Crispy prosciutto. Fresh sage. Butter and white wine pooling at the bottom of the pan. The first time I made Chicken Saltimbocca, I couldn’t believe something this good came together in my regular Tuesday night kitchen. I’d had it once at a small restaurant in Boston and thought it was fancy chef territory, but it turns out you just need a hot pan and about 45 minutes. Now it’s what I make when I want dinner recipes that feel special without actually being complicated.
If you’re into easy Italian cooking, this Italian Pot Roast Recipe – Fall-Apart Tender Stracotto and Easy Chicken Caprese Recipe (5 Ingredients, 20 Minutes) are both worth trying too.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Saltimbocca Recipe
This Italian chicken saltimbocca looks fancy but comes together in under an hour. The ingredient list is short and straightforward, mostly pantry staples plus fresh sage and good prosciutto. You get restaurant-style chicken at home without any complicated techniques or hard-to-find ingredients. The white wine butter sauce is rich and velvety, perfect for spooning over mashed potatoes or crusty bread. Plus, the whole dish cooks in one pan, which means less cleanup after dinner.
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Chicken Saltimbocca Ingredients
Here’s everything you need to make this pan-seared Chicken Saltimbocca with prosciutto and sage.
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantitie
Chicken cutlets: Pounded to ¼ inch thickness, these cook quickly and stay tender. Thin cutlets ensure even cooking and let the prosciutto crisp perfectly.
Sage leaves: Fresh sage brings an earthy, aromatic flavor that defines classic saltimbocca. Don’t skip this, dried sage won’t give you the same results.
Prosciutto: Thinly sliced Italian cured ham adds salty, savory richness and crisps beautifully when seared. Trim pieces to fit your chicken if needed.
Chicken stock: Low-sodium stock forms the base of the sauce and adds depth without making it too salty.
White wine: Dry white wine deglazes the pan and brings bright acidity to balance the richness. Use something you’d drink, like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
Flour: Used only for dredging, flour helps create a light golden crust and thickens the sauce slightly.
Salt and pepper: Season the chicken well before cooking. Prosciutto is salty, so taste your sauce before adding more salt.
Olive oil: Helps cook the chicken and adds a subtle fruity flavor to the pan.
Butter: Divided between cooking and finishing the sauce, butter makes everything rich and silky. Save some for the end to create that glossy, velvety texture.
Parsley: Fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley adds a pop of color and a hint of freshness right before serving.
How To Make Chicken Saltimbocca
This classic Italian Chicken Saltimbocca comes together in just a few simple steps.
Season the chicken: Season both sides of each chicken piece with salt and pepper so every bite is flavorful.
Add prosciutto: Lay one piece of prosciutto on top of each chicken cutlet, trimming to fit if needed. Press gently so it sticks.
Secure sage leaves: Place 1 to 2 fresh sage leaves on top of the prosciutto, depending on their size, and secure everything with toothpicks to keep them in place while cooking.
Dredge in flour: Lightly coat each chicken piece in flour, shaking off any excess. Transfer to parchment paper and set aside until ready to cook.
Heat the pan: Warm a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter, letting them melt together.
Sear prosciutto side: Once the butter is melted and sizzling, add chicken pieces prosciutto-side down. Sear until golden and crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Flip and finish: Turn the chicken over and cook the other side for 1 to 2 minutes more, or until cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack to rest.
Cook in batches: Repeat with remaining chicken, adding more olive oil and butter to the pan as needed. Don’t crowd the pan or the chicken won’t brown properly.
Deglaze with wine: After all chicken is cooked, pour white wine into the hot pan. Increase heat to high and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. This is where the flavor lives.
Add stock and reduce: After 1 minute, add chicken stock and let the sauce cook down until it reduces by half, about 3 minutes. You’ll see it thicken slightly and turn glossy.
Finish the sauce: Lower heat to medium-low and add the remaining butter. Whisk until the sauce becomes smooth and velvety.
Taste and adjust: Sample the sauce and add more salt and pepper if needed. Remember, the prosciutto is already salty.
Warm the chicken: Return all the chicken to the pan and gently warm through for about 2 minutes, spooning sauce over the top.
Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with fresh minced parsley and serve immediately while everything is hot and the sauce is silky.
Substitutions and Variations
You can adapt this prosciutto wrapped Chicken Saltimbocca to fit what you have on hand.
Chicken: If you can’t find thin cutlets, buy regular chicken breasts and pound them thin yourself between two sheets of plastic wrap. You could also use turkey cutlets.
Prosciutto: In a pinch, you can use thin-sliced ham, though the flavor won’t be quite as rich or salty. Serrano ham is a closer substitute.
Sage: If fresh sage isn’t available, try fresh thyme or rosemary instead. Dried herbs won’t work well here since they burn easily and don’t provide the same aroma.
Wine: Swap white wine for additional chicken stock if you prefer, though you’ll lose some of the bright acidity. You can also use dry vermouth.
Butter: Use ghee or a dairy-free butter substitute if needed, though the sauce won’t be quite as rich.
Make it lemon chicken saltimbocca: Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the finished sauce for extra brightness and tang.
Equipment For Chicken Saltimbocca
You don’t need fancy tools for this Italian-style Chicken Saltimbocca dinner.
A large skillet or sauté pan is essential for searing the chicken and building the sauce. Make sure it’s big enough to fit several pieces without crowding. You’ll use a wooden spoon to scrape up the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Parchment paper gives you a clean surface to rest the floured chicken before cooking. A wire rack lets air circulate around the cooked chicken so the prosciutto stays crispy while you finish the rest. Tongs make flipping easier without tearing the delicate cutlets. Finally, toothpicks secure the sage leaves to the prosciutto, keeping everything in place while the chicken sears.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Store leftover chicken saltimbocca in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The chicken will stay tender, though the prosciutto may soften a bit. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of chicken stock or water to keep the sauce smooth. You can also microwave individual portions for 1 to 2 minutes, but the texture won’t be quite as good. The sauce may separate slightly when reheated, so whisk it gently to bring it back together.
This dish doesn’t freeze particularly well because the sauce can break and the prosciutto loses its texture. It’s best enjoyed fresh or within a few days of cooking.
Expert Tips
Pounding your chicken cutlets to an even ¼ inch thickness is the most important step. If they’re thicker in some spots, those areas will still be raw when the thinner parts are overcooked. Use a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan, and work gently.
Don’t skip the toothpicks. They seem fussy, but they keep the sage and prosciutto in place while the chicken sears. Without them, everything slides around and you lose that gorgeous presentation.
Sear the chicken prosciutto-side down first. This crisps the pork and helps it adhere to the chicken. If you cook it the other way, the prosciutto can get soggy.
Let your butter come to room temperature if you’re in a hurry, but cold butter works fine too. Just cut it into small pieces so it melts evenly into the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
This buttery white wine Chicken Saltimbocca beautifully with simple, comforting sides.
Serve it over creamy mashed potatoes or buttery polenta to soak up every drop of that rich sauce. Garlic sautéed spinach (as mentioned in the notes) adds a pop of color and a slightly bitter contrast to the salty prosciutto. Crusty Italian bread is perfect for mopping up the extra sauce on your plate. For a lighter option, try it alongside an Easy Broccoli Salad Recipe (Ready in 45 Minutes!) or roasted asparagus with lemon zest.
FAQ
What is chicken saltimbocca?
Chicken saltimbocca is an Italian dish made with thin chicken cutlets topped with prosciutto and fresh sage, then pan-seared and finished in a white wine butter sauce. It’s a lighter version of the traditional veal saltimbocca.
What is Chicken Saltimbocca made of?
Chicken Saltimbocca is made of thin cutlets (usually veal or chicken), prosciutto, fresh sage, and a buttery white wine sauce. The key ingredients are the salty prosciutto and the earthy sage, which give the dish its signature flavor. My version uses chicken stock and butter to create a rich, velvety sauce.
What does Chicken Saltimbocca literally mean?
Chicken Saltimbocca literally means “jump in the mouth” in Italian. The name comes from how delicious and irresistible the dish is. Once you taste it, you’ll understand why.
What sauce goes with chicken saltimbocca?
Traditional Chicken Saltimbocca sauce is made with white wine, chicken stock, and butter, which creates a rich, velvety pan sauce. Some versions include lemon for brightness, or capers for a briny kick. The classic sauce in this recipe is simple but elegant, letting the prosciutto and sage shine.
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Chicken Saltimbocca
Chicken Saltimbocca
Golden Chicken Saltimbocca layered with prosciutto and sage, finished in a silky white wine butter sauce.
Ingredients
Method
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Season the chicken cutlets lightly on both sides with salt and pepper, then lay prosciutto over each piece, pressing gently so it adheres; top with one or two sage leaves and secure everything with toothpicks.
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Lightly coat each prepared cutlet in flour, shaking off any excess, and place them on parchment paper until ready to cook.
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Warm a large skillet over medium heat and melt one tablespoon of olive oil with one tablespoon of butter; place the chicken prosciutto-side down and sear until golden, then flip and cook until done, transferring to a rack and repeating in batches as needed.
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With the pan still hot, pour in the white wine and scrape up the browned bits, letting it simmer briefly before adding the chicken stock and cooking until reduced by half.
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Lower the heat and swirl in the remaining butter, whisking until smooth, then season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
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Return the chicken to the skillet and gently turn to coat, allowing it to warm through in the sauce for a couple of minutes.
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Remove toothpicks, scatter parsley over the top, and serve immediately while hot.
Nutrition
Notes
This dish feels like something you’d order at a cozy Italian trattoria, yet it comes together easily at home. The sage-infused butter sauce brings warmth and nostalgia to every bite.
