These moist and tangy Grilled Rosemary-Dijon Chicken Breasts are perfect summer fare, and are also easy to prepare! I include directions for just grilling the breasts, or initially cooking them in a sous vide and then finishing them on the grill. Either way, these chicken breasts are the bomb!

(Photo by Rick Souders)

Chicken Sous Vide before Grilling

Dijon Rosemary Chicken

The fresh flavor of these Grilled Rosemary-Dijon Chicken Breasts — with the combination of dry white wine, rosemary, Dijon mustard and garlic in the marinade — conjures up memories from trips to the south of France. Whenever I eat this dish, I always I feel like I’m sitting at some wonderful bistro in Provence, no matter where I really am.

I love how the tangy/piquant notes in this chicken marinade (coming from the wine, mustard and garlic) combine with the piney, slightly lemony flavor from the rosemary. The result pairs perfectly with the chicken, bringing out it’s natural flavors. Yum!

Note that the chicken needs to marinate for 4 to 24 hours.

Rosemary Chicken Marinade Ingredients

Here are the ingredients that you’ll need to prepare this divine marinade:

  • Dry white wine
  • Seasoned or plain rice vinegar
  • Dijon mustard
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Garlic or shallot
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Fresh rosemary
  • Dried marjoram
  • Salt,
  • Freshly ground black pepper

How to Make Rosemary Dijon Chicken (Sous Vide + Grill Method)

To make Rosemary Dijon Chicken, first, marinate chicken for 4 to 24 hours, then sous vide, then finish on the grill.

  1. Start marinade prep.
    In a food processor, combine white wine, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic or shallots; process until well blended.
  2. Add oil.
    With the machine running, slowly pour olive oil through the feed tube and process until well mixed.
  3. Add herbs, salt, and pepper.
    Add rosemary and marjoram; process until herbs are finely chopped. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  4. Prep chicken.
    Put chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper and pound until an even thickness (or butterfly and halve). Place chicken in a glass baking dish that will hold breasts in one layer.
  5. Marinate.
    Pour marinade over chicken, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours, turning occasionally.
  6. Place chicken in bags.
    Remove chicken from marinade. Place in a single layer in sealable vacuum bags, or in zip-top baggies (one breast per bag) and seal. If using zip-top baggies, remove all the air from the bags (follow directions for your sous vide machine).
  7. Preheat a water bath.
    Set your sous to vide cooker to 145 degrees.
  8. Cook chicken.
    Add sealed bags to the water and cook for 1½ to 4 hours.
  9. Preheat grill.
    Around 10 to 15 minutes before you plan to take the chicken out of the water bath, preheat a grill to high.
  10. Finish breasts on the grill.
    Remove breasts from bags. Oil grill grates. Grill chicken for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and nicely marked.
white plate with Grilled Rosemary-Dijon Chicken Breasts

How long does chicken take in the sous vide?

While sous vide cooking can take longer than other methods, the advantage is you can’t really overcook most foods in sous vide. For these chicken breasts, they should cook at least 1 1/2 hours, up to 4 hours.

Tips for Sous Vide Grilled Chicken

Here are my tips for ensuring your sous vide + grilled chicken comes out perfectly:

Sous Vide tips

  • Make sure the bag is securely closed, the air is removed, and the chicken breast is flat (not rolled up or folded over on itself).
  • Only put one breast in a bag – there’s a chance they will stick together during cooking if you put two together.
  • If you don’t own a vacuum sealer, use good-quality zip-top freezer bags.
  • Make sure chicken breasts are completely submerged in the water bath.
  • Cover the water bath – with a fitted top, foil or plastic wrap – to minimize evaporation and ensure water stays at temperature.

Searing on the Grill tips

  • Sear chicken on high heat. It’s already cooked; you’re just finishing it.
  • Oil grill rack just before putting on chicken, to keep it from sticking.
  • For a crispier crust, pat the chicken dry before grilling.
  • Don’t overcook it!

Serving Dijon Rosemary Chicken

Here are some side dishes to serve with these moist and delicious chicken breasts:

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white plate with Grilled Rosemary-Dijon Chicken Breasts

Rosemary Dijon Chicken

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These moist and tangy Grilled Rosemary-Dijon Chicken Breasts are easy to prepare. I include directions for grilling only, or initially cooking the chicken in a sous vide and then finishing it on the grill.

  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup seasoned or plain rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic or shallot
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
  • Salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Instructions

  1. In a food processor, combine the white wine, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and garlic or shallots; process until well blended.
  2. With the machine running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube and process until well mixed.
  3. Add the rosemary and marjoram; process until herbs are finely chopped. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  4. Put the chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper and pound until an even thickness (or butterfly and halve).
  5. Place chicken in a glass baking dish that will hold the breasts in one layer. Pour the marinade over the chicken, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours, turning occasionally.

Grilling Method

  1. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on high.
  2. Oil the grill racks.
  3. Remove chicken from the baking dish, reserving the marinade. Place chicken on grill and if using a gas grill, reduce all the burners to medium heat. Cook chicken, covered, 3 minutes or until seared.
  4. Brush with marinade. Turn over, brush with marinade again and grill 3 to 4 minutes until the other side is seared and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest portions registers 165 degrees.

Sous Vide + Grilling Method

  1. Remove chicken from marinade. Place in a single layer in sealable bags, or in zip top baggies and seal. If using zip top baggies, remove all the air from the bags (follow directions for your sous vide machine).
  2. Set your sous vide cooker to 145 degrees.
  3. Add sealed bags to the water and cook for 1½ to 4 hours.
  4. Around 10 to 15 minutes before you plan to take the chicken out of the water bath, preheat a grill to high.
  5. Remove breasts from bags. Oil grill grates. Grill chicken for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and nicely marked.

Notes

Gluten free: use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce.

Make ahead: Marinade can be made up to 2 days in advance, covered and stored in the refrigerator.

  • Author: (From “Fresh Tastes” by Lee Clayton Roper)
  • Category: poultry, main dish, easy grilling, sous vide, gluten free
white plate with Grilled Rosemary-Dijon Chicken Breassts

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About the author

Hi, I'm Lee.

I am inspired by my mother, Sally’s, love of cooking and entertaining to gather friends and family together over great meals and conversation. In fact, I held my first dinner party at the age of 16. Throughout the years, I’ve provided recipes, menu advice and cooking tips to friends seeking uncomplicated and delicious ideas for home entertaining.


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Comments

  1. I received a pressure pot for Christmas that has directions for Sous Vide. This is not a cooking method I have used. Until your recipe for the Grilled Rosemary-Dijon Chicken Breasts I did not have anything to use it on. Does this pre-method for sealed cooking in water lead to a moist chicken on the grill. Have you had success in using Sous Vide on other foods. You mention using sealed baggies with the air taken out. I know there are machines you can get to seal foods – but do zip freezer bags with the air taken out work as well?
    I LOVE every one of your recipes, in both of your books. Your cook books are always my first “go to” when I am wondering what’s for dinner. And I keeps several of your new cookbooks books on hand for gifts to brides and special friends.






    1. Denise: So happy you are enjoying my recipes! To answer your questions:

      1. Yes, sous vide results in very moist chicken breasts. You don’t have to grill them for a long time, just enough to sear/mark the skin.
      2. I use my sous vide with fish filets, steaks, pork chops, pork tenderloin, etc. It works great with all of them! A friend uses hers to hard boil eggs, but I didn’t care for the consistency when I tried eggs.
      3. I use a Food Saver to seal the bags when using my sous vide. If you don’t have one, you can use zip top freezer bags. There is a specific method on how to get the air out of the zip top baggie for each sous vide machine; your instruction manual should tell you how. If not, google it!

      Let me know if you have any other questions!

      Lee