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. And while she doesn't cook often these days do to her successful cooking business, it was love at first bite.
Why This Recipe Works
- Despite its elegant presentation, this recipe is quick and simple, needing only 30 minutes total to prepare.
- Turn ordinary chicken into a culinary delight with prosciutto and a simple but tasty white wine butter sauce.
- I love it when there is just one pot to clean and dish uses just the skillet. Fewer chores means more time for your favorite activities.
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Ingredient Notes
- Olive oil and butter - These are used for cooking the chicken and creating the sauce. Butter adds richness while olive oil helps prevent the butter from burning.
- 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.
- Flour - Lightly coat the chicken with flour before cooking. This helps create a golden crust and also helps thicken the sauce.
- Salt and pepper - Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste before cooking. Adjust seasoning as needed throughout the cooking process.
- Wine - You want a dry wine like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc as it contributes to the flavor of the sauce.
- Chicken stock - Used to further enhance the sauce. It adds savory depth and helps to balance the flavors.
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. Alternatively, you can substitute with turkey cutlets or pork tenderloin medallions.
- If you don't have prosciutto, you can use ham, salami, pancetta or bacon instead.
- To make the dish gluten-free or low-carb, you can omit the flour coating altogether or use a gluten-free flour alternative such as almond flour or coconut flour.
- While wine is a favorite of mine in the sauce, you can just use more chicken stock instead.
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.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
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.
If at all possible, always go with fresh but yes you can use dried sage. However, dried sage is more potent, so use it sparingly. Generally, you'll need about ⅓rd of the amount compared to fresh sage.
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.
Leftovers will store well in the fridge for 2-3 days in an air-tight container or be frozen for 3 months.
While you can microwave I like to reheat in a skillet over low heat with the sauce until warmed through.
Side Dish Options
You can never go wrong with some starchy carbs but plenty of side dishes go with chicken saltimbocca. Some options include:
- Goat cheese risotto
- Parmesan roasted Brussels sprouts
- Roasted broccoli and potatoes
- Polenta
- Garlic mashed cauliflower
- Crispy roasted potatoes
Equipment
The equipment you use is important to how the dish turns out. What is needed is the following:
- Skillet/Dutch oven - You want something large enough to cook the chicken.
- Chef's knife - You want a quality knife to cut sage and slice the chicken in half if using chicken breasts.
- Tongs - Used to flip the chicken.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use chicken cutlets or cut chicken breasts in half so the chicken is thin enough to cook quickly.
- 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.
- Cook the chicken in batches to prevent overcrowding the pan. Overcrowding can lead to steaming instead of browning.
- 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.
- For accurate results, rely on an instant-read thermometer. It's the most reliable method to ensure your chicken is cooked to perfection, reaching the safe internal temperature of 165°F.
Similar Recipes
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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.
- 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.
- Cook the chicken in batches to prevent overcrowding the pan. Overcrowding can lead to steaming instead of browning.
- 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.
- For accurate results, rely on an instant-read thermometer. It's the most reliable method to ensure your chicken is cooked to perfection, reaching the safe internal temperature of 165°F.
- For accurate results, rely on an instant-read thermometer. It's the most reliable method to ensure your chicken is cooked to perfection, reaching the safe internal temperature of 165°F.
- 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!
Cj says
Delicious