Chicken Saltimbocca with White Wine Sauce

Very reluctantly, I’m back from my week of culinary indulgence. I gorged myself while sipping on every delectable wine I could in Napa and Paso Robles, so it’s back to the kitchen (& the gym) I go.

I adore veal saltimbocca, but have greatly cut back my intake of red meat, even the lighter pink/milky white young beef that is veal.  With this recipe, I’ve kept the flavors, cut some of the fat by using a lean chicken breast, and even snuck in some vegetables.

Some saltimbocca ([saltimˈbokka]; Italian for jumps in the mouth) recipes are fried in olive oil and rely only on pan drippings for their sauce, which I find to be too dry, while others are covered in a heavy creamy – lemony sauce.  I like to use a combination of the preparation methods and a make a lighter wine based sauce with just a kiss of  lemon and cream to make the whole dish a little less guilt-inducing. #GirlsGoneWine

Chicken Saltimbocca with White Wine Sauce

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (4 oz each)
• 4-8 thin slices of Prosciutto ham
• 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach
• 16 whole leaves fresh sage
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 3 TBLS olive oil
• 1 TBLS all-purpose flour
• 5 ounces artichoke hearts, quartered (drained)
• 1/2 ounce capers
• 1/2 cup dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc
• 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 TBLS butter
• 2 TBLS fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon butter
• freshly ground salt and pepper

1. Pound the chicken breasts to flatten so they are all roughly the same thickness (3/8 to 1/2 inch).  Lightly salt and pepper.
2. Squeeze the thawed, frozen spinach to remove the excess water.  In a small bowl, toss the spinach with salt & pepper and 1 tablespoon of oil to coat.
3. Sprinkle flour on one side of first chicken breast and place flat on your work surface.
4. On one half of the unfloured side of the chicken, spread 1/4 of the spinach in an even, thin layer. Sprinkle 1/4 of the Parmesan cheese over the spinach and fold the empty side of the chicken over the filled side. 
5. Wrap the sliced Prosciutto around the floured side of the chicken, placing leaves of sage between the chicken and the ham as shown.
6. Follow same steps with remaining chicken breasts until all 4 are ready to cook.
7. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
8. Add the butter. When it melts add the wine and lemon juice and scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
9. Add the cream, chicken broth, artichoke hearts and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Simmer uncovered, turning chicken once, until the chicken is just cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes.
10. Prepare your Angel Hair pasta while the chicken is simmering.
11. Remove the chicken & artichoke heart pieces from the pan and cover to keep warm.
12. Simmer the cooking liquid over high heat until it is reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 5 minutes. Season the cooking liquid with salt and pepper, to taste.
13. Serve the chicken breasts on a bed of Angel Hair pasta topped with the reduced sauce and garnish with capers if desired.

Enjoy with a chilled glass of the wine you used to make the sauce. #ThisGirlLovesToEat