This isn’t just another chicken recipe. Prosciutto-wrapped chicken with asparagus is impossibly juicy, and the fresh asparagus brings a pop of spring brightness. Plus, this easy, show-stopper dinner is healthy to boot. Well, I mean, besides the cream. But the asparagus totally makes up for that, right? Originally published February 7, 2014.
Table of Contents
- This chicken will knock your socks off
- Key ingredients
- How to make prosciutto-wrapped chicken with asparagus
- What to serve with prosciutto-wrapped chicken
- How to store
- How to reheat
- Can I freeze prosciutto-wrapped chicken with asparagus?
- Can I make prosciutto-wrapped chicken with asparagus in advance?
- More date-worthy recipes
- Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Asparagus Recipe
Guys, I don’t want to brag or anything, but I’m pretty much single-handedly saving the whales over here. I haven’t had a longer-than-5-minute shower in months. I know the rest of you are getting pounded with snow right now, but we Californians are in drought-land.
Okay…that’s not actually why I’m taking 5-minute showers. I’m not that good of a person. No, we just have a crappy from-the-past water heater. 5 minutes. That’s it. 5 minutes, and then I’m left with barely warm water. And I like my showers HOT.
I was talking to my friend Lara about this today, and she said, “If my skin is not red when I get out, then it wasn’t a hot enough shower.” Yes. Yes.
A sad residual of this fact is that I now only have 1 square foot of shower space that is not filthy. My usual strategy for cleaning the shower is to wipe it down with a magic eraser every day. Because if I have to clean something, doing it with hot water streaming on my skin is how I want it done. (I would clean everything in the shower if I could.)
But who has time for shower-scrubbing when you only have 3 minutes to shampoo AND condition your hair? 2 minutes to shave your legs??
Good thing my mother-in-law is coming to town next week, otherwise my one-square-foot of clean shower would slowly diminish until eventually I’d be showering on tiptoe. Nothing beats a mother-in-law when it comes to cleaning motivation. (Love you, Kris! :)
I seriously need to get Eric to turn up the temperature on the water heater. He’s going to notice soon that I never shave my legs anymore.
I’m trying to think of a segue from shaved legs to Valentine’s Day, and boy, have I got some, but let’s keep this blog G-rated.
If you are braving the crowded restaurants on V-day, more power to you, but I, for one, will be making dinner at home. A fast one, that doesn’t require any thought, so that I can get back to making good use of my shaved legs. (Don’t worry, I’ll take a shower in the guest bathroom. TMI?)
This chicken will knock your socks off
This prosciutto-wrapped chicken with asparagus is a good option. Classy, pretty, and suuuper easy, tossed in a silky basil pesto cream sauce. It’s got texture, it’s got color, and every bite delivers big, balanced flavor. Even better, it comes together in about 30 minutes. Perfect for those at-home date nights.
Featured Comment
“Wow, this is great! Who knew a delicious sauce was so easy?” – Aknak
Key ingredients
- Use fresh asparagus. Put the canned stuff away. (Or throw it away.)
- For this recipe, thin-sliced chicken breasts are key. You can carefully butterfly and slice them yourself, or save yourself some time (and a little sanity) by grabbing the pre-sliced cutlets from the store. No judgment here. Pro tip: to butterfly a chicken breast, place your hand flat on top and CAREFULLY slice it horizontally through the middle with a sharp knife, stopping just before cutting all the way through so the breast opens like a book.
- You can use homemade or store-bought basil pesto. I think both are fine for this recipe. Use whatever you have.
How to make prosciutto-wrapped chicken with asparagus
Try to find these “thin cut” chicken breasts. It will save you some time.
Wrap up those bad boys with a slice of prosciutto.
Fry it up on the stove. Don’t crowd your meat; use 2 pans if you have to.
Whisk up some creamy pesto…
Add some asparagus…
And voila!
How good does this look? SOOOO good.
What to serve with prosciutto-wrapped chicken
So many options!
- I never say no to mashed potatoes. Perfect for date night!
- Oven-roasted red potatoes would also be great–and easy!
- This lemon arugula salad would pair perfectly with salty prosciutto.
- Don’t forget some homemade French bread to sop up the delicious creamy pesto sauce.
How to store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. If possible, keep the sauce separate from the chicken and asparagus to help everything maintain the best texture.
How to reheat
Warm leftover chicken and asparagus in a skillet over medium-low heat, adding a splash of cream or chicken broth to loosen the sauce if needed. You can also microwave in 30-second increments, covered, stirring the sauce in between so it heats evenly.
Can I freeze prosciutto-wrapped chicken with asparagus?
Yes, you can freeze the cooked chicken (with or without the sauce) for up to 2 months. Let it cool completely, then wrap tightly and store in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently on the stovetop. Don´t bother freezing the asparagus, as it gets too mushy. Just make it fresh when serving.
Can I make prosciutto-wrapped chicken with asparagus in advance?
Yes, but with a couple of easy tweaks. You can wrap the chicken in prosciutto up to 24 hours in advance. Arrange the wrapped cutlets in a single layer, cover tightly, and refrigerate until ready to cook. When it’s time for dinner, just sear and finish cooking as directed.
You can also trim the asparagus ahead of time and store it in the fridge (wrapped in a damp paper towel inside a bag) until you’re ready to cook.
If you’d like to fully cook the dish ahead, it does reheat well. Just warm it gently on the stovetop with a splash of cream or broth to loosen the sauce and keep the chicken tender. For the best texture, slightly undercook the asparagus if you know you’ll be reheating it later.
More date-worthy recipes
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Creamy Tuscan Salmon (30 Minute Dinner!)
Meatless Dinner Recipes
Butternut Squash Tortellini
Recipes for Dinner
Pork Chops in Creamy Mushroom Sauce
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Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast, sliced thin (2-3 breasts)
- salt & black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons flour, or more
- 4 slices prosciutto
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1/4 cup basil pesto
- 1/3 cup cream
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken. Use a sharp knife to slice each chicken breast in half horizontally, to create a thin cutlet. Start at the thick edge of the chicken breast. You should end up with pieces of chicken that are the same shape as a chicken breast, just thinner. Pat them dry with a paper towel, then sprinkle with salt and pepper; go easy on the salt, the prosciutto is salty.
- Rub the chicken with the flour. Wrap each piece of chicken with a piece of prosciutto.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium. When it is hot, add the wrapped chicken. Cook for 5-6 minutes, then flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes or so, until browned and it reaches 165 degrees.
- Meanwhile, add about 3 inches of water to a small pot, cover, and put it on to boil. Wash the asparagus and snap off the woody ends. Cut the asparagus into 2 inch pieces. Add to a steamer basket, and when the water in the pot is at a rolling boil, put the basket on top and cover. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Immediately rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and set it aside. (If you don’t have a steamer, you can roast the asparagus, or saute it with some oil).
- In a small bowl whisk together the pesto and cream. When the chicken is fully cooked, pour the mixture over the chicken, and add the asparagus. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn off the heat. Serve with potatoes or crusty bread.
I came across this recipe several months ago and tried it at home. Not fully reading the part about cutting the chicken length wise, I quartered each breast half! It still turned out great! Since then I have cooked this several times, and as usual I modified the recipe to suite me. I’ve increased the amount of asparagus, I add the pepper (no salt) along with onion powder and garlic powder and some dried Italian seasoning to the flour. I wanted more and a thicker sauce, so I added a 1/4 cup sour cream to the pesto mix and serve it over a bed of rice (used both white and brown and they are both good!) Thanks ever so much for a simple yet elegant recipe that is for giving!
Oh, I love the idea of adding sour cream to the sauce. That’s a great idea and an easy way to thicken it up. Thanks for coming back to comment Nick! Love hearing from you!
Nice post Karen, that asparagus makes a difference. The asparagus is, to begin, filled with beneficial agents that aid and protect the heart. People taking steamed asparagus daily have shown increases in the strength of their heart and fewer heart related problems, as opposed to those who did not have asparagus as part of their diets.
Best wishes.
Awesome info Margaret! Thanks!
This looks and sounds amazing! I can’t wait to try it. I was wondering if you have a recipe for the basil pesto or if you buy it premade? I have never made my own pesto, mostly because there are so many recipes out there that I never know which to use!
I actually bought mine at the store! I’ve made my own before but have never written it down. Maybe someday I will post a recipe! Thanks for the feedback, hope you enjoy the chicken!
Okay, so I made this on Valentines Day and Yowzers! This is one of the better combinations of delicious/easy that I’ve had on this blog, and it looks super impressive. In other words, it was the the perfect recipe.
I roasted the asparagus instead of steaming (about 10-12 minutes at 350). And I didn’t follow your advice about salting the chicken lightly, so it was a touch too salty with the Prosciutto. But OMG this was a winner.
Oooh roasted asparagus. It’s just so good. I will do that next time! Yaaay for easy delicious meals! :)
I cant’ believe how easy this was, and it was SO GOOD!!! I served it with mashed Yukon gold potatoes. I will definitely be making this one again!
Thanks for the review Jill! This would be great with mashed potatoes! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. :)
wow! this dish looks amazing! i have half a jar of basil pesto just begging for this recipe – just added it to the menu for tomorrow! thank you!
Awesome Kelly! Hope you love it!
My favorite recipe of yours, Karen! It’s just wonderful!
Just made this for lunch. Boyfriend loved it. Thank you for this easy to make and tasty recipe!!
Woohoo! Thanks Saghi! Glad you guys liked it.
My only problem is going to be waiting an appropriate amount of time before making this again! Followed the recipe exactly and the whole family was fighting over leftovers for lunch. Great for week nights, good enough for company. I wanted to lick my plate!
So glad you loved it Kristin! That is one of the reasons I love this recipe–totally doable for any night OR entertaining. Thanks for coming back to comment!!
Great recipe…Terrific pictures…Adorable blog…You got a new like from me :) I’ll be coming around a lot more now :)
Made this tonight. Gone low-carb, so I didn’t use the flour. No worries!! Also, I didn’t have the pesto in my pantry that I was SURE was in there, so went without that as well. Oh my gosh! It took everything I had not to plant my face in the plate and lick it clean! This one’s going to be a regular.
Good to know I can skip the flour next time Kim! Thanks for the review! That’s too bad you didn’t have the pesto. I hate it when I do that. (Where did that entire jar go??) Have a great day Kim!
I made the other day and my ENTIRE family loved it, even my very pick daughter. Thanks for a great recipe that will now be a staple in my home!!
Hooray for great family recipes! Glad you loved it Melissa. Thanks for the review!
Great recipe for Tuesday night with the family, or a Friday night romance! Easy, yet decadent. Thanks!
I made this last night and it was delectable! I plan to make this again! Thanks for the simple delicious dinner
Made this last night and it was delicious! Even my fiancé, who once claimed to hate prosciutto, loved it. :)
Hooray for prosciutto conversion! :) thanks for the review Danielle!