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Chicken Saltimbocca

Source of Recipe

From "The Cook's Illustrated Meat Book" by America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"Chicken seems like it would offer a fresh spin on an old Italian classic, Veal Saltimbocca. But most chicken adaptations of this dish take it too far from its roots, wrapping the cutlet around stuffing or adding unnecessary breading or cheese. We wanted to avoid the temptation to overcomplicate this dish. Make sure to buy prosciutto that is thinly sliced, not shaved; also avoid slices that are too thick, as they won't stick to the chicken. The prosciutto slices should be large enough to fully cover one side of each cutlet. To make slicing the chicken easier, freeze it for 15 minutes. Although whole sage leaves make a beautiful presentation, they are optional and can be left out of step 3."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, tenderloins removed, trimmed
â—¦ ½ cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ Salt and pepper
â—¦ 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage, plus 8 large fresh leaves (optional)
â—¦ 8 thin slices prosciutto (3 ounces)
â—¦ ¼ cup olive oil
â—¦ 1 ¼ cups dry vermouth or dry white wine
â—¦ 2 teaspoons lemon juice
â—¦ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and chilled
â—¦ 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley


Recipe

Halve chicken horizontally, then cover chicken halves with plastic wrap and pound to even ¼-inch thickness with meat pounder. Combine flour and 1 teaspoon pepper in shallow dish.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Working with one cutlet at a time, dredge in flour mixture, shaking off excess, and transfer to work surface. Sprinkle cutlets evenly with minced sage. Place 1 prosciutto slice on top of each cutlet, covering sage, and press lightly to help it adhere.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add sage leaves, if using, and cook until leaves begin to change color and are fragrant, about 15 to 20 seconds. Remove sage leaves with slotted spoon and transfer to paper towel-lined plate; set aside.

Place 4 cutlets in now-empty skillet, prosciutto side down, and cook over medium-high heat until golden brown on first side, about 3 minutes. Flip cutlets, reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook until no longer pink and lightly browned on second side, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer cutlets to large platter. Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and remaining 4 cutlets; transfer to platter. Tent loosely with aluminum foil and set aside while preparing sauce.

Pour off all fat left in skillet. Add vermouth, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to simmer and cook until reduced to â…“ cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Reduce heat to low and whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Off heat, stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over chicken, place sage leaf on top of each cutlet, if using, and serve immediately.

Serves 4