Chicken Saltimbocca Recipe

A couple of rolled up chicken on a plate with rice and broccoli rabe - square

Chicken Saltimbocca Recipe

This chicken saltimbocca recipe is my delicious twist on a classic Italian dish. Made with chicken tenders stuffed with prosciutto, tarragon, and gouda cheese, then baked to perfection, this easy 30-minute dinner is an instant hit.

Course Chicken

Cuisine Poultry

Keyword chicken saltimbocca recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 17

Total Time 32

Servings pieces

Calories 235kcal

Author Elaine Benoit

Equipment

Ingredients

8 chicken tenders Organic boneless
salt
pepper
8 pieces prosciutto
16 cubes Gouda cheese cubed
4 ounces fresh tarragon
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 cup butter
1 cup chicken broth

Instructions

Place chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound the chicken with the flat of a meat tenderizer or mallet.
8 chicken tenders
Place 2 pounded chicken pieces on a large plate and sprinkle salt and pepper on them.
salt, pepper
Place a sheet of prosciutto on chicken.
8 pieces prosciutto
Put some fresh tarragon on the prosciutto.
4 ounces fresh tarragon
Place 2 to 3 cubes of cheese on the chicken, close to one end. Start to roll up the chicken, making sure you tuck the cheese in first. Stick toothpick 1/4 inches from seam of chicken roll up.
16 cubes Gouda cheese
Repeat until all the chicken has been rolled up into cute little tubes.
Heat a large sauté pan on medium and add a stick of butter. Melt it.
1/2 cup butter
Place chicken in butter and sauté for 2 1/2 minutes. Turn the chicken and sauté for an additional 2 1/2 minutes.
Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
Turn the heat up to medium-high heat. Add broth and both fresh and dried tarragon and boil for 5 minutes.
1 cup chicken broth, 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
While broth is boiling, remove toothpicks from the chicken. Don't worry each piece will stay rolled.
Turn the heat off under the pan to make the broth stop boiling, cooling for 1 - 2 minutes.
Place the chicken back in pan and turn the heat to a simmer. Sauté for an additional 2 1/2 minutes, turn the chicken and cook for another 2 1/2 minutes, until done.
Remove pan from the heat.
Plate with some vegetables.
Smile
Enjoy

Notes

Helpful tips

Place as many toothpicks as pieces of chicken and place them on a plate so you can grab them as you go. This also helps to keep the toothpick box clean.
Use chicken tenders as it's easier than cutting up chicken breasts.
If you can, use fresh tarragon.
If you don't have a tenderizer, then use the side of a cast iron pan. Not elegant but it will do the job.
Don't pound the chicken until it is paper-thin, you WANT it to be 1/8 inch thick. But 1/4 inch thick is also okay.
Use gouda cheese because it's flavorful and melts delightfully and don't skimp on the cheese.
Use prosciutto because it is so flavorful. But, you can also use ham if you prefer.
To roll them: grab the chicken at the fat end of the slab and roll tightly so that the cheese wraps up first, roll down the chicken and stick a toothpick 1/4 of an inch away from the seam.
I use fresh tarragon leaves because the herb goes so well with poultry. Although I didn't use it in this recipe, you can add fresh sage leaves to enhance the flavor, if you have them. But it's not necessary.

Nutrition