Name: Chicken Piccata with Lemon-Caper Butter
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lb plain boneless, skinless chicken breast, portioned to fit the guide’s size limits; Salt and black pepper; 2 tbsp olive oil, divided; 1 small shallot, finely minced; 1/3 cup dry white wine; 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock; 2 tbsp drained capers, rinsed if very salty; 2 tbsp lemon juice, plus more to taste; 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed; 2 tbsp chopped parsley

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Last updated Oct 20, 2026

How we review our content Sources for this method

Prep: 20 min
Bath: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total: 3 hr
Yield: 4 servings

Main Coursechickenpiccatalemoncapers

From the guide

Cooking settings

This recipe follows one reviewed setting from the Chicken Piccata guide.

Bath setting: 140°F
Bath time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Best for: Up to 1 1/2 inches thick; the whole piece must fit within 1 1/2 × 2 1/4 × 3 7/8 inches, measured from shortest to longest

This guide uses boneless, skinless chicken breast portions, each fitting within 1 1/2 × 2 1/4 × 3 7/8 inches, measured from shortest to longest. All three dimensions matter. Trim or cut into shorter natural portions before measuring; do not pound, butterfly, or flatten the meat. Bone-in breasts, thighs, and thin pounded cutlets need another method. Use plain, fully thawed meat without injection, mechanical tenderizing, added solution, brining, curing, or marinade. Season with salt and pepper only. Keep sauces, wine, lemon, fats, and other finishing ingredients outside the pouch. Verify a 41°F starting temperature and the selected bath setting with a thermometer. Seal each piece separately in its natural shape, without folding, rolling, tying, or overlap. Fully submerge the sealed bags in a verified, preheated circulating bath with water space around every bag. Start timing at immersion and complete the full listed time without interruption. The listed duration is the complete bath time, including heating; do not shorten it to a center-temperature reading or add another heating interval. Use clean utensils and discard all pouch liquid. Keep cooked food away from raw food, used bags, and utensils used for raw food. Pat dry and brown briefly in a hot oiled skillet. Have the separately prepared sauce ready, then spoon it over the chicken and serve immediately. Prolonged searing or simmering in sauce firms the center and reduces the texture difference. These methods cover immediate service only, not frozen starts, chilling, storage, reheating, or holding. Colder or unknown starting temperatures, larger pieces, stuffing, and stacked or folded portions are excluded. Appearance and a single thermometer reading cannot replace the complete timed method. If any timed-method condition cannot be met, cook every piece in a skillet or oven to a measured 165°F before serving. Insert the thermometer from the side into the thickest center of every piece, keeping its full sensing area inside the meat and away from bone and fat; check uneven areas. Recheck every cooler spot. Expect a firmer result. This fallback is not an extra step in a completed timed method. These timed methods do not provide advice for vulnerable diners. Read the food safety guide.

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Ingredients

1 1/2 lb plain boneless, skinless chicken breast, portioned to fit the guide’s size limits
Salt and black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 small shallot, finely minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
2 tbsp drained capers, rinsed if very salty
2 tbsp lemon juice, plus more to taste
3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
2 tbsp chopped parsley

Method

Prepare

Trim or portion the chicken to fit all three dimensions in the method below. Keep it unpounded, verify the starting conditions, and season with salt and pepper.
Seal each portion separately. Keep lemon, wine, oil, butter, and capers outside the pouch.

Cook

Set the water bath to 140°F.
This guide uses boneless, skinless chicken breast portions, each fitting within 1 1/2 × 2 1/4 × 3 7/8 inches, measured from shortest to longest. All three dimensions matter. Trim or cut into shorter natural portions before measuring; do not pound, butterfly, or flatten the meat. Bone-in breasts, thighs, and thin pounded cutlets need another method. Use plain, fully thawed meat without injection, mechanical tenderizing, added solution, brining, curing, or marinade. Season with salt and pepper only. Keep sauces, wine, lemon, fats, and other finishing ingredients outside the pouch. Verify a 41°F starting temperature and the selected bath setting with a thermometer. Seal each piece separately in its natural shape, without folding, rolling, tying, or overlap. Fully submerge the sealed bags in a verified, preheated circulating bath with water space around every bag. Start timing at immersion and complete the full listed time without interruption. The listed duration is the complete bath time, including heating; do not shorten it to a center-temperature reading or add another heating interval. Use clean utensils and discard all pouch liquid. Keep cooked food away from raw food, used bags, and utensils used for raw food. Pat dry and brown briefly in a hot oiled skillet. Have the separately prepared sauce ready, then spoon it over the chicken and serve immediately. Prolonged searing or simmering in sauce firms the center and reduces the texture difference. These methods cover immediate service only, not frozen starts, chilling, storage, reheating, or holding. Colder or unknown starting temperatures, larger pieces, stuffing, and stacked or folded portions are excluded. Appearance and a single thermometer reading cannot replace the complete timed method.
Cook for 2 hours 30 minutes for up to 1 1/2 inches thick; the whole piece must fit within 1 1/2 × 2 1/4 × 3 7/8 inches, measured from shortest to longest.
Near serving time, soften the shallot in 1 tablespoon of oil. Take the pan off the heat to add the wine, then return it to the heat and reduce by about half. Add the stock and simmer briefly.
Add capers and lemon juice. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the cold butter a few pieces at a time. Taste for salt and acidity.

Finish

After the complete cook, discard the pouch liquid and pat the chicken dry. Brown briefly in a hot skillet with the remaining oil.
Keep the sauce ready for serving; do not simmer the chicken in it or boil the butter sauce.

Serve

Spoon the lemon-caper sauce over the chicken, add parsley, and serve immediately.

Want another texture or thickness?

The complete guide has all reviewed settings, safety context, and finishing options.

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