If you’re craving something authentically Italian that’s not boring ole’ chicken parm, this one-skillet chicken saltimbocca recipe is going to rock your world. It is SO good, stuffed with mozzarella cheese, prosciutto, and sage, then coated in egg and almond flour and baked to perfection. This is an easy Italian recipe that will have you channeling gondola vibes.
What is Chicken Saltimbocca?
In Italian, “saltimbocca” means “jumps in the mouth” and that’s exactly what this chicken dish will do. It's typically a dish found at classic Italian restaurants, but I thought, why not bring retro Italian home? And why not make it a bit more wholesome for everyday dinners?! So if you're a fan of recipes with sage, cherry tomatoes, prosciutto, and cheese, this modern weeknight take on Chicken Saltimbocca is for you.
When the moon hits your eye like a big pregnant prize…
When I was pregnant with Marina (my first), Ryan and I took a babymoon trip to Italy that was a little tight on our budget but was worth every single penny. We visited Florence, Venice, Cinque Terre, and Rome It was just magical. Ryan and I are both huge foodies and this trip didn’t disappoint.
Italy is one of those places where no matter where you go, you’re going to get a good meal, even if it’s just a simple slice of pizza. I can honestly say I only had one bad meal the entire trip, and we did not dine at fancy restaurants! We had no money so we really needed to be thrifty. This chicken saltimbocca skillet reminds me so much of that trip. It’s authentically Italian, not Olive Garden Italian. And made with such simple, heartwarming ingredients, it’s truly a trip on a plate.
Here’s what your need:
For this chicken saltimbocca recipe, the sage is where a lot of the flavor comes from, so don't skip it! Whenever I'm at the store I'll grab some to store in my freezer for last-minute restaurant-worthy recipes like this.
For the chicken:
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese sliced about ¼ inch thick
- 1/2 cup fresh sage, plus more for serving
- 3 ounces prosciutto
Breading:
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 2/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper
In the skillet:
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3/4 cup wine (or vodka, or water)
- 2 1/2 cups fresh cherry tomatoes
- 1-2 cups arugula
How to Make
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the 2 eggs in a shallow bowl. Add the almond flour and parmesan to a separate shallow bowl. Season the crumbs with salt, pepper, and oregano.
- Slice mozzarella into about 1/4 inch thick slices
- Butterfly 3 chicken breasts (cut them horizontally, leaving about an inch). Spread the two sides open like a book. One one side of each chicken breast, fill with a handful of mozzarella cheese, 3-4 sage leaves, and 1-2 slices of prosciutto, then fold the chicken breast closed.
- Dip each stuffed breast in the egg mixture, then coat both sides in the almond flour and parmesan mixture.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet on medium heat, then add the chicken breasts and cook about 3-4 minutes on each side. They should be golden brown. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- Then add garlic and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the garlic is fragrant, reduce heat to low, then add tomato paste, wine, cherry tomatoes, salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook 5-8 minutes then remove from heat.
- Nestle the chicken between the cherry tomatoes, then top with the remaining mozzarella cheese, prosciutto, and arugula. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. It’s done when the chicken reaches a temperature of 165.
- Garnish with more sage leaves and enjoy!
Options & Substitutions
- You can replace sage with basil, but it won’t taste as much like saltimbocca. The sage is what gives it that unique Italian flavor.
- The almond flour makes this dish gluten free, but you can substitute for regular breadcrumbs or panko.
- My toddlers don’t like spice, so for less spicy omit the red pepper flakes.
- To make this Italian recipe even easier, you can use chicken tenders and layer all of the ingredients instead of butterflying chicken breasts.
One-Skillet Chicken Saltimbocca
This chicken dish is stuffed with mozzarella cheese, prosciutto, and sage, then coated in egg and almond flour and baked to perfection. It's a juicy, cheesy one-skillet wonder will have you channeling gondola vibes.
- Cast iron skillet
- Meat thermometer
For the chicken
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese sliced about ¼ inch thick
- 1/2 cup fresh sage, plus more for serving (I always keep sage stored in the freezer – it's as good as fresh!)
- 3 oz proscuitto
Breading
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups almond flour
- ⅔ cup grated parmesean cheese
- salt + pepper
In the skillet
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- ¾ cup wine (or vodka, or water)
- 2 ½ cups fresh cherry tomatoes
- 1-2 cups arugula
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the 2 eggs in a shallow bowl. Add the almond flour and parmesan to a separate shallow bowl. Season the crumbs with salt, pepper, and oregano.
Butterfly 3 chicken breasts (cut them horizontally, leaving about an inch). Spread the two sides open like a book. One one side of each chicken breast, fill with a handful of mozzarella cheese, 3-4 sage leaves, and 1-2 slices of prosciutto, then fold the chicken breast closed.
Dip each stuffed breast in the egg mixture, then coat both sides in the almond flour and parmesan mixture.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet on medium heat, then add the chicken breasts and cook about 3-4 minutes on each side. They should be golden brown. Transfer chicken to a plate.
Then add garlic and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the garlic is fragrant, reduce heat to low, then add tomato paste, wine, cherry tomatoes, salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook 5-8 minutes then remove from heat.
Nestle the chicken between the cherry tomatoes, then top with the remaining mozzarella cheese, prosciutto, and arugula. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. It’s done when the chicken reaches a temperature of 165.
Garnish with more sage leaves and enjoy!
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