This chicken saltimbocca recipe is a traditional Italian dish where the chicken is wrapped in sage and prosciutto and then finished with a wine butter sauce. It is the perfect weeknight meal if you are looking for an excuse to open a bottle of wine.
I can never get enough chicken - from chicken francese to Indian butter chicken to Roman chicken.
I remember the first time I had saltimbocca. No it wasn't at an Italian restaurant. It was actually something my mom had decided to make one night.
My mom has a healthy obsession with Martha Stewart, and while her cookbook, Martha Stewart's Cookies, inspired by mom to start her cookie business, it was her chicken with prosciutto and sage that inspired her that night.
It was love at first bite. And I remember my mom whipping it up in under 30 minutes, which I've got to be frank, doesn't happen very often. I'm not going to lie.
For me any meal that has prosciutto in it is tough to beat. I can't explain why I love it as much as I do, but if you follow this blog at all, you have probably noticed how often I use it in my recipes, especially pizza! So if you want a quick and easy dinner that is super tasty, this chicken saltimbocca recipe should be on your list.
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Ingredient Notes
- Chicken - you want thin chicken so you can get chicken cutlets or take chicken breasts and slice them in half. Or if you have some anger, just pound them then.
- Sage - this traditional herb has a pronounced herbal flavor that is an earthy, slightly peppery taste, with hints of lemon.
- Prosciutto - this cured ham not only adds flavor and an explosion of saltiness, but it gets crisp too, adding to the texture.
- Wine - you want a dry wine like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc as it contributes to the flavor of the sauce.
Ingredient Swaps
Like any meal, you can mix up some of the ingredients for this chicken saltimbocca recipe. Some variations include:
- While I'm a fan of chicken saltimbocca, you can substitute chicken with veal which is very traditional.
- If you don't have prosciutto, you can use ham, salami, pancetta or bacon instead.
- While wine is a favorite of mine in the sauce, you can just use more chicken stock instead.
Step-by-Step Photos
Wrap each piece of chicken with 2 sage leaves and two slices of prosciutto then dredge in the flour, shaking off any excess.
Heat oil over medium-high heat and add chicken. Cook for about 3 minutes before flipping and cooking another 3 minutes.
Remove the chicken and deglaze the skillet with the wine and stock. Once it has reduced by about half, add the butter and sage before returning the chicken and spooning the sauce over it.
FAQs
Chicken saltimbocca is chicken wrapped in sage and prosciutto and then quickly sautéed. Saltimbocca actually means "jump into the mouth."
You can be creative with your sauce, but usually it consists of a quality dry white wine like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc and some chicken stock. It is then finished with some butter. You can also add a little more acidity with some fresh lemon juice as well.
Use quality dry white wine that you'd be willing to drink. The flavor of the sauce comes from the wine. You want a dry wine so Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc are best.
You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into it and the juices run clear and there is no pink. Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn't just cook slightly longer.
Leftovers will store well in the fridge for 2-3 days in an air-tight container or be frozen for 3 months.
Flavor Additions
While this is a fairly traditional dish, you can add some of your favorite ingredients to mix it up. Some additional include:
- Flavorings - the sauce is pretty simple but capers, garlic, onion, fresh lemon juice or even a touch of heavy cream can kick it up a notch.
- Vegetables - spinach, kale or mushrooms can all be cooked with the sauce.
- Cheese - cheese makes everything better. You can add a slice of fontina or mozzarella on top of the chicken saltimbocca and then broil for 2 minutes to get it melty.
Side Dish Options
In general, you want a starch or carbohydrates to pair with chicken saltimbocca, so pasta, potatoes or polenta make for a great side.
Or if you want to go all-in on the Italian meal, try some goat cheese risotto.
As far as vegetables, roasted broccoli or asparagus work great. I'm actually partial to parmesan roasted brussels sprouts.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use chicken cutlets or cut chicken breasts in half so the chicken is thin enough to cook quickly.
- Add cold oil to a cold skillet and let heat up to proper temperature before adding the chicken. You'll know it is ready when the oil starts to shimmer.
- When you wrap prosciutto around each chicken, use the palm of your hand to press it against each piece of chicken so it will stick. You'd be surprised but it does actually stay wrapped. Dredging in the flour helps too.
Other Chicken Recipes
If you’ve tried this chicken saltimbocca recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Chicken Saltimbocca
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 chicken cutlets
- 8 whole sage leaves, plus 6 minced leaves
- 8 slices prosciutto
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup dry white wine (Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc)
- ⅓ cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add flour, salt and pepper and stir together. Lay 2 sage leaves on each cutlet and then wrap two prosciutto slices around the middle of each cutlet, enclosing the sage. Flatten with the palm of your hand to help prosciutto adhere to the chicken. Dredge the cutlets in flour.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook 2 cutlets until golden brown on each side, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and repeat with remaining cutlets.
- Add wine and stock to skillet, scraping up the browned bits. Cook over high heat until it reduces by half, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter and minced sage leaves. Stir until butter is melted. Return chicken to pan and spoon sauce over.
Notes
- Use chicken cutlets or cut chicken breasts in half so the chicken is thin enough to cook quickly.
- Add cold oil to a cold skillet and let heat up to proper temperature before adding the chicken. You'll know it is ready when the oil starts to shimmer.
- When you wrap prosciutto around the chicken, use the palm of your hand to press it against the chicken so it will stick. You'd be surprised but it does actually stay wrapped. Dredging in the flour helps too.
- Use quality dry white wine that you'd be willing to drink. The flavor of the sauce comes from the wine. Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc are best.
- You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear and there is no pink. Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn't just cook slightly longer.
- Leftovers will store well in the fridge for 2-3 days in an air-tight container or be frozen for 3 months.
Chris says
Anything with prosciutto is good!
Susan says
Made this the other night. It was delicious! Followed recipe exactly but added mozzarella cheese on top at the end because I needed to use it up. Fantastic!
Ryan says
Yum! Can't go wrong with some mozzarella!
Delphine says
Spectacular recipe - lots of flavor, rich with the prosciutto but love that it doesn’t rely on cheese. I’ve made this twice, following the recipe exactly and find it requires no tweaks. This is a keeper. Thanks!
Ryan says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Lorraine says
The pressing-the-proscuitto trick is genius!