Chicken Saltimbocca

Sometimes, you just have to put your head out the window and feel the wind on your face. Other times, you just have to make America's Test Kitchen's Chicken Saltimbocca because you want to know if their recipes really are the best.

I won't doubt it again.

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to get a tour of the Test Kitchen. It is a beautiful, unbelievable place. Their library has over 4,000 cookbooks, and each time they test a recipe (like this Saltimbocca) they pull every single recipe they have, and test a bunch of them and combine the best elements of each until they find the perfect one. Some saltimbocca include cheese or too much breading or spinach. One that I tried to make a few years ago involved rolling the prosciutto around chicken that had been pounded flat and covered in a sage-parsley sauce... somehow, this recipe gets the best of these three ingredients without the hassle, pounding, or rolling. "Saltimbocca" is Italian for "jump in the mouth," and that's exactly what this chicken dish does. Let's make it!

 No mise-en-place for you today--sometimes, you're just trying to get dinner on the table. Mix the flour and pepper in a shallow dish or on a paper plate.  

 Dredge the cutlets in the flour mixture on both sides. 

 Sprinkle liberally with minced sage...

And top with a slice of prosciutto.  

 Place cutlets in the pan prosciutto-side down--this will help it adhere to the chicken. These are chicken thighs, which take longer to cook than chicken breasts. No matter how much your family loves you, you will see them slink off to the microwave after the first bite to finish cooking the chicken. But...I didn't know they took longer to cook! It's a poultry excuse. Moving on. 

Flip the cutlets to continue cooking. 

Top with a fried sage leaf (optional)...

This delicious little sauce. The chicken is so good by itself that it almost isn't necessary... but  when have white wine, butter and lemon juice ever been unnecessary? Enjoy!




Chicken Saltimbocca
Slightly adapted from America's Test Kitchen

• 1/2 cup flour
• Black pepper
• 8 boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets (thighs can be used, but make sure to increase cooking times), trimmed of ragged edges to be as even in thickness as possible
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh sage leaves, plus 8 (optional) full leaves to fry for presentation
• 8 thin slices prosciutto 
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup dry vermouth or white wine
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
• Salt

1. Combine flour and one teaspoon of pepper in a shallow dish or plate.
2. Pat cutlets dry. Dredge in the flour mixture on both sides. On one side, sprinkle minced sage and top with a slice of prosciutto
3. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet. If using sage leaves for presentation, fry in oil until crisp, 20 seconds or so. Remove and set aside. Add half of the cutlets to the pan, prosciutto side down. Cook about 3 minutes, until prosciutto is crisp and chicken begins to brown. Flip and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining cutlets.
4. Pour off excess fats. Pour in vermouth, stirring up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Simmer until reduced to 1/3 of a cup, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and whisk in butter. Turn off the heat and add parsley, salt and pepper. Serve cutlets with optional sage leaf garnish and a spoonful of sauce. Serves 4-6.