This chicken saltimbocca is chicken cutlets wrapped in prosciutto slices and seasoned with sage, then pan seared and topped with a white wine sauce. An easy and elegant dinner option that always gets rave reviews.

You can never go wrong with chicken breasts at dinner time, my family always requests creamy garlic chicken, bacon wrapped stuffed chicken and this savory and satisfying chicken saltimbocca.

Chicken saltimbocca is a restaurant style dish that’s actually quite easy to make at home. This dish is quick enough for a busy weeknight, yet fancy enough to serve to company.

What is chicken saltimbocca?

Saltimbocca is an Italian term which means “jumps in the mouth”. It is typically made with veal or chicken cutlets, which are wrapped with prosciutto slices and sage leaves, then cooked until golden.

How do you make chicken saltimbocca?

This recipe works best with chicken cutlets. You can either buy regular chicken breasts and cut them in half lengthwise, or buy thin-cut chicken breasts which are already sliced in half. Pound the chicken to an even thickness, then place a few sage leaves onto each chicken breast, along with salt and pepper. Wrap each chicken breast in a slice of prosciutto. Heat olive oil in a pan, then sear the chicken until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan, and make a simple sauce of white wine, chicken broth and lemon juice. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then serve and enjoy.

Tips for the perfect chicken

To create the chicken cutlets, place each chicken breast in between two sheets of plastic wrap, then pound with the flat end of a meat mallet or with a cast iron skillet.
This recipe gets a lot of its flavor from prosciutto, which is an Italian cured ham. You can find packages of thinly sliced prosciutto in the deli section of most grocery stores.
Be sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice, it has a much better flavor than the packaged bottled version.
Use a white wine that you would typically drink, such as a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc variety.
Chicken saltimbocca is best served immediately. You can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.

What goes with saltimbocca?

I recommend that you serve chicken saltimbocca over mashed potatoes or pasta, which are the perfect counterparts to the savory sauce. Another option would be a grain such as quinoa or a rice pilaf. I always serve this dish with a green vegetable on the side, such as broccoli, asparagus, green beans or sauteed spinach.

Flavor Variations

While this is a fairly traditional version of this dish, you can add other ingredients to customize it to your tastes.

Cheese: Add a slice of mozzarella or fontina cheese on top of each piece of cooked chicken, then broil for 2-3 minutes to melt the cheese.
Flavorings: Feel free to add other flavorings to the sauce such as capers, garlic, shallots, onions or a touch of heavy cream.
Vegetables: You can use vegetables in the sauce such as fresh spinach, mushrooms, or artichoke hearts.

Chicken saltimbocca is a popular dish for good reason – the prosciutto and sage flavors pair perfectly with the chicken and wine sauce. This one is always a big hit!

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