Chicken Valdostana with Fontina (Printable)
Baked chicken layered with prosciutto and Fontina in a white wine tomato sauce. Classic Italian comfort food.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
→ 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 Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Position the rack in the center.
02 - Place chicken breasts between sheets of parchment paper and gently pound with a meat mallet to an even thickness of about ½ inch. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
03 - Dredge each seasoned chicken breast in all-purpose 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 breasts for 2 to 3 minutes per side until lightly golden. Remove from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
05 - In the same skillet, add the finely chopped shallot and minced garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and dried oregano. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes to develop flavor.
06 - Nestle the seared chicken breasts back into the simmering sauce. Top each breast with one slice of prosciutto di Parma, followed by a generous layer of sliced Fontina cheese.
07 - Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly and the chicken registers an internal temperature of 165°F.
08 - Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately, spooning extra sauce over each portion.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combo of salty prosciutto and melting Fontina creates a flavor layer that tastes far more indulgent than the effort required.
- Everything happens in one skillet, which means less washing up and more time enjoying the meal with whoever is sitting at your table.
02 -
- Do not skip pounding the chicken evenly, because a thick end will be raw while the thin end turns to rubber, and that is a mistake I have made more times than I care to admit.
- Letting the sauce simmer those 5 minutes before adding the chicken back is not optional, since that reduction concentrates the flavor and gives you something worth spooning over bread later.
03 -
- Use an oven-safe skillet from the start so you never have to transfer the chicken to a different dish, because every move is a chance for something to go wrong or for the sauce to get left behind.
- Tent the skillet loosely with foil for the first half of baking if your oven runs hot, since you want the cheese melted and inviting, not browned into a leathery cap.