Garden Inspired: Chicken Saltimbocca

This week in my menu planning I decided to use the fragrant sage and basil we have in our second container garden. Sage served as my inspiration for this recipe. I followed Cook's Illustrated's recipe with a few substitutions: I used thin sliced country ham instead of prosciutto; dried parsley instead of fresh; 3 teaspoons/1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice instead of 2 teaspoons.

Honestly, I was surprised how flavorful, quick and delicious this dish turned out. My husband raved about the flavor! And he had seconds.

Serving ideas: Serve with french bread, roasted garlic, roasted asparagus or green beans, mashed or baked potatoes or even yummy risotto.

Chicken Saltimbocca

Serves 4. Published March 1, 2008. From Cook's Illustrated.

Buy cutlets that are approximately 5 to 6 inches long. If the tip is too thin, trim back 1 to 2 inches to make the cutlet of uniform thickness. If cutlets are unavailable, you can make your own with four (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (see “Cutting Your Own Cutlets,” related content). Although whole sage leaves make a beautiful presentation, they are optional and can be left out of step 3. Make sure to buy prosciutto that is thinly sliced, not shaved; also avoid slices that are too thick, as they won’t stick to the chicken.

1/2	cup unbleached all-purpose flour
	Ground black pepper
8	thin-cut, boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (about 2 pounds), trimmed of ragged edges as necessary (see note)
1	tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves , plus 8 large leaves (optional)
8	thin slices prosciutto , cut into 5- to 6-inch-long pieces to match chicken (about 3 ounces)
4	tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4	cups dry vermouth or white wine
2	teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
4	tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 4 pieces and chilled
1	tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Combine flour and 1 teaspoon pepper in shallow dish.

2. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off any excess. Lay cutlets flat and sprinkle evenly with minced sage. Place 1 prosciutto slice on top of each cutlet, pressing lightly to adhere; set aside.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to shimmer. Add sage leaves (if using) and cook until leaves begin to change color and are fragrant, about 15 to 20 seconds. Using slotted spoon, remove sage to paper towel-lined plate; reserve. Add half of cutlets to pan, prosciutto-side down, and cook until light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook on other side until light golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to wire rack set on rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and cutlets, then transfer to oven to keep warm while preparing sauce.

4. Pour off excess fat from skillet. Stir in vermouth, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer until reduced to about 1/3 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. (Note: leave heat on medium or medium high in order to simmer off the extra liquid. I found it took longer when I put the heat on low.) Stir in lemon juice. Turn heat to low and whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Off heat, stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper. Remove chicken from oven and place on platter. Spoon sauce over cutlets before serving.

Step-by-Step

Saltimbocca Made Simple

1. FLOUR CHICKEN ONLY
No need to flour the prosciutto before sautéing, just the chicken.

2. SPREAD SAGE FLAVOR
Sprinkling the cutlets with sage and topping with prosciutto distributes flavor evenly.

3. FORGET THE TOOTHPICK
Searing the cutlets prosciutto-side down first helps the ham stick.

4. MAKE SAUCE
Stir the vermouth into the pan, reduce, and finish with butter. Spoon over cutlets.