The 20-Minute Italian Chicken Dinner My Family Begs For
I often think back on my favorite restaurant meals when I need some weeknight dinner inspiration. There’s an Italian bistro my family loves to visit, where a chopped salad and warm garlicky rolls are offered with every order. My husband goes for a bubbling layered lasagna, while my kids split the chicken Alfredo. My go-to order is chicken saltimbocca, a lighter take on an Italian dish that’s classically made with veal cutlets.
Chicken saltimbocca is a skillet dinner made from juicy chicken cutlets, salty prosciutto, melted cheese, and fresh sage. If you are worried because chicken breasts can often come out bland and dry, you might be surprised by how tasty this recipe is. (After all, the word saltimbocca translates to “jumps in the mouth.”) Here’s how to make a weeknight version of this restaurant-style meal at home in just 20 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
Dinner is full of flavor with just five ingredients. You’ll need just five ingredients — chicken, garlic, fresh sage, fontina cheese, and prosciutto — to make this Italian dinner.
It comes together in a flash. This meal takes just 20 minutes to make from start to finish.
Key Ingredients in Chicken Saltimbocca
Chicken breast cutlets: Buy cutlets, which are thin-cut chicken breasts, from the meat counter at the grocery store. You’ll need 4 cutlets weighing in at about 1 1/4 pounds total for this recipe.
Garlic: You’ll need 2 cloves of fresh garlic.
Prosciutto: Don’t skimp on the thin slices of salty, cured prosciutto.
Fontina cheese: Fontina has a nutty flavor that pairs well with the other ingredients in this recipe. It’s rare to find fontina cheese with the other packaged cheeses, so ask the deli counter to slice what you need if they have it there.
Sage: Chop some fresh sage leaves to flavor the chicken, but reserve 4 leaves for garnish.
How to Make Chicken Saltimbocca
Marinate the chicken. Toss thin chicken cutlets with garlic, chopped sage, olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper until coated, then set aside to let the chicken absorb the flavors.
Fry whole sage leaves. Cook whole sage leaves in oil to infuse the oil with its woodsy flavor and crisp the leaves for garnish. Make sure the leaves are dry before frying so there isn’t a lot of splatter.
Sear one side of chicken. Once the chicken cutlets are golden-brown on the bottom and ready to flip, the chicken should release easily from the pan.
Top chicken with prosciutto, fontina cheese, and sage. Chicken cutlets are thin, so there’s no need to continue cooking on the stovetop once flipped. They’ll finish cooking in the oven once they are topped with prosciutto, fontina cheese, and the fried sage leaves.
Broil until cooked through. Chicken saltimbocca is ready when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the chicken registers at least 165°F. The cheese should be melted and browned in spots as well.
Helpful Swaps
Chicken: You can make your own cutlets by cutting 2 boneless, skinless breasts in half horizontally for evenly thin pieces (also known as butterflying). If you prefer chicken thighs, start with 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless thighs and pound to an even thickness.
Cheese: Provolone cheese slices can be substituted for the fontina cheese and can often be found pre-sliced in the cheese aisle.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
The chicken can be marinated in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours in advance.
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
What to Serve with Chicken Saltimbocca
Chicken Saltimbocca Recipe
Juicy chicken cutlets topped with prosciutto, cheese, and sage are ready in just 20 minutes.
Prep time 8 minutes
Cook time 8 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped plus 4 whole fresh sage leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 chicken breast cutlets (about 1 1/4 pounds total)
4 slices prosciutto
4 slices fontina or provolone cheese (about 3 ounces total)
Instructions
Arrange a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat the broiler to HIGH.
Stir 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper together in a large bowl. Add 4 chicken breast cutlets and toss to coat.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, broiler-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 4 fresh sage leaves (make sure they are dry) and fry until slightly darkened in color, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a paper towel.
Add the chicken to the pan in a single layer. Cook until browned on the bottom and they easily release from the pan, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
Flip the chicken over. Top each cutlet with 1 slice prosciutto, 1 slice fontina cheese (if large, fold in half before placing on the chicken), and 1 fried sage leaf. Transfer the pan to the oven and broil until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the chicken registers at least 165°F and the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Further Reading
Why People Are Ditching Their Seltzer After a Disturbing Study
Tuscan Chicken Is the "Most Delicious" Dinner of All Time, Says Everyone Who's Tried It
