Cracker Crumb Chicken Saltimbocca
Tender, juicy marinated chicken cutlets are coated in crushed Ritz crackers and pan-fried in olive oil until golden brown and crunchy. Next, we’ll top them with prosciutto, sage and gooey fontina cheese. A trip under the broiler gets everything nice and happy, making this recipe a fantastic main for a weeknight dinner or weekend entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for cooking (not extra virgin)
Fresh sage, about 20 leaves, divided (this doesn’t have to be exact)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper, as needed
75 Ritz crackers (give or take; about 2.5 sleeves)
6 slices Prosciutto
6 oz fontina cheese, cut into thin slices (or shredded)
Instructions
- Halve the chicken breasts lengthwise; creating 6 cutlets. Using a meat mallet or a really heavy glass (like me!) pound the cutlets until they’re about half the thickness they originally were. I do this by placing them in a plastic bag or under some parchment paper, etc. Place the chicken in a large baking dish and add 1/3 cup of the olive oil. Tear up and then scatter about half of the sage over the chicken, followed by the garlic and some salt and pepper. Give it all a toss, cover and then pop in the fridge to marinate for 1 hour.Â
- Meanwhile, place the crackers in a food processor and pulse until they’re finely ground into crumbs. Pour onto a large plate and season with some salt.Â
- Remove the chicken from the fridge and coat each piece in the salty cracker crumbs until evenly and fully covered. Place a large, deep skillet over med-high heat and add a couple/few tablespoons of olive oil; enough to thinly coat the entire bottom. Once the oil dances, cook the chicken cutlets, in batches, until golden brown on both sides; about 4 minutes per side. Season each side with salt/pepper. Transfer to a large baking sheet.Â
- Add some sage leaves to the hot pan and cook, flipping once, until they’re starting to shrivel and curl; about 30 seconds. This is for a topping, so use as many as you like – I do about 10. Transfer to a paper-towel to drain a bit.
- Preheat your broiler and adjust your oven rack to the middle position.Â
- Once they’re all cooked and on the sheet, top the chicken with slices of prosciutto and then slices of the fontina. Broil until the cheese is melty and gooey; about 4 to 5 minutes. Just keep an eye on them.Â
- Serve hot with the frizzled sage scattered over top. Â