Simple Chicken Valdostana Recipe – A Quick & Easy Italian Classic

 

Today I am sharing a delicious recipe for Valdostana Chicken, which is a chicken dish which originates from the Val d'Aosta region of Italy.  I was drawn to this dish largely due to its simplicity. I find that more and more these days I am opting for things which are simple to cook, and which use simple ingredients.  

It is not that I cannot do complicated. I did plenty of complicated cookery when I worked as a Personal Chef. Now that I am in my older years and retired, not to mention, living on my own, I choose to cook simple and uncomplicated as much as possible. In my opinion, life is too short to get bogged down  when it doesn't need to be.

This is a simple and delicious dish, which uses only a few ingredients. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, Italian ham, cheese, a bit of chicken stock and some white wine.

 

Thin slices of simply seasoned chicken breast (chicken cutlets) are dusted with flour and browned in a mixture of butter and olive oil, quickly and simply.  The pan is deglazed with bit of white wine and chicken stock, which create a simple sauce.  Finally, they are topped with a thin slice of ham and melty cheese.

It may look and sound fancy, but I can promise you, that it is not a fancy dish at all. It is simple and humble and delicious.

A bit of rice, pasta or potatoes on the side and some veggies or a salad are all you need to complete this simple and incredibly tasty meal. I guarantee once you make this, you will want to add it to your repertoire of favorites! 

Quick, easy, using simple ingredients and deliciously done in 15 minutes. What more could a person want?

 

WHAT YOU NEED

TO MAKE VALDOSTANA CHICKEN

A few simple ingredients. Not a lot really.  I find that these days I prefer recipes which don't require a lot of fancy ingredients. Simple does it for me every time!

• 1 large chicken breast, cut into three cutlets through the middle
• flour to dust as needed
• 3 slices of ham
• 3 slices of Fontina cheese
• 1/4 cup (60ml) chicken stock
• 1/4 cup (60ml) dry white wine
• 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 TBS butter
• salt and black pepper to taste
• chopped parsley to garnish

  

My chicken breast was quite large. It cut into three pieces quite easily. I think it probably weighed a good 8 ounces. 

I used ordinary deli-ham as they did not have any Italian ham. If you can get it, use prosciutto. 

On this occasion I opted to use extra-virgin olive oil.  I used salted butter as that is all I keep in my kitchen.

 

The original recipe called for the cheese to be grated. I can only get the sliced Fontina here and so used that. You could also use a gruyere cheese, Swiss, or even an edam.  It should be a cheese that has a nice flavor and that melts easily.

My wine was a pinot grigio.  Canadian. Ducks Crossing.

I used Better Than Bullion chicken stock concentrate to make the chicken stock.

 

HOW TO MAKE

VALDOSTANA CHICKEN

Not only is this very simple to make, but it is also very quick.  Make sure you have everything you need measured and ready to go before you begin!

1. If your chicken cutlets are on the thick side, place them into a baggie and pound them until they are a thin, even size. (My breast was very large, so I cut it into three pieces. If it is smaller, you may only be able to cut it into two pieces.)
2. Season them lightly on all sides with some salt and pepper and lightly dust with flour, shaking off any excess. (Be judicious with the salt as ham is salty.)
3. Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the pieces of chicken. (Once the butter begins to foam it will be ready to add the meat.)
4. Brown first on one side (about 2-minutes), flip over and brown the other side. (A further 2 minutes.)
5. Add the wine to the skillet. Cook for two to three minutes until it has almost all evaporated. Add the chicken stock. Cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the skillet from time to time to mix things up and loosen any brown bits from the base of the pan. (This is called the fond.)
6. Place one ham slice on each cutlet and top with a slice of cheese. (I had to fold the ham and the cheese in half.)
7. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cover the pan. Cook for a further 2 minutes or until the cheese has melted and bubbled up a bit. 
8. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
9. Drizzle each serving with some of the pan sauce. Delicious!

 

HOW TO CUT 

A

CHICKEN BREAST INTO CUTLETS

Cutting your chicken breasts into thinner cutlets not only makes your chicken go further, but it also ensures a much quicker cook time.  All you need is a steady hand, a good cutting board and a sharp knife.

1. Place the boneless, skinless chicken breast, (Remove the tender and save for another time. It can be frozen.) on a cutting board. Hold the breast flat with the palm of your non-knife hand. Using a sharp knife (I like to use a chef's knife or boning knife), slice the chicken breast horizontally into two even pieces.  Be sure to keep the fingers of the supporting hand raised and out of the path of the knife.

2. Once you have the chicken sliced into fillets, you can place them, one at a time, between two pieces of plastic cling film or wax paper and gently pound them with the flat side of a meat pounder until the pieces are even in thickness.

 

HINTS & TIPS

FOR CHICKEN BREAST PERFECTION

When cooked improperly chicken breast meat can be dry and tough. If you follow my hints and tips, you should be able to produce a piece of chicken that is juicy and tender!  I guarantee!

1.  If you are cooking your chicken plain, it is always better to cook your chicken breasts with the skin on rather than it off.  The skin helps to protect the meat and keep it from drying out. You can always peel it off and discard after cooking if you don't want the extra calories. 

2. Chicken breasts can be a bit dry. This is because they are much leaner than other parts of the bird. A marinade, brine or rub goes a long way in adding flavor to the meat and keeping it moist. A basic salt and pepper rub is just fine if you want to keep things simple.

3.  Pounding chicken breasts with the flat side of a meat pounder always tenderizes them a bit. Even if you are not going for larger flatter pieces of chicken, a bit of pounding helps to even out the pieces and breaks down the tissues a bit rendering that tiny bit more succulent.

4.  Keeping them all as much the same size as you can. You can do this by pounding, or by slicing them into smaller thinner pieces.  They will also cook faster this way.

5.  Overcooking.  This is the main culprit when it comes to producing chicken breasts which are dry and unpalatable. You need only cook them until the juices run clear. Bear in mind, that they will continue to cook when you remove them from the pan.  Let them rest, lightly covered for a few minutes and you will achieve perfection. 

 

OTHER CHICKEN BREAST

RECIPES YOU MIGHT ENJOY!

CHICKEN MARGHERITA - A simple, single serving dish made with a baked chicken breast, pesto, cherry tomatoes, and melted mozzarella cheese. It is finished with a lemon garlic sauce for fresh, bold flavor. This recipe can easily be multiplied to feed more people.

CHICKEN WITH SAGE, GARLIC & LEMON - This really could not be any easier to make. One thing I really love about this recipe are the flavors.  Earthy herby fresh sage. Tart acidic lemon. Creamy, nutty garlic.  Rich butter.  All wonderful flavors and when combined with the mild flavor of chicken, it's a fabulous taste combo that can't be beat!

 

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Yield: 2 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Valdostana Chicken

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 15 Min

This traditional Italian chicken dish is composed of juicy and tender chicken breast cutlets, topped with Italian ham and cheese, with a simple yet delicious pan sauce. This goes together very quickly and easily. It's a good way to stretch a chicken breast.

Ingredients

• 1 large chicken breast, cut into three cutlets through the middle
• flour to dust as needed
• 3 slices of ham
• 3 slices of Fontina cheese
• 1/4 cup (60ml) chicken stock
• 1/4 cup (60ml) dry white wine
• 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 TBS butter
• salt and black pepper to taste
• chopped parsley to garnish

Instructions

1. If your chicken cutlets are on the thick side, place them into a baggie and pound them until they are a thin, even size.
2. Season them lightly on all sides with some salt and pepper and lightly dust with flour, shaking off any excess.
3. Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the pieces of chicken.
4. Brown first on one side (about 2-minutes), flip over and brown the other side. (A further 2 minutes.)
5. Add the wine to the skillet. Cook for two to three minutes until it has almost all evaporated. Add the chicken stock. Cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the skillet from time to time to mix things up and loosen any brown bits from the base of the pan. (The fond.)
6. Place one ham slice on each cutlet and top with a slice of cheese.
7. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cover the pan. Cook for a further 2 minutes or until the cheese has melted and bubbled up a bit.
8. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
9. Drizzle each serving with some of the pan sauce. Delicious!

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