This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy
With only 5 ingredients, this Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Asparagus is a quick, easy and impressive way to liven up some otherwise lacklustre white meat. Serve it with your favourite side dish or overtop of a leafy green salad.
Similar to Chicken Saltimbocca, this recipe involves wrapping chicken breast in slices of delicious, salty prosciutto before cooking them to perfection. Not only does the Italian, cured ham add an incredible amount of flavour, but it also gets wonderfully crispy in the pan. The difference is we also stuff the chicken breasts with fresh and vibrant asparagus spears. It makes for a beautiful presentation and incorporates some healthy veggies.
Do You Dredge the Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken?
You don’t have to coat the chicken in any kind of flour or starch before cooking. However, for a bit more of a crust, I like to dredge each breast in some arrowroot starch. It adds colour and texture.
Arrowroot starch is a grain-free and gluten-free alternative to cornstarch. It’s neutral in flavour, versatile and affordable. If you don’t already have some in your pantry, I recommend getting a bag. You can find it online or at many local grocery stores.
Other gluten- and grain-free flours include tapioca starch and cassava flour. If restrictions are not a concern for you, you can use regular flour or cornstarch.
Where’s the Salt?
You may notice that this recipe doesn’t call for any additional salt. The prosciutto has plenty and will impart a lot of flavour into the chicken. However, things should always be seasoned to your own personal taste. So, feel free to salt the meat as much or as little as you like. You’re the boss, applesauce!
What Do You Cook the Chicken In?
Pan-roasting allows you to develop a beautiful colour and flavourful crust on the chicken without burning the outside before the inside has had a chance to cook through.
Because you’re pan-roasting the prosciutto-wrapped chicken, you’ll need a pan that is oven-safe. Your options include:
- A Stainless-Steel Sauté Pan or Skillet: I’m a fan of Made In Cookware
- A Cast-Iron Skillet or Braiser: You can’t go wrong with Staub, Le Creuset or Lodge
- A Carbon-Steel Skillet: Made In Cookware has a great one
- A Non-Stick Sauté Pan or Skillet with a Metal Handle (do not put plastic-handled pans in the oven): like this DeBuyer Model
If you do not have an oven-safe pan, you can sear the chicken in whatever pan you have and then transfer the pieces to a sheet pan for roasting. Of course, there’s a bit more cleanup involved this way, but it’s not the end of the world.
Other Quick-and-Easy Chicken Recipes
- Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken
- Bruschetta Chicken
- Grilled Rosemary Orange Honey Garlic Chicken
- Chicken Stroganoff
- Whole30 Pan-Roasted Chicken Breast with Salsa Verde
Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Asparagus – Whole30, Paleo
Ingredients
- 4 medium-sized chicken breasts
- 16 asparagus spears, stems removed
- 1.5 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 8 slices of prosciutto
- ¼ cup arrowroot starch
- 2.5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Set the chicken breasts on a cutting board. Place one hand flat on one chicken breast and extend your fingers away from the board for safety. With your knife blade held parallel to the cutting board, slice the chicken breast horizontally, cutting *almost* to the other side. Be careful not to slice all the way through. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
- Stuff the chicken breast with 4 asparagus spears. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts. Evenly season both sides with Italian seasoning. Lay two slices of prosciutto side-by-side on a cutting board. Place the stuffed chicken breasts overtop and wrap tightly with the prosciutto.
- Add arrowroot starch to a bowl. Dredge the chicken all over with the starch and pat off the excess.
- Preheat a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the chicken breasts and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, around 3 minutes. Flip and transfer the pan to the oven. Roast for around 12 minutes or until the thickest part of the breast registers 165F on a digital thermometer. Remove from heat and serve immediately with side of choice.
About the Author
Hi, i’m Ronny! In 2013, after a lifetime of struggling with my weight and body issues, I rehabilitated my relationship with food, lost over 40 pounds and completely changed my life.
