Chicken Valdostana with Fontina (Printable View)
Italian chicken layered with prosciutto and Fontina in white wine tomato sauce
# What You Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
→ Cured Meats
02 - 4 slices prosciutto di Parma
→ Cheeses
03 - 4 oz Fontina cheese, sliced
→ Breading
04 - ½ cup all-purpose flour
→ Cooking Fat
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Sauces & Liquids
06 - ⅓ cup dry white wine
07 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
08 - ¼ cup chicken broth
→ Aromatics & Seasonings
09 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
10 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
11 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - Place chicken breasts between sheets of parchment paper and gently pound to an even thickness of about ½ inch. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
03 - Dredge each chicken breast in flour, shaking off any excess to ensure a light, even coating.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes per side until lightly golden. Remove and set aside.
05 - In the same skillet, add the shallot and garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Deglaze with white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
06 - Stir in the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and dried oregano. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes to meld the flavors.
07 - Nestle the seared chicken breasts into the sauce. Layer each breast with a slice of prosciutto di Parma and a portion of the sliced Fontina cheese.
08 - Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
09 - Remove from the oven, garnish with fresh basil leaves, and serve hot with extra sauce spooned over each portion.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of salty prosciutto and melting Fontina over seared chicken feels indulgent but is surprisingly simple to pull off on a weeknight.
- That white wine tomato sauce collects all the golden bits from the pan and turns into something you will want to eat with a spoon long before the chicken is done.
02 -
- Do not skip pounding the chicken evenly, because uneven thickness means dry edges and raw centers that no amount of cheese can disguise.
- Letting the sauce simmer those five minutes before adding the chicken back is what concentrates the flavors from good to memorable.
03 -
- Use an oven-safe skillet from the start so you never have to transfer the chicken and sauce to a separate baking dish, which means fewer dishes and less mess to clean up.
- Let the chicken rest for one minute after searing before you build the sauce, because carrying over residual heat means it needs less time in the oven and stays juicier.