I have always loved cooking Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, and this is one of my all time favorites. Probably because it looks like you spent way more time on it then you actually did. Chicken saltimbocca is a restaurant style dish that is actually quite easy to make at home, and is quick enough for even a busy weeknight, but elegant enough to serve for guests.
Saltimbocca is an Italian term which means “jumps in the mouth”. It is typically made with veal or chicken cutlets, which are wrapped with prosciutto slices and sage leaves, then cooked until golden.
This recipe works best with chicken cutlets. You can either buy regular chicken breasts and cut them in half lengthwise, or buy thin-cut chicken breasts which are already sliced in half. Pound the chicken to an even thickness, then place a few sage leaves onto each chicken breast, along with salt and pepper. Wrap each chicken breast in a slice of prosciutto. Heat olive oil in a pan, then sear the chicken until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan, and make a simple sauce of white wine, chicken broth and lemon juice. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then serve and enjoy.
Chicken Saltimbocca
Course: MainCuisine: italian4
servings20
minutes20
minutes40
minutesThis chicken saltimbocca is chicken cutlets wrapped in prosciutto slices and seasoned with sage, then pan seared and topped with a white wine sauce.
Ingredients
- Chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut thin
12 fresh sage leaves
4 slices prosciutto
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste - Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/3 cup white wine
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
additional sage leaves, lemon wedges for garnish
Directions
- Chicken
- Place each piece of chicken in between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with the flat end of a meat mallet to create thin cutlets.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place 3 sage leaves on the top of each chicken breast.
- Wrap each chicken breast with one piece of prosciutto.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover to keep warm. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel.
- Sauce
- Melt the butter in the pan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly.
- Pour in the white wine and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and simmer for an additional 4-5 minutes or until sauce has just thickened.
- Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Return the chicken to the pan. Spoon the sauce over the chicken. Garnish with sage and lemon if desired, then serve immediately.
Notes
- To create the chicken cutlets, place each chicken breast in between two sheets of plastic wrap, then pound with the flat end of a meat mallet or with a cast iron skillet.
- This recipe gets a lot of its flavor from prosciutto, which is an Italian cured ham. You can find packages of thinly sliced prosciutto in the deli section of most grocery stores.
- Be sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice, it has a much better flavor than the packaged bottled version.
- Use a white wine that you would typically drink, such as a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc variety.
- Chicken saltimbocca is best served immediately. You can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days
