Lemon-Caper Chicken Breast
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Last updated
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 2–3 hours
- Yield
- 4 servings
Main Coursechicken breastlemoncaperspan sauce
Ingredients
- 4 intact boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 6 oz each, that meet the recommendation conditions
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon and 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp drained capers
- 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Method
Prepare
- Use ordinary unstuffed chicken breasts; keep each piece flat without rolling, folding, or tying it.
- Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with the kosher salt and black pepper.
- Seal each breast in its own food-safe pouch, with enough room for water to circulate around every piece. Keep the sauce ingredients separate from the raw chicken.
Cook
- Set the water bath to 140°–145°F.
- Cook for 2–3 hours.
- Near the end of the cooking window, chop the shallot and parsley, drain the capers, and prepare the lemon zest and juice. Keep the butter refrigerated until needed.
Check before finishing
- At the end of the bath, open the pouch and transfer each piece intact to a clean surface with clean utensils. Discard the pouch liquid and any sauce that touched raw food.
- Use a clean food thermometer. Check the thickest area of every breast, avoiding bone.
- Every spot you check must reach 165°F. If any reading is lower, keep cooking with a method hot enough to reach this temperature and check each cooler spot again. Complete this check before finishing.
Finish
- Once the chicken passes its thermometer check, pat it dry on a clean surface. Heat the olive oil in a clean skillet and brown it on both sides, working in batches if necessary.
- Transfer the chicken to clean plates. Lower the heat, add the shallot to the skillet, and stir until softened without letting it darken.
- Pour in the chicken stock and scrape up the browned bits. Add the lemon juice and capers, then simmer until the sauce lightly coats a spoon.
- Take the skillet off the heat and swirl in the cold butter a few pieces at a time. Stir in the lemon zest and parsley.
Serve
- Spoon the lemon-caper sauce over the chicken and serve immediately with the side dish of your choice.
Want another texture or thickness?
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