Chicken Saltimbocca Recipe

5 from 1 vote

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Chicken Saltimbocca is the recipe to make when you’re craving authentic Italian food without spending hours in the kitchen. Tender chicken, prosciutto, and fresh sage come together in a buttery white wine sauce for a quick one-pan meal that tastes truly special.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Servings:

Author: Marcellina

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds (680 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts ((2 or 3 chicken breasts))
3 ½ ounces (100 g) thinly sliced prosciutto (See Note 1)
12 sage leaves
4 tablespoons all-purpose plain flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons (45 g) salted butter ( (1 tab for the cooking 2 for finishing))
⅔ cup (160 ml) white wine
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (plus extra)
½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Place one chicken breast flat on a cutting board and steady it with the palm of your hand. Using a sharp knife, make a horizontal cut through the middle of the breast, starting from the thicker side and cutting toward the thinner edge, keeping the knife parallel to the board. Open it out or separate it completely to create two to three even cutlets.
Lay the cutlets between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, gently pound from the center outwards until the chicken is an even thickness all over, which helps it cook quickly and evenly.
Season each chicken cutlet with a small amount of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Take care not to oversalt. Place a slice of prosciutto and a sage leaf on top of each chicken slice and secure with a toothpick.
Then flour each slice on the sides without prosciutto. Shake off any excess flour by gently tapping.
In a skillet or frying pan, add the oil and a third of the butter over medium heat
When the butter is melted and the pan is hot, add the chicken slices, prosciutto side up. This is important because the prosciutto burns easily.
After 1-2 minutes, turn them over and cook for just 20-30 seconds. Remove and repeat with the remaining chicken slices, adding a little more oil if necessary.
When the chicken is all cooked and set aside, add the white wine to the pan and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. That's where the flavor is.
Simmer the wine until reduced by half.
Reduce the heat to low and swirl in the butter. Swirl the pan until the butter emulsifies and creates a thick sauce. Season with extra freshly ground black pepper.
Put the chicken back in the pan, spoon the sauce over and heat for about 1 minute.
Serve immediately.

Notes

Depending on how thinly the prosciutto has been sliced, you may need more or less.

Tips for Success

Use only a little flour. A light dusting is all you need. Too much flour will thicken the sauce too much and can make the chicken heavy. A fine coating helps the chicken brown beautifully without overpowering the delicate flavors.
Take a moment to flatten the chicken evenly. When each piece is the same thickness, it cooks quickly and stays tender. It also helps the prosciutto and sage cling to the surface.
Don't overcrowd the pan with chicken. Give each piece space in the pan. If the chicken is packed too tightly, it won’t brown properly and will steam instead, which affects both flavor and texture. Cook in batches if needed.
Prosciutto brings plenty of salt to this dish, so go easy with the seasoning. You may need an extra small pinch to highlight the flavors without making the chicken too salty.

Nutrition