Chicken saltimbocca deconstructed & delicious
Saltimbocca is an Italian dish that literally means “jumps in the mouth.” My Zia Maria made a simple saltimbocca by layering prosciutto and basil over veal cutlets, holding all together with a toothpick and sautéing both sides in butter and olive oil. A splash of white wine to deglaze the pan and dinner was on the table. At culinary school, I used sage instead of basil and dredged the cutlets in flour before sautéing. The following recipe is a different version of saltimbocca, using chicken and deconstructing the dish by adding the prosciutto and sage to the sauce.
A word about deglazing: alcohol can ignite near a flame. Always use caution; don’t pour the alcohol straight from the bottle. Transfer the amount you need to a measuring cup and pour carefully without splashing. If desired, remove skillet entirely from burner before pouring.
chicken saltimbocca
4 chicken breast fillets
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 package mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry Marsala
1/2 cup chicken stock
4 slices prosciutto, chopped
2 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp fresh chopped sage
Pound each chicken breast with a meat mallet until 1/4-inch thick. Season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, in hot oil, sauté 2 fillets at a time over medium-high heat until golden on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and keep warm in oven.
Add mushrooms to skillet, adding more oil if needed. Sauté mushrooms until softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute.
Deglaze the pan with Marsala, scraping up any browned bits. Add stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat; simmer, uncovered, until liquid is reduced, about 5 minutes.
Remove skillet from heat and stir in prosciutto and butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange chicken on a platter. Pour sauce over chicken. Garnish with chopped sage. Serve with buttered tagliatelle.
Match: Uncork a Pinot Grigio. Buon appetito!