The Simplest Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken Saltimbocca Recipe
Given how carefully scheduled and time-crunched most folks are these days, the appeal of cooking with fewer ingredients is undeniable. Fewer ingredients means less time shopping and less time prepping. But there’s no point making a six-ingredient recipe unless the dish is really good. Our goal at the test kitchen is to be able to transform a handful of ingredients into an impressive dish that’s far more than the sum of its parts.
For a streamlined take on classic chicken saltimbocca, the Italian dish that marries tender chicken with rich prosciutto and woodsy sage, we ditched the annoying toothpicks typically required to hold the ham in place and simply wrapped it around the chicken breasts. Browning the breasts before transferring them to the oven worked to crisp the prosciutto and helped fuse it to the chicken. Finishing the chicken in the oven allowed it to cook through gently and ensured that the prosciutto didn’t burn or become leathery in the meantime. To up the elegance quotient of our easy dinner, we created an effortless browned butter sauce and amped up its flavor with chopped sage and a splash of lemon juice.
RELATED: For more quick dinners, check out our delicious 30-minute recipes on Cook’s Country.
Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Sage
Serves 4
Make sure to buy prosciutto that is thinly sliced, not shaved.
4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 thin slices (3 ounces) prosciutto
1 tablespoon olive oil
Fresh sage
1 lemon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1. Adjust oven rack to upper‐middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Trim chicken, pat dry with paper towels, and season with salt and pepper. Slightly overlap 2 slices of prosciutto on cutting board and lay 1 chicken breast in center; fold prosciutto over chicken. Repeat with remaining prosciutto and chicken.
2. Heat oil in 12‐inch nonstick skillet over medium‐high heat until just smoking. Lay chicken in skillet and cook until lightly browned on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to baking sheet and bake until it registers 160 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter and cover to keep warm.
3. Mince 2 teaspoons sage and squeeze lemon for 1 teaspoon juice. Melt butter in now‐empty skillet over medium‐high heat, swirling occasionally, until butter is browned and has nutty aroma, about 1 ½ minutes. Off heat, stir in sage and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice, pinch salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle sauce over chicken and serve.
Find this recipe along with 175 more in our fuss-free cookbook, THE SIX-INGREDIENT SOLUTION
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