Italian Chicken Recipe

Chicken Valdostana

Dish in the skillet before adding cheese and prosciutto

Before I met Maria and embarked on my journey in Italy, chicken seemed dull and uninspiring to me. Little did I know that Maria's magical touch would transform this humble poultry into something extraordinary, driving my taste buds into a frenzy of delight.

As I sit here, attempting to pen down her tantalizing recipe, the mouthwatering aroma of chicken wafts through the air, teasing my senses. I can only hope that the dish simmering on the stove is the very one I'm about to share with you.

Prepare to be captivated as your taste buds embark on a journey of pure culinary bliss. The melding of flavors, from the tender chicken to the savory prosciutto and luscious fontina cheese, harmonizes with the rich mushroom flavors, infusing each bite with an irresistible symphony of tastes.

A Bit of Background

The Piedmont region is home to many a great Italian chicken recipe. Maria's Chicken Cacciatore (here's the recipe) is great as well - hard to choose which one I prefer.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of all purpose flour

6 boneless chicken breasts, pounded to a 1/4 inch thickness

1/4 cup of unsalted butter or margarine

10 mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 sliced carrot

1 sprig of rosemary

3/4 cup of a dry white wine

3/4 cup of veal stock (OR chicken stock OR turkey stock)

2 to 3 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley

freshly ground white pepper to taste

6 thin slices of prosciutto ham

6 thin slices of fontina cheese

Cooking Instructions

1) Lightly flour the chicken breasts, shaking off excess flour.

2) In a large skillet over a low heat, melt the butter or margarine. Add chicken and saute until lightly browned, about 2 minutes each side should do it. Remove and set aside.

3) Increase heat to a medium low. Add the carrot.

4) Add the mushrooms and saute until juices are rendered, about 4 minutes. Add the white wine and simmer until reduced by 1/4, about 3 to 4 minutes.

5) Increase the heat to medium high. Add stock, parsley,rosemary and pepper and simmer until sauce reduced to 1 cup, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low.

6) Top each chicken breast with a slice of prosciutto and a slice of fontina cheese. Return chicken to skillet and cook just until the cheese melts. Transfer the chicken to individual plates and top each with some of the mushroom sauce before serving.

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