Pollo alla Valdostana

A while ago, my husband and I, after a long day at work, decided to go out for dinner instead of cooking at home. We had passed this tiny restaurant in the middle of a neighborhood on our way to work and decided to give it a try. From the outside, the restaurant, which is called Dolce Vita, didn’t seem like anything special, but we went there anyway because we like to try new restaurants. What a nice surprise! The menu was very Mediterranean and eclectic, and best of all, it was BYOB, which meant we could bring a bottle of our favorite wine without being charged any corkage fee. I ordered mussels with pasta, which was delicious. My husband, who has a knack for choosing great dishes, ordered a chicken dish: chicken thigh covered with prosciutto and Fontina cheese in a wine and butter sauce. I had a bite of it and immediately fell in love with the dish. It had the same effect on my husband. It was rich but not greasy, the sauce had a slight wine flavor without being overwhelming. The prosciutto and cheese perfectly complimented the chicken.

Afterwards, my husband and I would crave the chicken dish we ordered at Dolce Vita. After what seemed to be a scavenger hunt, I found a recipe that resembled the dish we ate at the restaurant: Pollo Alla Valdostana.  I read the recipe and it looked suspiciously easy; I printed it and tried at home. The result: best chicken dish ever! You have to make this chicken dish. It is out of this world. It transforms bland chicken into a heavenly dish. And the best part is how easy it is to make. You can accompany this dish with pasta on the side or mashed potatoes…your choice.

Bottom line, if you can’t try Dolce Vita (http://www.dolcevitaenola.com), try this dish. You won’t regret it! If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email at goodsazon@gmail.com

Pollo Alla Valdostana

Makes 4 servings

Adapted from www.chow.com

Comments: If you can’t find Fontina Cheese, you can use Swiss or Gruyere cheese. Also, and this is VERY important, please use real butter, it adds a great flavor to the dish. Do not use margarine!

·         4 (6 to 8 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

·         ½ cup all-purpose flour

·         4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)

·         ½ cup dry white wine

·         4 thin slices prosciutto (about 2 oz.

·         4 thin slices fontina cheese (2 to 3 oz.)

1. Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper and use a frying pan to gently pound the breasts to an even thickness. They should be about 1-inch. thick.

2. Combine flour with some salt and freshly ground black pepper in a wide, shallow dish.

3. Coat each breast by dredging it in the flour mixture. Tap chicken against your palm to knock off the excess flour.

4. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add butter and melt until foaming. Add chicken breasts and sauté until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip and brown the other side.

5. Deglaze the pan by adding the white wine and scraping the pan with a spatula to incorporate the browned bits into the sauce. Reduce the heat low.

Place one slice each of prosciutto and fontina cheese over each chicken breast, and simmer until sauce slightly thickened, about three minutes. Add a few tablespoons of water if the sauce gets too thick. Baste chicken breasts a few times by spooning sauce over them (this will help the cheese melt).

6. Top with freshly ground black pepper and serve.