Have you ever heard of Chicken Saltimbocca? During my restaurant days, it was one of my favorite dishes to prepare. It contained different components that came together in a symphony of flavors that truly did “jump in your Mouth”, at least according to the literal translation!
When I first started working in an Italian kitchen, Saltimbocca was made with veal, but these days chicken has replaced veal in just about every dish it used to be made with.
What do I need to make chicken saltimbocca?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make a Chicken Saltimbocca. In Chef Speak this is called the Mise en Place which translates into Everything in its Place.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Do I Need to add mushrooms to Chicken Saltimbocca?
No, you don’t. This is your dinner and you should always make it with ingredients you enjoy eating.
Some of the ingredients we use in restaurants have very specific purposes, while others are fillers used to bulk up a dish without bulking up the cost. Mushrooms have always been a favorite of mine for this purpose, and pasta, rice or grains take up a lot of room on the plate and can a meal much more enticing.
What type of Marsala should I use?
The first thing to remember when looking for Marsala wine to cook with is if you have a choice between dry or sweet, always choose sweet. The wine is not actually sweet but adds a more complex flavor profile.
This is going to go against everything you read from other chefs and publications. But this is the reason my Marsala Sauce is so much better than the rest.
My favorite Marsala will always be Pellegrino, my other recommendations are:
- Pellegrino
- Cribari
- Florio
- Taylor
If you can only get dry, don’t worry. The sauce will still be delicious.
The first step is to lightly coat the chicken breasts in flour seasoned with sea salt and black pepper. Add olive oil to a hot pan and saute the breasts on one side for 2-3 minutes then turn to the other side.
When you turn the chicken breasts over, add the slice mushrooms to the pan. If you need additional olive oil add it now.
**mushrooms will soak up the oil as they cook.
When the mushrooms are fully cooked and both sides of the chicken have been seared, move the pan off the heat and add the Marsala. This is a good time to add the seasonings to the pan.
This will deglaze the pan, unsticking all the delicious little bits that have stuck during the cooking process.
The next step is adding the chicken stock and cream to the pan. Simmer over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. The sauce will begin to thicken.
While the sauce is reducing, saute (or steam) the spinach in another pan.
The next step is to add the beurre manie (softened butter rolled in flour). This will help thicken the sauce.
Once the sauce has thickened, turn the heat down to low and top each chicken breast with two very thin slices of prosciutto and shredded (or sliced) Fontina cheese.
Cover the pan to allow the cheese to melt.
Do I have to use prosciutto in the Chicken Saltimbocca?
No you don’t. It does enhance the flavor of the dish, but If you don’t like prosciutto leave it out.
Can I use another cheese in this dish?
Yes you can. Traditionally Fontina is used, but another soft mild flavored cheese could be used. Here are some suggestions.
- Gruyère
- Emmental
- Provolone
- Gouda
Place a portion of the sauteed spinach on a plate and cover one edge with the finished chicken breast.
Add a splash of marsala to the sauce to bolster the flavor and spoon the mushrooms and sauce over the chicken breast.
**If the sauce is too thick or looks oily add a little water (or stock) to the pan.
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love!
Chicken Saltimbocca
Ingredients
- 10 ounces boneless chicken breasts 5 ounce breasts
- 4 slices prosciutto very thin
- 2 oz fontina cheese shredded
- 8 oz mushrooms sliced
- 5 oz baby spinach
- 6 oz sweet marsala
- 6 ounces chicken stock
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 ounce heavy cream or half and half
- ½ teaspoon ground sage
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 3 tablespoons Olive oil to saute spinach and chicken
Instructions
- Lightly pound the chicken breasts with the flat side of a meat hammer
- Dredge chicken breasts in flour seasoned with salt and pepper
- Add oil to a hot large saute pan (medium-high) then place the floured breasts into the pan
- Cook the chicken 2-3 minutes on one side. Turn over the chicken breasts and add the sliced mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are fully cooked.**add additional olive oil if needed.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add all but 2 ounces of marsala wine to deglaze the pan. This will deglaze the pan.*Reserve 2 ounces of marsala for final step.
- Add the chicken stock, seasonings and heavy cream to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook allowing the sauce to reduce.
- In another saute pan add in a little olive oil and the baby spinach, saute until completely cooked and set aside (make sure you drain off any extra oil)*you can use water instead of oil if preferred.
- Take the butter and coat it in flour pressing flour into the butter and add to the sauce (this is called a beurre manie) it will thicken the sauce and the butter will impart a rich flavor
- Turn the heat to low and top each chicken breast with two slices of very thinly sliced prosciutto and shredded fontina cheese
- Cover the pan and allow the cheese to melt.
- Place a portion of the spinach on a plate and place the finished chicken saltimbocca covering one corner of the spinach.
- With the pan over medium-high heat add the reserved marsala wine to the pan. If the sauce is too thick or looks oily add a little water to the pan.
- Serve with potatoes, rice, grains or over pasta and enjoy
Margie
Love how you’ve presented a restaurant-style dish for home cooks! I try to avoid boneless skinless chicken breasts, but my kids love ’em. IMHO, pounding them is the way to go to for even cooking and tender texture. I’ve never cooked with Marsala and would love to give it a try.
Laura @ Family Spice
I’m not feeding a restaurant or a school, just my family of five. We also have a lot of relatives and we are always hosting dinners and parties at our house. Actually, maybe I am a restaurant? But, I pay for it all!! I have an extra fridge in the garage specifically for stocking up on meat that’s on sale. Whole roasting chickens for 69¢/pound, B/S chicken breast for $1.88/lb, tri-tip for $1.99/lb…. and on and on. I only pay full price during an emergency cooking situation! Lovely recipe!
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen
Loving this new segment! Of course the dish is delightful!! I feel your pain on grocery prices. Sigh.
skip to malou
I love the new series chef. Thank you for generously sharing your skills and knowledge. Homecooks like me appreciates the learning I could get from your series. It will help me infuse a littlle sophistication into our daily cooking. I know my family will enjoy new dishes that I could get from here.
xo,
Malou
Peggy
I love the new segment Dennis! And what a way to start it off – I’m a big fan of saltimbocca and this sounds like a definitely winner to me =)
Clarissa
I’ve never heard of beurre manie. How can you be sure the sauce doesn’t have that raw-flour taste you get if you don’t cook a rioux long enough?
Chef D
your not putting that much flour into the dish, like with a roux. I have been using this method for 30 years without ever having it leave a raw flour taste. If anything you get more of the butter flavor, the flour just helps pull it together. The trick is just pushing flour into the outer part of the butter, kind of rolling it in the flour while getting as much in the butter as you can.
I’ve used this with all types of dishes and sauces.
Kita
Beautiful dish Chef! I am floored by prices lately – and not just on chicken. But on everything. I read a report earlier in the year about the inexcusable increase in markets over the last five years and how it is just going to continue to rise. Nothing like stimulating the economy huh? It’s just the two of us 99% of the time here, but I always buy in bigger packs and break them down into portions we can use – freezing the leftovers. It just saves in the long run.
Can’t wait to see what your bring us next!
Carolyn
Great new segment, and a fantastic meal to start with. I think I will be making this one soon.
Taflan
Great dish Chef…
It seems like Chicken is much more expensive in England. So is Beef, so is lamb, so is pork…
and probably fish is the most expensive ingredient here. Sometimes i forget that we live in island. :))))
I’ll be following your new segment with interest and good luck. One thing is sure that photography will be excellent.
Nanci
My mouth is watering I do not care for sage what could I use as a sub?
Chef D
hi Nanci
i would just leave the sage out, my wife doesn’t like it either and it comes out great!
Cheryl and Adam @ pictureperfectmeals.com
One of the first things I ate when I moved to Rome was saltimbocca. I thought I had died and woken up in heaven. It truly was one of the most amazing flavors i had ever tasted. Over the next ten years I explored the entirety of Italian culinary genius, but you never forget your first time, right? Thanks for the memories, chef! Congrats, of course, on the Top 9!
Barbara @ Barbara Bakes
This is my kind of recipe! Great idea of a series.
RavieNomNoms
This is awesome. Great first entry Chef Dennis! I am so excited to see how this new portion of your blog is going to go. You always have the best tips and are so very thorough. Thanks for being awesome as always!
Your chicken looks very tasty. I think I should try this and try it very very soon. I love the mushrooms on top. One of my favorite ingredients with chicken.
Daniela
E’ Da un po’ che non passavo a farti visita, il tuo nuovo blog è a dir poco favoloso.
Ho appena letto le tue ultime due ricette, sono favolose, ora vado leggermi cosa mi sono persa.
Ciao Daniela.
kateiscooking
One of my favorite dishes for chicken or pork! I’m looking forward to trying your take on it 🙂
Elin
Chef Dennis…this is a great dish to start off your first segment of your In My Restaurant Kitchen and I am looking forward to the coming ones…lots to learn from you 🙂 I will definitely love this Chicken Saltimbocca and will be trying out this recipe. Wild Boar will be in for a surprise soon ! :p Thanks and btw Congrats on the Top 9 today 🙂
Sandi G
Your food recipe and layout is an art!
Congrats on being Foodbuzz #1!!
Becky
Chef,
this a great new feature that will help all of us out in the culinary sides of our blogs and kitchens, I’m always looking for another new chicken recipe. Congrats on the Top 9 today!
Alyssa
I love your idea for this new series. I used to work in restaurants (front of the house) but always wanted to get a chance to work in the kitchen too. Now, I only cook for my small family of four, but I think I still take what I learned in my restaurant experience when I’m cooking for my family. I am always looking for something new to do with chicken. Thanks for the idea and a great post!!!
Brian @ A Thought For Food
In someone’s restaurant, I understand sometimes needing to be more economical. But the only cooking of animals that i respect is one that is done with organic, free-range (hopefully local) chickens. They may cost an astronomical amount, but it’s worth it.
This dish does look amazing and I can’t wait to pass it along to friends. But I will also suggest that they get animals that have been treated properly… no matter what the cost is.
Chef D
I do understand your point Brian, and while I wish it was always possible to buy free range meats, I can’t always accomplish this. I wish there were more sources and more of a market for the products which would help bring the prices down. Free range and organic should be the first choice of any shopper, choices shouldn’t have to be made because of pricing.
Thank you for making a very valid point, I always appreciate your comments.