Chicken Saltimbocca with Cauliflower Rice

Chicken Saltimbocca with Cauliflower Rice is a simple and scrumptious meal!  Boneless chicken breast wrapped with prosciutto and pan-seared until the prosciutto is crispy and crunchy, and served with cauliflower rice as risotto.  Then the entire dish is topped with a buttery, wine glaze to make this meal more flavorful, which, by the way, exceeded our expectations!

Originally published in 2017, and now with more in-depth descriptions, clearer step-by-step photos with instructions, and different ways to serve this chicken saltimbocca recipe, we hope you enjoy all the new features in this recipe post!

Chicken Saltimbocca with Cauliflower Rice

Chicken Saltimbocca is a dish made with chicken breasts, lightly dusted in flour, topped with fresh sage leaves, and wrapped with prosciutto. Then it is sautéed in a skillet and topped with a delicious buttery-wine sauce to finish it off.

The cauliflower rice is cooked similarly to our risotto recipes, but in much less time. And, it serves as a side to our chicken saltimbocca for a flavorful, low-carb, high-protein, and comforting meal – your whole family will love!

What is Saltimbocca?

Saltimbocca is a Roman dish, and it means ‘jumps in the mouth’ in Italian. It’s an Italian expression to describe how delicious this dish is. It is typically made with thin veal, prosciutto, and sage, and served with a butter and wine sauce.

Today, our recipe for saltimbocca is a modern twist on the ever-so-popular recipe that originated in Rome, Italy.

The result? …it turned out AMAZING! … and SO delicious!

And, because we decided to serve our chicken saltimbocca with cauliflower rice on the side, this dish is a complete and satisfying meal for the whole family to enjoy.

Best of all, you can make it without a lot of fuss!

What is Cauliflower Rice?

Cauliflower rice is basically cauliflower minced to resemble rice.  It is a grain-free, low-carb alternative to regular white rice made entirely from fresh (uncooked) cauliflower. 

Cauliflower rice cooks up very quickly, about 5 minutes or so. Plus, it’s a healthy alternative, gluten-free, and it perfectly complements this chicken saltimbocca.

You can find packages in the freezer section at your local supermarket. Or, you can make it yourself. Just a quick chop in a food processor turns a fresh head of cauliflower into “cauliflower rice.”

Best of all? Whether you make cauliflower rice yourself or buy it in a package, when it’s sautéed, it transforms into a very light, soft texture, similar to steamed rice or even quinoa.

Ingredients Needed for Chicken Saltimbocca with Cauliflower Rice:

For our chicken saltimbocca with cauliflower rice, you will need the following ingredients:

• 2 boneless chicken breasts – sliced each breast in half, and pounded
• 1/4 cup flour, for dredging
• 1 pound grated cauliflower (or 1 large head), grated (or 2 packages (12oz each) of frozen)
• 4 to 6 large fresh sage leaves
• 4 ounces of sliced Italian prosciutto
• 2 garlic cloves -diced
• 1 small onion – finely chopped
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil – divided
• 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter – divided
• 1/2 cup white wine – divided
• 1/2 cup of low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth – divided
• 1 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

How To Make Chicken Saltimbocca with Cauliflower Rice?

This recipe involves a three-step cooking process. First, we cook the cauliflower rice and set it aside. Then we cook the chicken, set it aside, and lastly, make the wine-butter sauce. All in the same skillet, and for an easy clean-up.

1. First, MAKE CAULIFLOWER RICE:  Place cauliflower florets into a food processor and pulse until they’re finely grated. Transfer it to a bowl and set it aside.

2. Sauté the VEGGIES: In the large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 2 tablespoons of butter. Add garlic and onion and sauté until they soften and become translucent for about 3 minutes.  Add the wine and allow the wine to reduce for about 2 minutes.

3. COOK The CAULIFLOWER RICE: Add the grated cauliflower to the onion mixture and sauté for about 1 minute to flavor it.  Add 1/4 cup of chicken broth, fresh parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook the cauliflower until it’s tender to the bite, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Turn off the heat.  Stir in an additional tablespoon of butter and stir in grated Parmesan cheese. You can transfer to a serving bowl, cover with aluminum foil to keep it warm.  

4. NEXT, Prepare The CHICKEN.  Take each chicken breast, and slice each one horizontally into 2 pieces per chicken breast. Then lightly season the chicken (one side only) with some salt and pepper. On a small plate, add some flour, and dust each piece of chicken breast with flour on both sides.  Place a large fresh sage leaf on top (or two).

5. Then wrap the chicken with one slice of prosciutto. If you need to, you can wrap it with two slices of prosciutto. Set aside. (NOTE: No need to secure it with a toothpick – as the chicken sautes, it will stay in place.) Repeat with each chicken until all 4 pieces are completed.

6. Sauté the CHICKEN: In a large skillet, on medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the chicken breasts.  Pan-sear the chicken wrapped in prosciutto until the chicken is fully cooked, about 4 to 6 minutes per side. When the chicken is fully cooked, transfer it to a nearby serving platter.

QUICK NOTE: As the chicken is cooking in the skillet, it will shrink in size, giving you additional room to add the fourth piece to the skillet. Also, if you feel the need to add more olive oil in the skillet, you can, just drizzle extra olive oil into the skillet. Then, when the chicken is fully cooked, transfer it to a nearby serving platter. Cover the chicken to keep it warm while you make the sauce.

7. NOW, MAKE THE SAUCE: Using the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat, and add 1/4 cup of white wine, plus 1/4 cup of chicken broth. Stir until it reduces slightly into a glaze. When the butter-wine sauce slightly thickens, turn off the heat.

8.  THEN SERVE! Transfer the chicken to a serving platter.  Pour the gravy over the chicken saltimbocca and serve it with the cauliflower rice on the side.

Serves 4

A Delicious Meal

Chicken Saltimbocca with Cauliflower Rice turned out amazing! The crispy prosciutto gives the chicken its smoky and aromatic flavor, and the cauliflower rice soaks up its delicious sauce.  It was so good, it was better than I ever expected.

And… the cauliflower rice is even better with the buttery wine gravy poured on top. YUM!

ENJOY!!

Additional Delicious Recipes for Chicken…

• Parmesan Crusted Chicken Cutlets (+Video)
• Chicken Cauliflower Rice Stir-Fry
• Chicken Rollatini with Prosciutto and Cheese
• Baked Chicken Nuggets – Healthy Way! 
• Chicken Tenders Smothered in Lemon & Parsley

Hi friends!  Have you tried our chicken saltimbocca with a cauliflower rice recipe?  Please let us know and leave a comment below with a star rating –  we’d greatly appreciate it.  Have fun and snap a photo, and share it on Pinterest; be sure to tag or hashtag us.

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Happy Cooking!   🙂 

Thanks for stopping by!  

 xo Anna and Liz