Valdostana Chicken (Cheese and Ham Chicken)

Valdostana Chicken also know as scaloppine alla valdostana is a scrumptious Italian recipe made with chicken, butter, prosciutto cotto (ham) and Fontina cheese.

This is an easy and hearty dish that is made in one pan and can be ready in about 15 minutes!

Recipe origin and info

Valdostana Chicken is a dish from northern Italy, more precisely from Valle D’Aosta.

The dish is a delicious and hassle-free meal that showcases three local ingredients, such as Fontina cheese, prosciutto, and local white wine.

The Italian name for the traditional recipe is Pollo alla valdostana or Scaloppine alla valdostana. Alla valdostana is often referred to any dish that contains ham (prosciutto) and cheese, so it can be something else like “scaloppine di Vitello alla valdostana” (veal valdostana), “risotto alla valdostana”, etc.

So in this case, Chicken Valdostana is made with thin slices of chicken breast lightly fried in butter, then deglazed with white wine, and finally topped with slices of ham and cheese.

The ingredients Needed

Valdostana Chicken Recipe

Lightly season the chicken slices with salt and pepper. Dredge each slice in flour and shake off any excess.

Related: How To Handle Raw Chicken.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the butter and as soon as it melts, add the chicken in a single layer. Fry until golden on both sides (about 2 minutes per side).

Pour in the wine and shake the pan to loosen any brown bits from the bottom.

Let the alcohol evaporate (about 3 minutes) and if you see the sauce gets too thick, add 2-3 tablespoons of water.

Add the prosciutto to the chicken slices and then top with the cheese. Low the heat to the minimum and cover the pan.

Let the chicken Valdostana cook for about 2 minutes or just until the cheese has completely melted.

Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately with one of the side dishes suggested below.

How to serve

In many restaurants here in Rome this Valdostana chicken is served with cicoria alla romana (sauteed greens) or funghi trifolati (sauteed mushrooms).

But you can also serve this Italian chicken dish with Italian roasted potatoes or mashed potatoes or a light green salad, all those recipes are perfect as a side dish.

Recipe Variations

• TOMATO – Add 2 teaspoons of tomato paste to the pan, it will create a light and delicious tomato sauce for spooning over the chicken.
• MUSHROOMS – Before adding the chicken to the pan, sauté 1 cup of your favorite mushrooms, once slightly cooked, remove them and then return them when you pour the wine to finish the cooking.

Can be stored?

Even though I recommend making this dish and consuming it immediately, you can still make it ahead and store it for later. Here is what you can do:

• Place your Valdostana chicken leftovers in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Or prep some steps one or two days before you want to consume it, like shredding the cheese, seasoning the chicken, and cutting the ham. Store all in separated containers in the fridge, then cook it and serve.

Reheating

Place the dish in a shallow pan, add a splash of water or chicken stock, and heat it up on the stove over medium heat. Feeling lazy? Reheat in the microwave in 30 seconds intervals until heated up.

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