Tender chicken, crispy prosciutto, and velvety wine sauce—this Chicken Saltimbocca recipe is a must-try! Easy, elegant, and full of flavor.
This restaurant quality Chicken Saltimbocca Recipe will add some excitement to a boring dinner routine. Saltimbocca means "jump in the mouth" in Italian, and this dish lives up to the name for sure. I learned to make this recipe years ago in restaurants, and I think the key is to pound the chicken breasts thin. This reduces the cooking time and makes the chicken more tender.
Hint: like our Chicken Piccata and Baked Lemon Chicken, this flavorful dish is on the table in about 30 minutes.
Serve it with: Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and Steamed Asparagus for an easy weeknight meal, or pair it with 'The Walking Fool' Red Blend for a great date night dinner.
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Ingredients
- CHICKEN BREASTS: skinless, boneless chicken breasts (chicken cutlets), pounded thin (or use chicken breast filets)
- FLOUR: All Purpose Flour (AP flour)
- SALT: kosher salt or sea salt
- BLACK PEPPER: freshly ground black pepper
- PARMESAN CHEESE: freshly grated parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano)
- GARLIC: fresh garlic cloves
- OLIVE OIL: use the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can afford
- BUTTER: salted butter or unsalted butter (divided)
- WHITE WINE: dry white wine (we like Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay)
- PROSCIUTTO: thin slices prosciutto
- SAGE: fresh sage leaves
*see recipe card for quantities.
🔪Top tip
Pounding the chicken into thin (scaloppine) cutlets reduces cooking time and makes the chicken more tender. Place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound chicken to a thin, uniform thickness.
Instructions
- Prepare: In a shallow dish, combine flour with salt and pepper.
- Dredge and Coat: Press each chicken breast into flour mixture, coating both sides. Shake off excess. Place on a plate and continue until all breasts are floured.
- Heat skillet: Heat olive oil and 3 tablespoon butter over medium heat in large non-stick skillet.
- Sauté Chicken Breasts: Sauté chicken breasts for 4 minutes on each side (until lightly brown).
- Set Aside: Remove chicken and place on plate. Cover to keep warm.
- Crisp the Prosciutto: Turn heat on pan to low. Place each slice of prosciutto in pan and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Crisp the Sage: Place sage leaves in pan and heat until slightly crispy (2-3 minutes).
- Make Sauce: Add remaining butter and white wine to pan over medium low heat. Place chicken breasts back in pan on low heat to warm for 5 minutes.
- Finish and Plate: Transfer chicken to serving plate. Top with prosciutto and sage leaves. Top all chicken with remaining sauce from the pan. Sprinkle fresh grated parmesan cheese on top. Serve.
Variations
- Non-alcoholic: substitute white wine with chicken broth or lemon juice.
- Chicken: you can also use chicken thighs for this recipe. Cooking times may vary.
- Veal or Turkey: Veal Saltimbocca is a classic Italian version, but turkey cutlets work just as well for a leaner alternative.
- Prosciutto: Prosciutto is traditional and adds a salty, savory depth to the dish, but you can substitute it with pancetta, bacon, or even turkey bacon for a different twist.
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Storage
- Store leftover chicken in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Warm up in a sauté pan with a little olive oil or in the microwave.
- Do not freeze.
FAQ
Chicken Saltimbocca is an Italian-inspired dish made with thin chicken cutlets wrapped in prosciutto and sage, then pan-seared to perfection, often finished with a white wine or butter sauce.
The name "Saltimbocca" comes from the Italian phrase "saltare in bocca," meaning "jumps in the mouth," referring to its rich and savory flavors.
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thinly sliced chicken cutlets work best for this dish, as they cook quickly and absorb the flavors well.
While we recommend serving this dish right away, you can make it ahead of time and warm it back up in a large skillet.
Prosciutto is traditional and adds a salty, savory depth to the dish, but you can substitute it with pancetta, bacon, or even turkey bacon for a different twist.
We prefer a dry white wine, like Chardonnay or Pino Grigio.
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Chicken Saltimbocca recipe
Tender chicken, crispy prosciutto, and velvety wine sauce—this Chicken Saltimbocca recipe is a must-try! Easy, elegant, and full of flavor.
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 portions 1x
Ingredients
- 8 6 oz chicken breasts, pounded thin
- ½ cup AP flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 8 tbsp butter divided
- ⅓ cup white wine
- 16 slices prosciutto
- 16-20 sage leaves
Instructions
1. In a shallow dish, combine flour with salt and pepper.
2. Press each chicken breast into flour and coat on both sides, shaking off excess. Place on a plate and continue until all breasts are floured.
3. Heat olive oil and 3 tablespoon butter over medium heat in large non-stick skillet.
4. Sauté each chicken breasts for 4 minutes on each side until lightly brown.
5. Remove chicken and place on plate. Cover to keep warm.
6. Turn heat on pan to low. Place each slice of prosciutto in pan and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
7. Add remaining butter and white wine to pan over medium low heat.
8. Place chicken breasts back in pan over low heat to warm for 5 minutes.
9. Transfer to serving plate and top with prosciutto and sage leaves.
10. Top all chicken with remaining sauce from the pan.
11. Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese on top.
11. Serve.
Notes
- Pouding the chicken into thin (scaloppine) cutlets reduces cooking time and makes the chicken more tender. Place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound chicken into a thin, uniform thickness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: main dishes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 oz
- Calories: 440
- Sugar: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 561.1 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Carbohydrates: 8.1 g
- Protein: 42.4 g
- Cholesterol: 164 mg
David Watros says
Delicious recipe!
Jackie says
thanks so much David! We're so happy you liked it!
Kenny says
This is so easy to make! Thanks for sharing.