Chicken Valdostana with Fontina (Printable)

Italian chicken breasts layered with prosciutto and Fontina, baked in white wine tomato sauce.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 tbsp 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 tsp dried oregano
13 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
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 chicken breasts for 2 to 3 minutes per side until lightly golden. Remove from skillet and set aside.
05 - In the same skillet, add the finely chopped shallot and minced garlic. Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant and softened.
06 - Deglaze the skillet with dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and dried oregano. Simmer for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
07 - Nestle the seared chicken breasts back into the sauce. Top each breast with a slice of prosciutto di Parma and a layer of sliced Fontina cheese.
08 - Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the Fontina is melted and bubbly and the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
09 - Remove from oven, garnish with fresh basil leaves, and serve hot with extra sauce spooned over each portion.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of salty prosciutto and molten Fontina creates a layered richness that feels like a restaurant secret you just unlocked at home.
  • That white wine tomato sauce simmers into something deeply savory while the oven does most of the finishing work for you.
02 -
  • If the chicken breasts are unevenly thick they will cook at different rates and you will end up with some pieces dry and others underdone.
  • Do not skip deglazing the pan because those browned bits from searing are where half the sauce flavor actually lives.
03 -
  • Use an oven safe skillet from the start so you never have to transfer the chicken and sauce between pans before baking.
  • Let the dish rest for two minutes after removing from the oven so the cheese sets slightly and the juices redistribute through the chicken.

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