Skip to main content

Braised Chicken Breast with Smoky Provola

5.0

(1)

I had this dish at Roberto’s on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. The smokiness of the provola is the defining element that graces the dish.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 6

Ingredients

Six 6-to-8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon kosher salt
All-purpose flour, for dredging
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 large fresh basil leaves
6 thin slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces total)
1/2 cup dry Marsala
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock (see page 40)
8 ounces smoked provola, sliced

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Slice open the chicken breasts crosswise to butterfly, so they open to a flattened, even thickness. Season the chicken all over with salt. Lightly dredge the chicken in flour, shaking off the excess.

    Step 2

    Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the chicken to the pan, and brown each side for about 2 minutes.

    Step 3

    Once it is browned, top each breast with a basil leaf and a slice of prosciutto. Increase the heat to medium-high. Push aside the chicken to make a dry clear spot in the center of the pan, and pour in the Marsala and white wine. Drop in the remaining basil leaves. Bring to a boil, and simmer until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, cover, and simmer to blend the flavors, about 3 minutes.

    Step 4

    Uncover, top the chicken evenly with the smoked provola and cover. Adjust the heat to a simmer, cooking about 5 minutes to melt the cheese, then uncover. Bring to a boil, and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is reduced to your liking, about 8 to 10 minutes more.

Cover of the cookbook featuring the author with a table full of fresh herbs and vegetables.
Reprinted with permission from Lidia's Italy in America by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Copyright © 2011 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.
Read More
Like potato pea chowder and green goddess grain bowls.
Thinly sliced and cooked hot and fast, pork tenderloin is the juicy, cook-quicking weeknight champion of this vegetable-heavy stir-fry.
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Chopped kimchi and soy sauce transform mellow tuna salad into your new favorite riff on the classic diner sandwich.
This lasagna soup delivers rich, baked-pasta flavor without an oven. Made with Italian sausage and spinach, it’s a fast, weeknight-friendly take on the classic.
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.
The most efficient method takes less than an hour, but you might not even need it.