Chicken Valdostana Recipe

Chicken Valdostana (Pollo alla Valdostana) is a delicious Italian recipe, made with thin pan-seared chicken cutlets, prosciutto, and fontina cheese in an easy white wine sauce.  The step-by-step instructions are down below to give you the confidence to make this wonderful recipe.  If you are more experienced go right to the recipe card.

 

For this recipe, you will need thin-sliced chicken cutlets, oyster mushrooms, prosciutto, fontina cheese, chicken stock, dry white wine, unsalted butter, and flour.  The exact amounts are down below in the recipe card.

How to make Chicken Valdostana

Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.

1. Ingredients shown: block of fontina cheese, thin slices of prosciutto, and 2 large oyster mushrooms.  Preheat oven to 375f.
2. Grate enough fontina (approximately 3/4 cup) to lightly cover each piece of chicken or use pre-sliced fontina cheese.

3. Remove dirt from mushrooms with a paper towel and slice into 1/2″ strips like shown.
4. Prepare the chicken by arranging the cutlets on a plate and filling another plate with a cup of flour for dredging.
5. Pat the cutlets dry with a paper towel and lightly season both sides with a touch of salt and pepper.  Dredge the cutlets in flour and shake off excess.  Just light flouring is all that’s needed.  The flour helps absorb the moisture and allows the chicken to sear better.
6. Make sure to use an oven-safe pan and if required pan sear the cutlets in batches.  In a pan on medium heat add 1-2 Tbsp of butter and 1 Tbsp of olive oil.  After the pan is hot, add the flour dredged cutlets and sear for 2 minutes per side.  Use another bit of butter and oil for the second batch.  Set aside all the seared chicken on a plate.

7. In the same pan saute the oyster mushrooms over medium-high heat.
8. When brown and cooked through (approximately 5-7 minutes) remove the mushrooms and set aside.
9. To the same pan add the 3/4 cup white wine and 3/4 cup low sodium chicken stock. Turn heat to high.
10. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge all the flavor bits.  Let the sauce cook for 5 minutes to reduce by half.  Don’t worry, the sauce does not have to be reduced exactly by half.  Add in 1 more Tbsp of butter and mix to incorporate.

11. Turn heat off and place the chicken in the pan.
12. Add one slice of prosciutto on top of each cutlet.  Layer the mushrooms on top of the prosciutto and finally top with the fontina cheese.  Spoon a touch of the sauce on to each cutlet and bake in the oven.

After 5-7 minutes the pollo alla valdostana will be fully cooked.  The prosciutto and mushrooms will be covered by the bubbly cheese.  Spoon some of the pan sauce over the top and serve.

What to serve with chicken Valdostana

In the pics, the chicken valdostana is paired with a side of broccoli rabe.  Other great sides to pair it with are sauteed spinach with garlic, sauteed Italian broccoli, or green beans.  A simple side of garlic spinach or a green salad would be nice too.

Top tips

• Double or triple recipe –  If making a lot of chicken, use a sheet pan for finishing instead.  Sear all the cutlets and arrange in a lightly oiled sheet pan stacked with the prosciutto, mushrooms, and cheese.  Top each cutlet with some of the sauce and bake for the same amount of time.  The extra sauce can be kept warm and spooned over the top after baking.
• How to get a good sear on the chicken – Take your time getting the pan hot with the oil and butter before adding the chicken so the chicken sears right away.  Make sure the chicken is nice and dry before dredging as well.

Chicken Valdostana substitutions

• meat – Pork or veal cutlets or chops can be substituted.
• mushrooms – The mushrooms are completely optional, but are a nice addition.  Oyster mushrooms can be cut into large pieces that hold well under the cheese, but any mushroom is fine.
• wine – White wines such as Pinto Grigio or Chardonnay work well in the valdostana sauce, but use any dry white wine you have.  Dry vermouth can also be used.
• tomato – A couple of san marzano plum tomatoes crushed and added to the sauce with the wine and stock create added richness and body.  The taste with the added tomatoes is quite similar to the sauce in this amazing chicken sorrentino recipe.
• cheese –  You can substitute mozzarella or a soft provolone for the fontina cheese.
• salt – Salt is kept low.  Prosciutto, fontina cheese and chicken stock will add considerable sodium to the dish.  Adjust accordingly.

More recipes with thin-sliced chicken breasts

• Chicken involtini – Rolled cutlets with garlicky spinach, mushrooms, and fontina cheese.
• Chicken saltimbocca – Chicken layered with prosciutto and sage in a tasty white wine sauce.
• Spinach mushroom chicken – Chicken breasts with spinach and mushrooms in a garlic white wine sauce.
• Chicken marsala – Pan-seared chicken with mushrooms in a delicious sauce.
• Chicken piccata – Chicken with lemon, capers, and white wine sauce.
• Chicken francese – Egg-battered cutlets in a tangy butter sauce.
• Chicken Florentine – Chicken cutlets in a creamy spinach white wine sauce.

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