Chicken Saltimbocca - Chicken with Prosciutto (2024)

Sometimes all you have to do when looking for a delicious recipe that is healthy but loaded with flavor is look at dishes from other cultures and see how they got dinner on the table quickly. Italians are notorious for making easy and delicious meals and this chicken and prosciutto recipe is a great example of that.

My friend shared this recipe with me years ago which she learned while working in the restaurants. It was our go-to quick dinner that was sophisticated yet easy to make when we were in college. Basically, our first easy dinner that we learned to cook.

Did you know, saltimbocca in Italian means "jump in your mouth". I love that quirky translation!

The first time I tried this dish was at a friend's house, not in a restaurant. I was blown away by how just a few simple ingredients can come together to make such a delicious dish.

When I can find a recipe that is full of flavor and has just a few ingredients, that is my favorite recipe to cook.

Let me show you how easy it is to make and if you do make it, share a picture here or on Instagram! I love to see what you are cooking 🙂

About The Ingredients Needed

• Boneless chicken breasts. Makes this recipe so simple and quick cooking. I like to buy two chicken breasts and butterfly them thin. I then cut the butterflied chicken breasts in half to make a total of four chicken breasts.
• Fresh Prosciutto di Parma. This is the salty bite. Make sure you buy this type of prosciutto from the store. It is the most tender and authentic Italian prosciutto.
• Fresh Sage. Adds a light flavor. If you do not have it you can leave it out.
• Fresh Parmesan cheese. This is that classic Italian salty flavor that really elevates this recipe. Though it is optional, I highly recommend it.
• Olive Oil, lemon juice, and garlic. This is for the marinade the chicken goes into before cooking. It gives the chicken so much flavor.

The Steps

I have tried making this saltimbocca recipe both fully under the broiler or on the stove top then under the broiler for the last minute or two. I can tell you that cooking the chicken on the stove first is so much easier.

• Butterfly the chicken breasts.
• Make your marinade (this is the olive oil, fresh garlic, and lemon juice).
• Place the marinade in a large plastic bag along with the butterflied chicken and seal. Take the sealed bag and rub the chicken around in the marinade. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook your chicken (both sides.)
• Place cooked chicken on a sheet pan and cover with prosciutto and fresh sage leaves.
• Place under the broiler for a minute or so.
• Now add your Parmesan and place back under the broiler until melted (about 2 minutes.)

I've added some Parmesan to the last step of the recipe for a little extra flavor. You can keep this part of the recipe or omit it based on your preference. It will be amazing either way.

Tips

You can make this dish lighter by omitting the Parmesan cheese. It will taste great with or without it.

I chose to use only two chicken breasts for this recipe since I butterfly the breasts and cut those in half to make four smaller chicken breasts.

You can follow this step or you can just butterfly the chicken breasts and make each of the chicken breasts one serving by not cutting them in half. If you do this just make sure to buy four chicken breasts and double the amount of the other ingredients in the recipe (the prosciutto, sage, etc.)

Our Favorite Sides For Chicken Saltimbocca

• Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
• Sautéd Spinach with Pancetta
• Roasted Broccoli
• Caramelized Brussels Sprouts
• Garlic Roasted Green Beans
• White Wine Garlic Butter Pasta

More Chicken Recipes

• Skillet Lemon Butter Chicken
• Chicken Fajita Tacos
• Chicken With Tarragon
• Blackened Chicken
• Chinese Chicken with Green Beans
• Oven Baked BBQ Chicken