# Chicken Picatta



## bruckmeyer (Apr 28, 2007)

I am looking for some professional advice because I think I am in over my head. I love to cook but am no professional. I agreed to cook for a friends son's first communion. She wants chicken picatta. Problem is she wants it for 75 people. I have just a regular 4 burner stove and oven. Yikes! I know the breasts are normally floured and fried but I am looking to speed the process. 
My thought is to bake the breasts using a lemon pepper spice on them. They come out looking very nice. I can then use an electric roaster to keep them warm. My problem is making the sauce. How do you plan on how much wine and lemon juice to use and should I thicken it or leave it as is? The chicken should only have to stay in the roaster for about 2 hours before serving. 
Will my plan even work or should I just fake serious illness and let them get a few buckets of chicken!


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## atltournant (Apr 24, 2007)

Is she planning on paying you per hour for your labor in addition to the cost of the food itself? It may be more cost-effective for her to just rely on a professional.

You have to figure that each person will eat 1 to 2 breasts,so to be safe you'd need 150 breasts.In a home kitchen,you may not have the space for the production.Also,if you're planning on holding the chicken in a roaster for two hours,your chicken will have to be partially-cooked beforehand [chicken dries easily because of the lack of fat on the breast] and you'd have to make sure it's 165 degrees prior to serving to prevent salmonella.Food-borne illnesses have a tendency to ruin parties,you know? 

I won't even get into the sauce because as an Italian,I'd drive you nuts with particulars! I'd have you buying chicken bones and spending 18 to 24 hours simmering stock for the sauce [I don't do canned stock;totally inferior stuff].

Be honest and beg out,because it may be a bit much to do at home.


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## jayme (Sep 5, 2006)

You mentioned a way to keep the chicken warm, but how are you doing the service- chicken in the sauce in chafing dishes, or just pouring some sauce over chicken? If placing in chafing dishes, you will need more sauce- maybe 1/4c per breast- and you would want it thinner to allow for reduction in the dishes. Plus a thinner sauce will keep the chicken moist and more even distribution of heat during hold times. If you are just going to pour it, your sauce could be thickener. As Alt said- watch your holding times and temps- hold hot foods at 135 deg or above. 
Also, what else are you serving with the Chicken Picatta?


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