Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Breasts

This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Breasts with brown sugar spice rub is an easy sheet pan dinner that’s perfect for special occasions or family meals. This recipe offers the optional addition of sweet potato fries that can easily be replaced by other delicious side dish suggestions to suit your preferences! 

Featured comment: Great way to fancy up a chicken breast! The spices and salty prosciutto add a lot of flavor to the chicken and those sweet potato fries are heaven!” – Kathryn

Update: This recipe was originally published in November 2018. I’ve made updates to the article below to include more information about this recipe for chicken breasts wrapped with prosciutto di parma. 

It’s rare to find a dish that can easily be served as a sophisticated meal for holiday entertaining while also suitable for busy weeknight family meals. This prosciutto wrapped chicken IS that dish! 

About this recipe for chicken wrapped in prosciutto 

The chicken breasts are seasoned with a brown sugar spice rub, wrapped with thinly sliced prosciutto, and baked until tender and juicy while browned and crispy on the outside. If that wasn’t enough, I also show you how you can easily add some homemade sweet potato fries to this sheet pan meal, without much extra effort. 

If you’re ready to ditch the complicated holiday meals without compromising on food presentation and flavor, this chicken wrapped in prosciutto is one to bookmark. Garnish each prosciutto wrapped chicken breast with grated Parmesan and fresh herbs for a spectacular meal.

If you’re looking for more super easy sheet pan chicken dinners, try these recipes next: Thai Peanut Chicken, Balsamic Sheet Pan Chicken, and Chicken Harissa with Potatoes.

Why this chicken with prosciutto recipe works

This chicken wrapped in prosciutto is a delicious twist to the Italian saltimbocca, offering a plate of juicy and flavorful chicken with salty and crispy prosciutto! Here’s why you’ll love it:

• So simple. This recipe uses simple, fresh minimal ingredients that are easily sourced and inexpensive for a wholesome meal. Make this dish in less than an hour. 
• Versatile. Swap out the sweet potato fries for your favorite seasonal veggies or add a salad to the meal. 
• One pan! This prosciutto wrapped chicken is cooked on a single sheet pan, making the cooking process incredibly easy.

What is prosciutto chicken?

Prosciutto wrapped chicken breast is exactly what it sounds like. It consists of chicken breasts that have been wrapped with thinly sliced prosciutto and baked until the prosciutto is deliciously crispy.

Ingredients for prosciutto wrapped chicken

This sheet pan meal is super easy and stress-free, made in less than an hour! Here’s what you’ll need: 

• Sweet potatoes – Cut into uniform matchsticks. This is optional and can be omitted.
• Olive oil – Make sure you use regular olive oil; not extra virgin olive oil.
  • Substitution: Canola or avocado oil. 
• Fresh thyme
• Spices – Paprika and chili Powder. Increase or decrease to suit your preferences.
• Brown sugar 
• Garlic powder 
• Kosher salt and black pepper – Popular savory dish staples!
  • Substitution: Flaky sea salt works great too!
• Chicken – Boneless skinless chicken breasts.  
• Substitution: Boneless skinless chicken thighs are also great, especially if you prefer darker meat. 
• Prosciutto – Thinly sliced. This is easily found in your local butchery or the cured meats section of a grocery store.
• Optional garnish – Grated parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes, finely chopped parsley or chives.

Recipe variations 

• Chicken. Boneless skinless chicken thighs are a great alternative to chicken breasts, especially if you prefer darker meat. 
• Prosciutto. If you can’t source prosciutto for this chicken wrapped prosciutto recipe, thinly sliced bacon can be used instead. 
• Veggies. If you don’t enjoy sweet potatoes, swap them with other types of vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, or onions.  
• Stuffing. For a more decadent and rich dish, consider slicing each chicken breast (NOT the whole way through) and stuffing it with herb cream cheese before wrapping it with prosciutto. 
• Garnish. I love to garnish this chicken wrapped in prosciutto with grated parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes, finely chopped parsley, or chives. This garnish is totally optional and can be changed to suit your tastes. 

How to make prosciutto wrapped chicken breasts

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large sheet pan with foil for easy clean up and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, ½ teaspoon thyme, paprika, ½ teaspoon chili powder, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
3. Gently pound chicken breasts to 3/4’’ at the thickest part using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture all over chicken and use your hands to coat the chicken.
4. Wrap chicken with prosciutto: Wrap 2-3 slices of prosciutto around each chicken breast so that the ends of the prosciutto are underneath the chicken breast to prevent unwrapping when cooked. Press the prosciutto together to seal. Transfer the chicken to the lined sheet pan.
5. Bake prosciutto chicken in the oven: Transfer the chicken breasts wrapped with prosciutto to the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken  breasts reads 165-F.
6. To serve: Remove from oven and tent chicken loosely with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 3-5 minutes before serving.

Tips for chicken breast wrapped in prosciutto 

• Garnish: While the garnish in this dish is completely optional, I highly recommend adding it for extra flavor!
• Size of chicken. If you’re using larger chicken breasts, you may need to increase the cooking time slightly to ensure that the chicken is completely cooked. You can also test the chicken by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest section, which should read 165 F (the FDA’s recommended temperature). 
• Thickness of chicken: Pounding the chicken breast to an even ¾” thickness ensures even cooking and tenderizes the meat. 
• Different cooking stages: It’s important to follow the steps of this recipe, especially if you decide to cook this dish with sweet potatoes or other vegetables. Hardy veggies require a longer cooking time and need to go into the oven before the chicken breasts. 
• Resting time: Allow the baked chicken prosciutto to rest for 3-5 minutes before slicing and serving. The juices will redistribute which prevents dry chicken. 

FAQs: frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between chicken saltimbocca and prosciutto wrapped chicken?

Chicken Saltimbocca is an Italian dish made with chicken cutlets that are wrapped with prosciutto and sage and served with a white wine sauce. Prosciutto wrapped chicken is typically made with lightly pounded chicken breasts, with or without sage, and doesn’t include any wine sauce.

How long do you cook prosciutto wrapped chicken?

Chicken with prosciutto requires 18-25 minutes in a preheated oven at 425 degrees F. If in doubt, make sure that the chicken meat is no longer a translucent pink color, reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, and the prosciutto is golden and crisp.

Can I pan-sear the wrapped chicken breast?

Yes, you can! This Italian chicken recipe doesn’t call for searing the wrapped chicken breast in a pan or skillet, but you can easily do so with a drizzle of olive oil to create a crispier texture to the sliced prosciutto. 

Sear each side of each wrapped chicken breast for a maximum of 2 minutes over medium-high heat. 

Is this chicken with prosciutto recipe keto-friendly?

Absolutely! This chicken and prosciutto dish is high in protein and healthy fats. You can omit the sweet potatoes or replace them with low-carb veggies, such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots, asparagus, or cauliflower. 

Serving wrapped chicken breast

How to serve this prosciutto chicken recipes?

Baked chicken wrapped in prosciutto is perfect for special occasions like Thanksgiving and other holidays, as well as an easy midweek family dinner. 

Garnish this ham wrapped chicken with grated parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes, finely chopped parsley, or chives. I’ve also provided recipe instructions for adding roasted sweet potato fries to this meal if you’d like. 

What to serve with chicken and prosciutto?

There are countless side dishes that you could pair with this succulent and flavorful chicken breasts wrapped in prosciutto, including: 

• Hearty Fall Salads – Italian Chopped Salad, BLT Salad with Avocado, Roasted Butternut Squash Salad, or Salad with Wild Rice.
• Sweet Potatoes – Sweet potato fries (see full recipe instructions), Sweet Potatoes Hummus, Whipped Sweet Potatoes, Sweet Potato Soup, or Brussels Sprouts & Sweet Potato Bowls.
• Regular Potatoes – mashed parsnips with potatoes, roasted potatoes, baked potato skins, potatoes au gratin, or potato salad
• Mashed Cauliflower – Great as a low-carb option!
• Roasted seasonal vegetables – Asparagus wrapped with prosciutto is literally the perfect side dish for this chicken.
• Grains or Rice – I love healthier zucchini rice here, but lemony greek rice works great too!

Storing chicken breast with prosciutto

How to store and how long does this chicken keep?

Store leftover chicken breast with prosciutto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Can you freeze this chicken recipe with prosciutto?

Absolutely! Store this chicken breast recipe in an airtight container in the freezer for 1-2 months. Thaw the chicken breasts overnight in the fridge, and reheat them as directed below. 

Reheating leftovers

Reheat leftover ham wrapped chicken in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 350F or until heated through. Cover the chicken breasts with aluminum foil to prevent them from drying out.  

Alternatively, thinly slice the wrapped chicken breasts and reheat them in a skillet over medium heat with some chicken broth for added moisture. 

This elegant and effortless chicken wrapped in ham with optional sweet potato fries is a fantastic addition to the holidays or whenever you want a flavorful family meal that won’t ask much of you!

Cheyanne

Craving MORE? Follow all the deliciousness on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram!

More recipes for one pan chicken dinners!

Are you looking for more super simple, restaurant-quality meals? Try these reader favorites!

• Chicken Diavolo
• Chicken Cutlets Parmesan
• Dried Tomato Chicken
• Florentine Chicken Recipe

The best recipe for chicken wrapped in prosciutto👇

Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Breasts with Sweet Potato Fries

5 from 7 votes

Author: Cheyanne Holzworth

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

This sheet pan Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken with Sweet Potato Fries is made with a just a handful of ingredients and one baking sheet! Super quick to prepare and packed with sweet and savory flavor, this elegant chicken breast and prosciutto dinner is great for busy weeknights or perfect for entertaining during the holiday season!

Equipment

• 2 Large Rimmed Baking Sheet
• 1 Small mixing bowl
• 1 Meat Mallet

Ingredients 

• 2 whole Sweet Potatoes – cut into matchsticks
• 2 TBS Olive Oil
• 1 TBS Fresh Thyme - DIVIDED
• 1 ¼ tsp Paprika
• 1 ¼ tsp Chili Powder - DIVIDED
• ¼ Cup Brown Sugar - packed
• ½ tsp Garlic Powder
• to taste Kosher Salt & Pepper
• 4 whole Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 12 Slices Prosciutto Ham
• Optional Garnishes: Grated Parmesan Cheese, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Finely Chopped Parsley or Chives

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Preheat oven and Prep Pan: Arrange oven rack to the middle position and then preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

  Line a large sheet pan with foil for easy clean up (for the chicken). Spray another large sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray (for the sweet potatoes). And then, set both aside.
• Season Fries: On the sprayed sheet pan, toss the sweet potatoes with olive oil, 2 ½ teaspoons thyme and ¾ teaspoon chili powder. Season generously with salt and pepper. Spread the fries out in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
• Partially Bake Fries: Transfer the fries to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and flip potatoes. Set potato fries aside.
• Meanwhile, Make Rub for Chicken: In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, ½ teaspoon thyme, paprika, ½ teaspoon chili powder, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Set the bowl aside.
• Pound Chicken Breasts, Then Season: Place the chicken breasts on a clean work surface and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, gently pound the chicken breasts to a thickness of 3/4-inches. Then, sprinkle the brown sugar mixture all over chicken breasts, using your hands to massage and coat the chicken in the seasonings.
• Wrap Chicken Breasts with Prosciutto: Once all the chicken is pounded out, take 2-3 slices of prosciutto and wrap them around each chicken breast so that the ends of the prosciutto are underneath the chicken breast to prevent the prosciutto from unwrapping when baking. Use your fingers to press the prosciutto together to seal. Transfer the chicken to the lined sheet pan.
• Bake Chicken and Fries: Transfer both the partially baked fries and the chicken to the oven. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center (an instant read thermometer inserted into the chicken should read 165 F), and the fries are tender, yet crisp.
• Rest: Remove both pans from the oven and tent the chicken breasts loosely with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 3-5 minutes before serving.
• Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle grated parmesan and fresh herbs over the prosciutto chicken and sweet potato fries, if using. Enjoy prosciutto wrapped chicken with fries immediately while warm.

Notes

1. Make sure you read the recipe all the way through before proceeding to make this dish. The recipe is written to make the most efficient use of your time and calls for preparing the sweet potatoes and chicken in stages (fries first and chicken second). It is written this way because the fries go into the oven first and then the chicken is added later. If you aren't good at kitchen prep, I recommend you go ahead and prepare everything before baking, meaning prepare the fries, pound the chicken, rub the chicken with the brown sugar mixture and wrap the chicken in prosciutto before putting anything into the oven.
2. Pounding Chicken: Make sure you gently pound out the chicken breasts to an even 3/4'' thickness. Pounding the chicken breast out not only ensures even cooking, but it also slightly tenderizes the meat.
3. Bake Time: The exact cooking time for the chicken will depend on the size of your chicken breasts and how thinly you pounded them out. The time listed in the recipe is an approximation. You should always cook chicken all the way through and until no longer pink. If you use an instant read cooking thermometer, make sure to measure the temperature at the thickest part of the breast. It should be between 160-170°F (The FDA recommends 165°F).
4. Resting Chicken: Make sure you allow the cooked prosciutto wrapped chicken breasts to rest for 3-5 minutes before slicing or serving. Resting the chicken allows the juices to redistribute and the prevents dry chicken.

Nutritional information is an estimate based upon 4 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.

Nutrition

Calories: 401kcal    Carbohydrates: 27g    Protein: 28g    Fat: 19g    Saturated Fat: 4g    Cholesterol: 88mg    Sodium: 330mg    Potassium: 713mg    Fiber: 2g    Sugar: 16g    Vitamin A: 9340IU    Vitamin C: 5.7mg    Calcium: 44mg    Iron: 1.3mg

Course: entree

Cuisine: American, Italian

©No Spoon Necessary.  All images and content are under copyright protection. Please do not use any images without prior permission. Kindly do not publish this recipe without prior consent. If you want to reference this recipe, please do so by linking directly to this post.