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Chicken Saltimbocca is one of those dinners that feels fancy but secretly comes together in about 30 minutes. Tender chicken cutlets are wrapped in sage and prosciutto, lightly dredged, then pan-seared until golden with crisp edges. The finishing touch is a silky white wine butter sauce with just enough lemon to wake everything up.
This version is all about balance and technique — lighter seasoning to account for salty prosciutto, a whisper-thin flour coating for clean browning, and a cold-butter finish that gives you a glossy, restaurant-quality sauce without cream. It’s classic Italian comfort that works just as well for a cozy weeknight as it does for a dinner party.
If you love restaurant-quality chicken dinners like my Chicken Francaise, you’ll also want to try Chicken Vesuvio and cozy Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore next. For even more easy, comforting favorites, browse my Chicken Dinner Recipes collection.
It’s elegant enough for company, easy enough for a weeknight, and the kind of dinner that makes everyone think you worked a lot harder than you did.
✨ Before You Begin
✨ Pound the chicken before adding the sage and prosciutto — you’ll get neater cutlets and better browning.
✨ Prosciutto adds plenty of salt, so the chicken itself is seasoned lightly for balance.
✨ Keep the flour coating very thin; excess flour can make the sauce heavy instead of silky.
✨ For the crispiest prosciutto, don’t let the chicken sit in the sauce too long at the end.
Chicken Saltimbocca Ingredients + Key Notes
This is just a quick glance at what you’ll need. For exact measurements and the full ingredient list, head down to the recipe card below.
Chicken breasts – Boneless, skinless breasts sliced into cutlets cook quickly and evenly once pounded.
Prosciutto – Thinly sliced prosciutto adds salt, richness, and a crisp exterior when seared.
Fresh sage – Sage is essential here; its earthy flavor cuts through the butter and salt beautifully.
Flour – A light dredge helps the chicken brown and gives the sauce subtle body.
White wine – Dry wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc adds acidity and depth.
Butter (cold) – Cold butter is key for mounting the sauce and creating a glossy finish.
Garlic + lemon juice – Added gently to keep the sauce bright and aromatic, never harsh.
🥣 How to Make Chicken Saltimbocca
Prep + Assemble. Pound the chicken cutlets between plastic wrap until evenly thin. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then top each piece with sage leaves and prosciutto, pressing firmly to adhere.
Dredge + Sear. Lightly dredge the chicken in flour, tapping off all excess. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, then sear the chicken prosciutto-side down until crisp and golden. Flip, reduce heat to medium, and cook just until the chicken reaches 160°F. Transfer to a plate to rest.
Build the Sauce. Lower the heat slightly and melt a small amount of butter. Add garlic and cook briefly until fragrant, then immediately deglaze with white wine and lemon juice, scraping up all the browned bits.
Finish + Serve. Reduce the sauce, then turn the heat to low and swirl in cold butter until glossy. Return the chicken briefly to warm through, then plate and spoon the sauce over the top.
⭐ Pro Tips
⭐ Go Easy on the Flour
You want just enough flour to help with browning and sauce texture — too much can dull the flavors and make the sauce cloudy.
⭐ Pull at 160°F
Removing the chicken slightly early keeps it juicy. Carryover heat finishes cooking it gently without drying it out.
⭐ Keep Prosciutto Crisp
If crisp prosciutto is your goal, return the chicken to the sauce only briefly, or spoon the sauce around the chicken instead of over it.
🔬 Cooking Science: Why This Works
The light flour coating promotes the Maillard reaction, giving you golden color without heaviness. Deglazing with wine dissolves the flavorful browned bits left behind in the pan, while mounting the sauce with cold butter creates an emulsion — trapping fat and liquid together for a smooth, glossy finish instead of a greasy one.
What to Serve With Chicken Saltimbocca
Fresh + Crisp Sides
I love this with my loaded Arugula Salad, Mediterranean Salad, or 1905 Salad adds crunch and contrast to the rich sauce.
Comforting Sides
Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Buttered Noodles, or Melting Potatoes are perfect for soaking up every drop of that buttery wine sauce.
Cozy Breads
Garlic Bread, Olive Garden Breadsticks, or Practically No Knead Bread make this meal feel extra special with minimal effort.
Sweet Finishes
Finish with something light like Ricotta Cookies, Italian Christmas Cookies, Tiramisu, or classic Sugar Cream Pie.
Storing + Reheating + Freezing + Make-Ahead Tips
Storing
- Store leftover chicken saltimbocca in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you can, store the chicken and sauce separately—it keeps the prosciutto from going soft and helps everything reheat more evenly.
Reheating
- For the best texture, warm the chicken gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a small splash of broth or water, just until heated through. Spoon warm sauce over the top right before serving.
- For larger portions, cover the dish with foil and reheat in a 350°F oven for 15–20 minutes. If the dish has been stored in a glass or ceramic baking dish, let it come to room temperature before placing it in a preheated oven to prevent shattering. Alternatively, transfer leftovers to an oven-safe pan before reheating.
Freezing
- You can freeze saltimbocca, but the texture is best fresh. If you do freeze it, freeze the cooked chicken and sauce separately in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating gently. (Prosciutto will lose its crispness after freezing, so plan on it being softer.)
Make-Ahead
- To get ahead, you can prep the chicken cutlets (pound/trim) and press on the sage + prosciutto up to 24 hours in advance—store covered in the fridge. You can also dredge in flour and set the cutlets on a tray, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours so dinner comes together fast when it’s go-time.
Food Safety
- If you’d like more info on food safety, check out this link.
✦ Frequently Asked Questions
✦ Can I make this ahead of time?
Saltimbocca is best served fresh, but you can prep the chicken with sage and prosciutto a few hours ahead and refrigerate until ready to cook.
✦ What wine works best?
Use a dry white wine you’d happily drink — Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or unoaked Chardonnay all work well.
✦ Can I use chicken thighs instead?
You can, but they won’t cook as quickly or evenly as cutlets. Pound them well and adjust cooking time as needed.
✦ Is prosciutto the same as bacon here?
Not quite. Prosciutto is thinner and saltier, and it crisps without rendering a lot of fat, which keeps the sauce balanced.
Still have questions? Drop them in the comments — I love helping you bake + cook with confidence! 💗
More Easy Chicken Dinners to Make Next
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Chicken Florentine: Creamy, garlicky, and loaded with spinach — it’s that classic “white sauce Italian chicken” feel that readers order out all the time.
-
Chicken Milanese: If you want another crispy cutlet-style option, this one’s golden, crunchy, and so satisfying (and it pairs perfectly with a simple salad).
-
Marry Me Chicken Orzo: Saucy, cozy, and wildly craveable — it’s a one-pan-ish dinner that feels fancy enough for date night but totally doable at home.
-
Chicken Lombardy: Creamy, savory, and indulgent, this one delivers that “special dinner” feeling without another wine pan sauce.
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Chicken Scarpariello: Bold, garlicky, and packed with personality, this Italian chicken dish is perfect for readers who want big flavor next.
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Chicken Riggies: A hearty Italian-American favorite with tender chicken, peppers, and sauce — comforting, nostalgic, and very restaurant-adjacent.
Tried This Recipe?
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Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy cooking, friends! 💗 Kathleen
Chicken Saltimbocca
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut in half lengthwise to make 4 cutlets)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt safe level with prosciutto + salted butter
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 sage leaves
- 8 thin slices prosciutto
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup salted butter, cold and cut into 4 pieces (for mounting)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Pound + assemble. Season both sides of the chicken with ½ teaspoon each, salt and pepper. Place two sage leaves and a slice of prosciutto on each chicken breast. Cover the chicken with plastic wrap and gently pound it until it is an even thickness, about ¼–½ inch, and the prosciutto adheres to the chicken.
- Dredge (whisper-thin). Put flour on a large plate. Dredge each cutlet lightly on both sides, then tap off aggressively—you want a very thin coating, not a thick flour layer.
- Sear prosciutto-side first. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high until properly hot and shimmering. Add chicken prosciutto side down and cook until the prosciutto is crisp and deeply golden, about 2–3 minutes. Flip, then reduce heat to medium and cook 2–4 minutes more, until the chicken reaches 160°F in the thickest part. Transfer chicken to a plate to rest.** Note-The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken.
- Quick garlic + deglaze. Keep the skillet on medium. Add 1 tablespoon of the cold butter and let it melt. Add garlic and cook 30–45 seconds, just until fragrant (don’t brown it). Immediately pour in the wine and lemon juice, scraping up browned bits. Simmer until reduced by about half.
- Finish the sauce (cold butter finish). Turn heat to low. Add the remaining cold butter pieces one at a time, swirling the pan constantly until the sauce looks glossy and slightly thickened.
- Warm chicken briefly + serve crisp. Return chicken to the pan just 30–60 seconds to warm through, spooning the garlic sauce over it.Plate the chicken, then spoon sauce over the top (or around it). For ultra-crisp prosciutto, keep the chicken mostly out of the sauce and only warm it briefly.Serve over pasta or mashed potatoes.
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