I love impressive and guest-worthy recipes that take little effort and time to prepare! Chicken saltimbocca checks off both boxes! This season is a busy time of year, so I want to share quick, easy recipes that you can feel comfortable preparing and are worthy of sharing with family and guests. The recipe for traditional Saltimbocca alla Romana used veal cutlets, but it’s very acceptable nowadays to substitute chicken, as many do in Italy. The veal version is a classic dish from the region of Lazio, namely Rome, hence the “alla Romana,” which is sometimes added to the dish’s name. You can grab that recipe here.

Enhanced by the flavor and saltiness of the prosciutto, this recipe is surprisingly simple to prepare. The term “saltimbocca” translates to “jump in your mouth” in Italian—it is believed that the name of this dish comes from its deliciousness! The flavor is so extraordinary that the chicken will jump in your mouth!

The cover image from this post comes from my first cookbook: The Five Ingredient Italian Cookbook. Grab your copy here! The book contains over 100 recipes that use at most five main ingredients, plus a few staples you surely have on hand. It makes the perfect stocking stuffer! And it’s an Amazon best-sellar!

Chicken Saltimbocca

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients

6 thin chicken breast cutlets, lightly pounded to ⅛-inch thickness
Salt – amount to preference
Ground black pepper – amount to preference
12 large sage leaves
6 thin slices prosciutto
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter, divided
¾ cup chicken stock

Ingredients

1. In a bowl, add the flour. Set aside.
2. Lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place 2 sage leaves on one side of each of the chicken breasts. Lay a slice of prosciutto over the sage. (Although not required, you may stitch the prosciutto and sage into the chicken with a toothpick.)
3. Holding the chicken, sage, and prosciutto together, dredge the chicken cutlets in the flour, shaking off any excess.
4. Add the oil and 2 tablespoons of butter to a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and prosciutto side down, and brown the chicken and prosciutto for about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook an additional 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
5. Add the remaining butter to the skillet. Add the chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
6. Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes, spooning some of the sauce on top. Transfer the chicken to plates, remove the toothpicks, if using, and pour the sauce over top. Serve hot.