Involtini di Pollo con Prosciutto e Salvia (Chicken Wrapped with Prosciutto and Sage)

Italian chicken involtini are small rolled or wrapped cutlets, designed to cook quickly while keeping the meat tender. In this version, thin chicken breast escalopes are seasoned, paired with fresh sage and enclosed in prosciutto, which crisps at the edges as it fries and seasons the chicken from the outside. A short pan sauce of garlic, dry white wine and cold butter turns the browned bits into glossy, sage-scented juices. It is a compact, elegant dinner with the savoury character of saltimbocca, well suited to serving with greens, potatoes or simple bread for the sauce.
Cuisine style Italian home cooking
Flavor profile Savoury • Herby • Rich
Techniques Pan-frying • Wine reduction • Butter-mounted pan sauce
Key equipment Large frying pan • Tongs
Cooking style Minimal cleanup
Time commitment Under 30 minutes

Why this recipe works

  • Layered savoury flavour: Prosciutto, sage, garlic, white wine, and butter build depth quickly in the same pan.
  • Crisp edges, tender centre: The prosciutto crisps as it fries while helping protect the thin chicken from drying out.
  • Fast cooking: Thin escalopes cook in minutes, making the dish practical for a weeknight dinner.
  • Balanced richness: Reduced dry white wine cuts through the butter and prosciutto for a brighter pan sauce.

Get the most out of this recipe

Ingredient notes

  • Season lightly: Prosciutto brings plenty of salt, so season the chicken modestly before wrapping.
  • Use even escalopes: Thin, even pieces of chicken cook at the same rate and are easier to wrap neatly.
  • Choose a dry white wine: The wine reduces in the pan, so a clean, dry style gives the sauce brightness without sweetness.

Texture tips

  • Start seam-side down: Placing the wrapped chicken seam-side down first helps seal the prosciutto and encourages crisp edges.
  • Avoid overcooking the chicken: Remove the involtini as soon as the chicken is cooked through; the final minute in the sauce is only to coat and warm them.
  • Swirl in the butter off the heat: Adding cold butter away from direct heat helps the sauce turn glossy rather than greasy.

Common mistakes

  • Do not crowd the pan: Too many pieces at once can make the prosciutto steam instead of crisp.
  • Keep the frying heat assertive: Medium-high heat helps the prosciutto brown before the thin chicken has time to dry out.
  • Lower the heat before adding garlic: Garlic only needs a short cook; reducing the heat prevents it from catching in the hot pan.

Serving ideas

  • Serve with something to catch the sauce: Creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread work well with the white wine and butter pan juices.
  • Add a green vegetable: Wilted spinach, green beans, or a simple bitter leaf salad balance the richness of the prosciutto and butter.

Equipment you'll need

Ingredients
Instructions
Print
  1. Slice the chicken breasts horizontally to make thin escalopes, then season both sides with the fine sea salt and black pepper. Lay a sage leaf on each escalope and wrap tightly with prosciutto so the seam sits underneath.
  2. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the involtini seam-side down and pan-fry for 3–4 minutes per side until the prosciutto is crisp at the edges and the chicken is just cooked through.
  3. Transfer the involtini to a warm plate. Lower the heat to medium, add the garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant, then pour in the white wine and simmer for 2–3 minutes until reduced by about half.
  4. Take the pan off the heat and swirl in the unsalted butter until glossy and lightly thickened. Return the involtini to the pan for 1 minute to coat in the sage-scented juices, then serve immediately with the sauce spooned over.

Made this recipe? Rate it — a comment is optional.

Recipe notes

Tips

  • If the chicken escalopes are uneven, gently flatten them between two sheets of baking paper so they cook at the same rate.
  • Keep the heat at medium-high when frying so the prosciutto crisps before the chicken dries out.
  • If serving anyone who is pregnant, elderly, or immunocompromised, cook the chicken until piping hot throughout with no pink in the centre.

Substitutions

  • Replace White wine with dry sherry for a slightly richer, nuttier sauce.
  • Replace Fresh sage with fresh thyme for a softer herbal note.

Storage

  • Refrigerate up to 2 days
  • Cool, then refrigerate in a sealed container. Reheat gently in a frying pan over low heat with a splash of water until piping hot, taking care not to boil the sauce hard.

Ratings & reviews

Liked this recipe? Share your feedback to support our cooking community.

Tried this recipe?

Choose 1–5 stars. A comment is optional.

If you leave a comment, use 10–500 characters.

Stay inspired

Discover new recipes, seasonal favourites and cooking inspiration every day. Follow JustRecipes on Pinterest and Spillt.

Involtini di Pollo con Prosciutto e Salvia (Chicken Wrapped with Prosciutto and Sage)
Image by JustRecipes
Pinterest

Recipe overview

  • Servings: 4 servings
  • Total time: 25min (20min active)
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Allergens:
    Milk
Beginner friendly One pot Kid friendly

Plan your meals and get a complete grocery list automatically.

Add to meal planner

Equipment you'll need

Advertisement

Recommended tools for this recipe

Best overall

Misen 8-Inch Chef Knife

Sharp modern chef knife
  • AUS-10 steel
  • Balanced design
  • Less traditional feel

Got ingredients left?

Find recipes using ingredients from this recipe or what you already have at home.

Find recipes with these ingredients →

Make this recipe easier next time

Advertisement

These tools help you get better results with less effort.

Best overall

Misen 8-Inch Chef Knife

Sharp modern chef knife
  • AUS-10 steel
  • Balanced design
  • Less traditional feel
Best value

Titanium & PP Double-Sided Cutting Board

Easy-clean double-sided board
  • Separate surfaces for meat and produce
  • Resists odors and stains
  • Harder on knife edges than wood or plastic
Top quality

All-Clad HA1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Fry Pan 12 Inch

Premium nonstick performance
  • Top-tier build quality
  • Excellent heat distribution
  • Expensive
Best overall

OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Cutting Board Set

Practical everyday board set
  • Two useful sizes with reversible cutting surfaces
  • Dishwasher safe and easy to clean
  • Plastic surfaces will show knife marks over time

Browse alphabetically

Looking for a specific recipe? Choose a letter below to jump directly to recipes starting with that letter or number.

Enjoy cooking with JustRecipes?

Add JustRecipes as one of your preferred Google sources to discover our recipes more easily across Google Search.

Add JustRecipes to Google

Every recipe on JustRecipes follows the same structured editorial process. Learn how recipes are created, validated, translated, illustrated, and continuously improved across the platform. How we create recipes.