This prosciutto wrapped chicken with creamy pesto sauce is elegant enough for a dinner party but still quick and easy for a weeknight meal. Serve over pasta, or all by itself for a low carb meal that’s so delicious you’ll want to lick the plate.
Chicken dishes are my go-to weeknight dinner and prosciutto wrapped chicken with creamy pesto pops up frequently on my rotation. Between the pesto and the prosciutto how can you go wrong. Neither are overwhelming but together they make an amazing dish. It also just happens to be low carb.
Natalie and I first experimented with this recipe when we were trying to find dinners we could make in just a few minutes. We ate it several nights in a row while working on just the right combination of ingredients but no one seemed to mind. We made this start to finish in 12 minutes using thin chicken breasts.
Who doesn’t want an amazing dinner they can make in 12 minutes!
We started with thin chicken breasts wrapped in prosciutto, similar to chicken saltimbocca but then covered it in a creamy pesto sauce. It started out more of a pesto cream sauce but the pesto was too overpowering. We ended up with a creamy sauce with just the right amount of pesto.
The first time I made it I added asparagus but with all of the other flavors, I didn’t think it added much. It’s not bad, so by all means throw it in at the end of you want. There are a lot of strong flavors in this chicken dish, so if you’re tired of plain chicken, this will be a nice change. The prosciutto and pesto combination are amazing, definitely good enough to serve to friends.
What you’ll need for chicken wrapped in prosciutto
- Chicken cutlets work best because they are thinner. If you have thick chicken breasts, slice through the thicker portion or pound them so they are of equal thickness.
- Thin slices of prosciutto from a package or sliced in the deli. Depending on how big the slices are, you will need about 2 slices per chicken breast.
- Basil pesto
- Heavy cream, you could use half and half but you need some fat to make the sauce creamy.
- Butter, flour and olive oil
From start to finish this took only 12 minutes using thick chicken breasts. I would suggest either using chicken cutlets or pounding the chicken so that it is thinner and even to keep one side from being overcooked. I recommend using a meat thermometer shoot for 160º to 165º and you will have super moist and tender chicken.
If you have time, pour some buttermilk over the chicken breasts in the morning or at least 30 minutes before serving. Rinse and pat dry before using.
Pro tip: If you’re out of buttermilk, you can make your own with just two ingredients. Here are three different methods for how to make your own buttermilk.
How do you make prosciutto wrapped chicken
Step 1: Lightly dust chicken breasts with flour and wrap with about 2 slices of prosciutto. It doesn’t have to be perfect, the prosciutto will stay in place while it cooks.
Step 2: Cook the chicken in olive oil and butter in a medium hot skillet about 5 minutes per side depending on how thick they are. 160º with a meat thermometer.
Step 3: Whisk together pesto and cream and pour over chicken, cook for a couple of minutes until it is slightly thickened and serve by itself or over pasta.
Bacon is too thick and greasy for this particular dish, I would suggest you stick with prosciutto which has has it’s own unique flavor and is thin enough to stay wrapped around the chicken without needing toothpicks. Or try bacon wrapped chicken bites!
The chicken in this dish will continue to cook once you add the sauce. It will be safe if the chicken has reached 160º before you add the creamy pesto sauce. Use a meat thermometer especially if you have thick chicken breasts.
Try marinating the chicken breasts in buttermilk for at least 30 for the most tender chicken breasts.
If you don’t have buttermilk, add a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup and fill it with milk. Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
What sides go with creamy pesto chicken
- Mashed potatoes to soak up the extra sauce
- Buttermilk biscuits are so easy to make
- Fruit salad goes with everything
Quick and easy dinner recipes you’ve got to try
More Low carb diners you’ll love
Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken with Creamy Pesto
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts cutlets or pounded thin
- salt and pepper
- ¼ cup flour
- 8 slices prosciutto
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons basil pesto
- ½ cup cream
Instructions
- Start with chicken cutlets or pound chicken breasts so they are the same thickness. Place flour on a plate and lightly coat chicken in flour.
- Wrap 1-2 slices of prosciutto slices around chicken breasts.
- Add olive oil and butter to large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add chicken to hot skillet and cook for 5 minutes on one side, turn and cook for an additional 4 minutes or until it reaches 160º to 165º.
- Whisk together pesto and cream and pour over chicken, bring to a boil and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
Recipe Tips
- If you want enough sauce to coat pasta or potatoes, double the pesto and cream.
- For even more tender chicken, marinate in buttermilk for at least 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry before using.
- Use very thinly sliced prosciutto, thick slices will not wrap around the chicken.
- Cook the chicken to 160º, it will continue to cook as it simmers in the sauce.
- For a full meal, add some steamed asparagus when you add the sauce.
- Try serving this over pasta or potatoes
Nutrition
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