites

    sous vide chicken piccata in a cast iron skillet

    Chicken Piccata Sous Vide Style

    The Perfect Homemade Sous Vide Egg Bite

    sous vide chicken with herbed butter sauce

    Sous Vide Chicken with Herbed Butter Sauce

    Sous vide chuck roast with aus jus and mushrooms

    Sous Vide Chuck Roast

    Sous Vide Salmon with Dill and Lemon

    Sous Vide Salmon with Lemon and Dill

    Sous Vide Char Siu Pork Tenderloin

    Sous Vide Char Siu Pork Tenderloin

    Avocado toast with bacon and sous vide egg

    Unreal Avocado Toast with Sous Vide Egg

    Sous Vide Tri Tip - Santa Maria Style

    Sous Vide Tri Tip - Santa Maria Style

    More Favorites

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Copyright © 2023 Sous Vide Ways | Privacy Policy