Chicken Valdostana – An Italian Chicken Recipe with Fontina and Prosciutto

Before I met Maria and embarked on my new life in Italy, chicken seemed dull and uninspiring to me. Ignoramus that I was, I thought KFC seemed the ultimate in chicken. Little did I know that Maria's magical touch would transform the humble chicken into something extraordinary, driving my taste buds into a frenzy of delight.

As I sit here, attempting to pen down her tantalizing recipe, the mouthwatering aroma of chicken wafts through the air, teasing my senses. The dish simmering on the stove is the very one I'm about to share with you.

Prepare to be captivated as your taste buds embark on a journey of pure culinary bliss. The melding of flavors, from the tender chicken to the savory prosciutto and luscious fontina cheese, harmonizes with the rich mushroom flavors, infusing each bite with an irresistible symphony of tastes.

BE WARNED: KFC will never satisfy your taste buds ever again

A Bit of Background

Chicken Valdostana is a variation of the traditional Valdostana, a dish from Valle d'Aosta and the mountain regions of Piedmont in northern Italy.

The classic version is made with veal, Fontina cheese and prosciutto. There are several variations, however, including versions made with chicken. Fontina is particularly important because it is the traditional cheese of Valle d'Aosta.

The chicken version is wonderfully easy to make at home.

The chicken is lightly floured and browned in butter, then cooked with mushrooms, white wine, and stock. Finally, each piece is topped with prosciutto and Fontina and returned to the pan until the cheese melts.

The result is rich without being complicated.

And there is plenty of sauce to spoon over the top.

Maria usually serves it with something simple on the side because you really don't want to waste any of that sauce.

A piece of crusty bread works beautifully.

P.S: Maria's Chicken Cacciatore (here's the recipe) is great as well—hard to choose which one I prefer.

Ingredients

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 40 g unsalted butter
• 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
• 200 g mushrooms, thinly sliced
• ¾ cup dry white wine
• ¾ cup chicken stock
• 6 thin slices of prosciutto
• 6 slices Fontina cheese
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 2–3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground white pepper, to taste

A note about the Fontina

If you can find Fontina DOP from Valle d'Aosta, use it. It is the traditional cheese associated with the dish and melts beautifully.

If you can't find it, a good-quality Fontina-style cheese will still produce a very good result.

Cooking Instructions

1. Prepare the chicken

Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of baking paper or cling film and gently pound them until they are about ½ cm (¼ inch) thick.

Season both sides lightly with salt and freshly ground white pepper.

Put the flour on a plate and lightly coat each chicken breast, shaking off any excess.

2. Brown the chicken

Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.

When it starts to foam, add the chicken.

Cook for about 3–4 minutes on each side until lightly golden.

Don't worry if the chicken isn't completely cooked at this stage. It will finish cooking later in the sauce.

Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.

3. Cook the carrot and mushrooms

Add the sliced carrot to the same pan and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking for another 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the mushrooms release their juices.

The carrot adds a subtle sweetness to the sauce, while the mushrooms bring an earthy flavour that works particularly well with the white wine, prosciutto and Fontina.

4. Add the wine

Pour in the white wine and bring it to a gentle simmer.

Allow it to reduce for about 3–4 minutes.

You want the wine to lose its raw alcoholic taste and become concentrated, rather than disappear completely.

5. Make the sauce

Add the chicken stock, chopped parsley, and rosemary.

Return the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook for approximately 8–10 minutes, allowing it to reduce and become slightly thicker.

Remove the rosemary sprig.

Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

6. Add the prosciutto and Fontina

Reduce the heat to low.

Return the chicken breasts to the pan.

Place a slice of prosciutto on each piece of chicken, followed by a slice of Fontina.

Cover the pan with a lid and cook gently for a few minutes, just until the cheese has melted and the chicken is completely cooked through.

The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 74°C / 165°F.

7. Serve

Transfer the chicken to warm plates and spoon the mushroom and wine sauce generously over the top.

Scatter with a little fresh parsley if you like.

And serve immediately.

What to Serve with Chicken Valdostana

You don't need anything complicated alongside this dish.

In fact, I think simple is best.

A good crusty Italian bread is probably my first choice because it gives you an excuse to mop up the sauce.

You could also serve it with:

• Roast or sautéed potatoes
• Mashed potatoes
• Polenta
• Green beans
• A simple green salad

If you're serving this for friends, I would probably start with a light antipasto, serve the Chicken Valdostana as the main course, and finish with something relatively simple for dessert.

The chicken is rich enough without making the entire meal heavy.

Can I Make Chicken Valdostana Ahead?

You can prepare some of the recipe ahead, but I prefer to finish it just before serving.

You can pound and flour the chicken, slice the mushrooms, and prepare the other ingredients earlier in the day.

The sauce can also be prepared ahead and gently reheated.

However, I would cook the chicken and add the prosciutto and Fontina shortly before you eat it. That's when the dish is at its best—with the chicken tender, the cheese just melted, and the sauce hot.

A Little Taste of Northern Italy

One of the things I enjoy about living in Italy is discovering how different regions have their own versions of seemingly simple dishes.

Valle d'Aosta and much of Piedmont have cuisines shaped by their mountains, and Fontina is one of the ingredients that immediately gives this dish its northern Italian character.

The traditional Valdostana is a veal dish, usually filled with Fontina and prosciutto and then breaded and fried. Chicken Valdostana is a simpler variation, but it retains the combination of meat, prosciutto, and Fontina that makes the original so appealing.

And perhaps that's why I like this recipe.

It doesn't try to be clever.

It takes a handful of good ingredients and lets them do the work.

My Verdict

I have eaten plenty of chicken dishes since coming to Italy, but this remains one of my favorites. Maria would probably tell you that there is nothing particularly complicated about it.

She's right. But that's one of the things I love about Italian cooking.

You don't necessarily need dozens of ingredients or complicated techniques. You need good ingredients, a little patience, and somebody who knows what they are doing.

Fortunately, I married somebody who does.

Buon appetito!

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