Lemony Chicken Saltimbocca

Sometimes, I overthink dinner. Of course, that may be obvious from just looking at my blog! Usually I like things to be high flavor, or high concept, or just exotic enough to be different. And that can be great, most of the time. There are other times, though, when you just need an easy, back-pocket chicken dinner that can be thrown together quickly and still tastes "wow." This is that type of chicken dinner.



I found this Lemony Chicken Saltimbocca staring at me from the cover of the most recent issue of Cooking Light. It looked so elegant, so beautiful and delicious, that I knew I was going to be trying it out. I've only ever had chicken saltimbocca in restaurants, and I guess I never knew that it was such a deceptive recipe to make. By that, I mean it tastes like something that took a whole lot of work, when in reality it couldn't have been simpler to assemble. All you have to do is secure a few sage leaves on each piece of chicken with a couple strips of salty prosciutto, saute the chicken until cooked through, and then make a quick pan sauce of lemon juice and chicken broth, thickened with a sprinkle of cornstarch. The dish is floral, tart, salty, and just all-around flavorful. All that, and it came from a healthy cooking magazine!

Lemony Chicken Saltimbocca

adapted from Cooking Light

makes 4 chicken cutlets

Ingredients

4 (4-ounce) chicken cutlets (or I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

1/8 tsp. salt

12 fresh sage leaves

2 ounces very thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 8 thin strips

4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/3 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp. cornstarch

Lemon wedges (optional)

Directions

1. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt. Place 3 sage leaves on each cutlet; wrap 2 prosciutto slices around each cutlet, securing sage leaves in place.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp. oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Add chicken to pan; cook for 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

3. Combine broth, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture and the remaining 1 tsp. olive oil to pan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook for 1 minute or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly with a whisk. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.