Chicken Picatta
This is easy and fun to make, not to mention extremely delicious. It gets better every time I make it.
This is easy and fun to make, not to mention extremely delicious. It gets better every time I make it.
- Carbohydrate 6.62171250210572 g
- Cholesterol 2257.6 mg
- Fat 99.1045216666667 g
- Fiber 0.133466668753075 g
- Protein 486.984956666759 g
- Saturated Fat 39.0818269166667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (2261g)
- Sodium 2516.48000000024 mg
- Sugar 6.48824583335265 g
- Trans Fat 13.2574636666667 g
- Calories 2980 calories
Step-by-step
- Take the chicken breasts and place each into a pint sized ziploc bag.
- Use a mallet or other blunt object and pound chicken flat.
- In three separate containers put Parmesan cheese, eggs (beaten), and bread crumbs.
- Take a flattened breast and dip first into the egg, then into the cheese, then back into the egg and finally coat with bread crumbs.
- Repeat for each breast.
- Meanwhile slowly heat butter and olive oil in a skillet and brown chicken, turning repeatedly.
- When nice and brown, pour in chicken broth, lemon juice, and lemon slices.
- Let simmer for 5 minutes, then remove chicken from skillet and let cool.
- Continue to simmer brother/lemon juice mixture for another 5 minutes and then remove from heat and pour over chicken and pasta of your choice.
- This could feed up to 4 people but my wife and I enjoy it so much that we just make it for ourselves.
While standard scaloppine relies on a light flour dredge and a pan-sauce reduction, this version introduces a crisp cheese and breadcrumb coating that holds up differently against liquids. Pounding chicken breasts inside a plastic bag ensures an even half-inch thickness, which prevents the outer crust from burning before the center cooks through. When adjusting quantities up or down, remember that proteins and liquids scale linearly, but pan surface area does not. Overcrowding a skillet traps moisture, turning a golden crust into a soggy layer.
Managing Pan Capacity
Operating a single skillet requires strategic batch cooking when scaling beyond two portions. Maintain a medium-high heat threshold using a 1-to-1 blend of butter and olive oil to prevent scorching the milk solids in the butter too quickly. Simmering the broth and citrus liquids after searing concentrates the pan fond without overcooking the meat. Reduce the remaining sauce by half to achieve a glossy consistency that clings properly to pasta.
- Avoid adding cold broth directly to a searing-hot pan, as thermal shock can warp thin metal cookware.
- Pat the meat completely dry after the egg wash stage to ensure the breadcrumb layer adheres evenly.
- Monitor the lemon slices during the simmer phase to prevent bitterness from prolonged rind contact.
