Chicken wrapped with Prosciutto, and Asparagus

A dear friend called me on her way home from work one evening and asked: “What can I do with chicken cutlets?” Knowing that she didn’t have hours to spare listening to a litany of ideas on how to prepare this versatile breast filet, I shared this quick, light, and very tasty recipe. This chicken dish works well as a weeknight dinner and also makes an elegant presentation for entertaining. It can be made ahead and warmed before serving.

Ingredients:

1 Bundle of asparagus spears

8 chicken cutlets, pounded to 1/3 of an inch thickness

16 slices prosciutto

1 tablespoon of unsalted butter

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup dry white wine

Preparation:

Cut or snap the tough ends of the asparagus stalks. Steam for 2 to minutes, then rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Top each piece of chicken with three to four asparagus spears. Wrap each chicken breast with 2 pieces of prosciutto. Scoop the parmesan cheese onto a sheet of wax paper, dusting both sides of the chicken with the cheese. Place the cutlets asparagus side up on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and place another cookie sheet on top to “weight it down.” Refrigerate for 1 hour or more.

Melt the butter with olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken, asparagus side down and saute’ until browned, approximately 3 minutes per side. Add the white wine and continue cooking until the wine is reduced. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and pour the sauce over the chicken.

Inspirations:

a.       When serving with rice, I like to mix in a tablespoon of d’artagnan black truffle butter. It mimics mushroom risotto without all the work. There are many infused types of butter on the market to match your tastes, experiment.

b.       A crisp Sauvignon blanc or a chilled Pinot Grigio and you are good to go!