Here is a GREAT dinner idea made in 15 minutes (no joke, it is super fast and amazingly tasty!).

Mmmm… Tuscany. I know I’ve said it before – but the food, wine and countryside are amazing. After combing through our hundreds of pictures from our last trip, I decided it was time to see if I remembered the things from my cooking class. It was time for an Italian night – and we were having the yummy chicken dish that the entire family (from the tiny tartlet to the pickiest eater inhaled).

It is such an easy and relatively inexpensive meal to make. The only skill needed is the ability to slice things (chicken and garlic) thinly. Easy. As. Pie.

I bought a package of chicken breasts and after thinly slicing them, I only needed two breasts (I was able to slice 6 cutlets from them) and then I pounded them even thinner (between two pieces of plastic wrap). Grabbed a clove of garlic and sliced that baby thin too. 

One side of each cutlet was seasoned with salt and pepper; the other side was topped with a slice of garlic, a leaf of sage and a thin slice of prosciutto. I used a toothpick to secure it all to the chicken. 

While the olive oil was heating in the pan, I placed each cutlet in flour (no – I did NOT dredge it in egg first – only flour… it helps with the yummy sauce at the end) and covered both sides of the cutlet.

Once the oil was hot enough, I added the cutlets – prosciutto side up – and cooked mostly through before turning it over. When the prosciutto side of the chicken is down – only cook for a few minutes – until the prosciutto is a bit crispy looking – be careful not to burn this side! Flip it again and cook for just a minute more – until cooked through (since they are sliced thin – this is a quick process).

Now, time for the sauce. (The first time I made this dish, I was told to use vin santo – a sweet, Italian dessert wine – I haven’t made it with a different wine – so, I’m not sure how it would turn out with Marsala or a very sweet sherry – but these are possible substitutes.) Take the chicken out of the pan and place it on a platter before adding the wine. I added about a cup and it quickly reduced to about 1/3 cup – use a whisk or fork to grab those brown bits in the pan to add depth to the sauce. Then, spoon the sauce over the plated cutlets (don’t drown them – a little sauce is all it takes).

So, here’s what you’ll need:

Chicken breasts, thinly sliced (or chicken cutlets – pounded to 1/4 inch thickness)

Garlic, about one clove – thinly sliced

Fresh sage leaves (one per chicken cutlet)

Prosciutto

flour

salt & pepper

oil

Vin Santo (a sweet, white Italian dessert wine) – if you can’t find Vin Santo, try Marsala or a VERY sweet sherry

Season one side of each chicken cutlet with salt and pepper. Flip the cutlet over, top with a sliver of garlic, and a sage leaf. Lay a piece of prosciutto over the chicken breast and secure garlic/sage/prosciutto with a toothpick.

Heat olive oil in a skillet. When hot (but NOT smoking – that’s too hot), add the chicken – prosciutto side up. Cook until mostly done – then flip – cook only a few moments (you don’t want to burn the very thin prosciutto). Flip again – so the prosciutto side is up again. Cook until chicken is cooked through.

Plate the chicken and then add a cup or so of the vin santo wine – enough to make a sauce (you don’t want to drown the chicken) to the pan, reduce to half cup. Plate the chicken and spoon the sauce on top.

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I made this twice in a week and both times the kiddos gobbled it up. The best part? I was only in the kitchen for 15 minutes making it. You have to try it! Be sure you stop back and tell me how it turned out!!