Chicken Valdostana with Prosciutto Fontina (Printer-Friendly)
Italian chicken topped with prosciutto and Fontina in a light tomato sauce with white wine reduction.
# What You'll Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
→ Dredging
02 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
03 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Topping
04 - 4 slices prosciutto
05 - 4 slices Fontina cheese (or mozzarella)
→ Sauce
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
08 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
09 - 1/2 cup dry white wine
10 - 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
→ Garnish
12 - Fresh basil leaves, for serving
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Position the rack in the center.
02 - Place each chicken breast between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a meat mallet, gently pound to an even 3/8-inch thickness.
03 - Season the flour with salt and pepper on a shallow plate. Lightly dredge each flattened chicken breast in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.
04 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the dredged chicken for 2 to 3 minutes per side until a golden crust forms. Remove and set aside on a plate.
05 - In the same skillet, sauté the finely chopped shallot for about 2 minutes until softened. Deglaze with white wine and let it reduce by half. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and dried oregano, then simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Lay one slice of prosciutto over each breast, followed by one slice of Fontina cheese. Spoon a little sauce over the top.
07 - Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
08 - Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh basil leaves, and serve hot with crusty bread or sautéed greens alongside.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of salty prosciutto and melted Fontina creates a flavor that tastes like it took hours of complex technique.
- Everything cooks in one skillet, which means cleanup is almost nonexistent for a dish this impressive.
- The tomato wine sauce comes together in the same pan, soaking up every bit of flavor from the chicken and making itself rich without any extra effort.
02 -
- Do not skip pounding the chicken thin, because thick breasts will dry out on the outside before the center cooks through and the cheese will burn before you are done.
- Let the wine reduce fully before adding tomatoes, since rushing this step leaves a harsh alcohol taste that never quite cooks out.
03 -
- Use an oven proof skillet from the start so you never have to transfer the dish and risk breaking that beautiful cheese blanket you just built.
- Tent the skillet loosely with foil if the cheese starts browning too fast in the oven, because burnt Fontina is bitter and will ruin the entire dish.