Once you have cracked the cover of one of Giada de Laurentis’s cookbooks, you won’t be able to make JUST ONE recipe. Nope. Right now my cookbook has 3 scraps of paper sticking out of it … and it doesn’t go back on the shelf till I’ve made each one. (Soft rule… gets broken… whatever.)
So when I was making the Simple Bolognese sauce last week, I considered making something NEW from the cookbook. EGADS! A NEW RECIPE?? … AND ON A WEEKNIGHT! (Yes, I confess, I generally make tried and true recipes during the weekdays since I have less time. I’m no Dana K.) But this one seemed pretty quick. So I bought the ingredients on the weekend and while the Thai Squash soup was simmering, I whipped it up. Just like that. BOOM!
CHICKEN SALTIMBOCCA.
Doesn’t that sound impressive? Well, yes, dammit, it IS. Very very impressive.
![smashed chicken pieces smashed chicken pieces](https://pioneerintrees.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/smashed-chicken-pieces-300x238.jpg)
![proscuitto proscuitto](https://pioneerintrees.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/proscuitto-300x219.jpg)
![first attempt first attempt](https://pioneerintrees.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/first-attempt-768x1024.jpg)
AND it’s actually dead easy to make … flatten the chicken (I think I applied a bit too much force), lay a piece of prosciutto on it, top that with spinach, and roll up. Well ok, it’s not THAT easy. You have to defrost the spinach, season it and add some olive oil. You also have to grate some parmesean and lay THAT on top of the spinach. WHICH. I. FORGOT. So I had to unroll all of my beautiful rolls. Very funny. Ha Ha.
Last part is dead easy too. Sear in a pan till brown on all sides.
![cooking da chicken](http://pioneerintrees.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/better-searing-pic-225x300.jpg)
Finally, you add chicken broth and a squirt or so of lemon juice and simmer till it’s cooked. Take the chicken out, thicken up the sauce and serve!
![final chicken](http://pioneerintrees.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/done-300x250.jpg)
Despite it looking like it was made by a 5 year old, it was AMAZINGLY good. And impressive anyway. Shut up Dana K.
![Giada's chicken](http://pioneerintrees.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Giadas-chicken-250x300.jpg)
(You’ll notice that Giada’s version is not BURSTING. Isn’t it tidy and perfect? Ah yes. And so it goes.)
You can find the recipe for Chicken Saltimbocca here.