"Pre-Cook Off": An Honest Comparison of Pre-Cooked Grilled Chicken and Pre-Cooked Sous Vide Chicken

An Honest Comparison of Pre-Cooked Grilled Chicken and Pre-Cooked Sous Vide Chicken

Pre-cooked chicken is a convenient option for busy individuals, but not all pre-cooked chicken is created equal. There are a lot of different brands out there, but pre-cooked chicken basically falls into one of two categories: either it’s sous vide, or it’s grilled - and each type has its strengths and weaknesses. Here's an unbiased, detailed comparison of grilled vs. sous vide chicken (not just our personal preferences):

Pre-Cooked Sous Vide Chicken

Pros:

• More Retained Moisture (i.e. “Juiciness”): Sous vide cooking locks in the natural juices of the chicken by sealing it in a vacuum-sealed bag and cooking it slowly in a water bath. This process minimizes moisture loss and ensures the chicken remains tender and juicy.

• Deeper Flavor Absorption: The vacuum-sealed environment allows chicken to marinate as it cooks, absorbing the flavors of herbs, spices, or sauces more deeply into the meat. This results in a rich, consistent flavor throughout.

• More Even Texture: Sous vide cooking relies on maintaining a precise and consistent water temperature, ensuring the chicken is cooked evenly and without overcooking. This eliminates the risk of dry or tough meat, or chicken where one bite is significantly dryer than the next.

Cons:

• Lack of Char: On its own, pre-cooked sous vide chicken does not develop the charred flavor you get from grilling. Additional steps like searing or broiling are needed if you prefer a crispy outer texture. 

Convenience:

• Thaw overnight, 1 minute in the microwave. Similar to grilled chicken.

Texture and Flavor:

• Texture: Soft & juicy. Has a “melts in your mouth” quality. Consistently tender due to the low, controlled cooking temperature. Retains moisture even after freezing and reheating.

• Flavor: Deeply infused with seasoning or marinades during cooking.

Pre-Cooked Grilled Chicken

Pros:

• Charred Texture & Flavor: Grilling imparts a smoky, charred flavor. This is much more the case with freshly-grilled chicken you cook yourself, but factory-cooked grilled chicken does have some char, as well. This can also be an aesthetic preference for some people, who just like to see grill marks on their chicken (though pre-cooked chicken typically paints these on with food dyes after the fact).

• Familiarity: In America, pre-cooked grilled chicken is way more widely available than sous vide, with virtually all the frozen options in your local grocery store being grilled. Thus there’s a certain fond familiarity with this option.

Cons:

• Risk of Overcooking: Factory-prepared grilled chicken is exposed to high heat to ensure food safety and efficiency, leading to overcooking. This inevitably results in drier, tougher meat.

• Loss of Natural Juices: The grilling process causes meat juices to evaporate, which leads to a drier texture. Pre-cooked grilled chicken often undergoes multiple heating cycles—cooking, chilling, and reheating—which exacerbates moisture loss and can result in a rubbery texture.

• Surface-Level Flavoring: Pre-cooked grilled chicken tends to come with sauce packets added just before eating, rather than true marinades. Due to its crispier/dryer outer texture, grilled chicken also does not absorb sauces and seasonings as deeply into the meat, resulting in a meal that has flavor and texture on the outside, but then is much more mild on the inside.

Convenience:

• Thaw overnight, 1 minute in the microwave. Similar to sous vide chicken.

Texture and Flavor

• Texture: Can have a decently-charred exterior, but interior is prone to dryness and toughness.

• Flavor: Surface-level flavoring, usually from sauce packets. Inside of the meat is typically just the typical chicken flavor.

Choosing the Right Option for You

Both sous vide and grilled chicken can have their places in your weekly routine. If you value juiciness & tenderness, sous vide chicken is the way to go. It’s especially ideal for dishes where texture and flavor integration are key, such as salads, grain bowls, or pasta. 

If you love the flavor of grilled meat and prefer that familiar taste & dryer outer texture, pre-cooked grilled chicken will be the best option. It’s also easier to find at the grocery store.