Roasted Chicken Tenders Saltimbocca
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Roasted chicken tenders saltimbocca: sage leaves and prosciutto wrapped around chicken tenders, roasted crisp, served over wild mushroom spaghetti risotto with arugula and toasted hazelnuts.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
18 minCOOK
35 minREADY
55 minClassic veal saltimbocca gets a friendlier, weeknight-ready makeover here with chicken tenders. Each tender gets two sage leaves pressed on, then wrapped in a single slice of prosciutto so the sage is sealed against the meat. In the 425°F (220°C) oven, the prosciutto crisps like bacon while the chicken stays juicy.
The side is clever: broken spaghetti cooked risotto-style. Dried porcini steep in the stock to infuse it, then the toasted pasta drinks that liquid in ladles until creamy. Toasting the spaghetti pieces in olive oil first (until deeply golden and nutty) is what gives the dish its deep flavor base.
Arugula dressed in lemon and olive oil crowns each bowl, along with toasted hazelnuts rubbed free of their skins in a towel. Peppery greens and crunchy nuts cut through the rich pasta and salty chicken.
Pro Tips
- Don’t skip toasting the broken spaghetti. Untoasted pasta makes watery, one-note risotto; toasted pasta builds flavor like a roux.
- Soak the dried porcini in the warm stock rather than plain water so every drop becomes flavorful cooking liquid.
- Wrap the prosciutto snugly around the tenders. Loose wraps unravel in the oven.
- Rub the toasted hazelnuts between a folded kitchen towel to knock off the bitter skins easily.
Variations
- Swap chicken tenders for veal scaloppine or turkey cutlets.
- Use Arborio rice instead of broken spaghetti for classic risotto texture.
- Substitute walnuts or pine nuts for the hazelnuts if that’s what’s on hand.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Season chicken with salt and pepper, top each tender with 2 leaves of sage.
Wrap each tender with a slice of ham.
Coat the tenders liberally in olive oil, a couple of tablespoons.
Arrange meat on baking sheet on parchment paper and bake until crispy and firm, 10 to 12 minutes.
To serve, slice meat on bias and pile on Wild Mushroom Broken Spaghetti Risotto with Arugula and Hazelnuts.
Alternatively, skewer the tenders and serve with lemon wedges on a plate as first or second course.
Wild Mushroom Broken Spaghetti Risotto with Arugula and Hazelnuts:
Place mushrooms, stock and water in a sauce pot and heat, keep warm on low.
Heat a medium sauté pan or risotto pan with 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, over medium to medium-high heat.
Add onions and garlic to pan, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and sauté until tender 4 to 5 minutes.
Add pasta and toast until deeply golden in color and very nutty in fragrance, 6 to 7 minutes.
Stir in wine and let it cook away, 1 minute.
Ladle in stock every few minutes, stirring for a good minute with each addition of stock to develop starches.
Evaporate almost all of the liquid before each addition of stock. Pasta will cook up quicker then rice.
Start tasting after about 8 to 9 minutes of cooking time once you begin to add stock.
When you are down to the last cup of your liquids, remove mushrooms, chop and add to pasta.
While the pasta cooks, toast hazelnuts in a skillet until fragrant.
Peel nuts by rubbing the skins off in a clean kitchen towel.
When pasta is cooked to al dente, stir butter into the pan then stir in the cheese.
Dress arugula with lemon juice, a drizzle olive oil, and salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve risotto in shallow bowls topped with greens and nuts.
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