Chicken Saltimbocca

September. The route split happened. Monday morning I walked the eastern half of my Midtown loop for the first time as its sole occupant — no more western side, no more Henderson porch, no more Barksdale and Mr. Harding's azaleas. A younger carrier named Kevin took the western half. He's twenty-six, fresh out of training, and I showed him the quirks — which gates stick, which dogs bark, which customers want conversation. I handed him half my world and he took it with the casual grip of someone who doesn't know yet how heavy it becomes.

The eastern half is shorter — four miles instead of six — and my knee thanked me immediately. By Wednesday the daily pain had dropped from a shout to a mutter, and I could walk the route without stopping, which hadn't happened in months. The loss of half the route bought me time with the other half. The trade was worth it, even if it hurt.

Saturday I made smoked turkey wings — big, meaty wings, the kind that most people throw away or use for stock but which, when smoked properly, become one of the most flavorful things you can put on a plate. Brined overnight, rubbed with my poultry blend, smoked at 275 over hickory for three hours until the skin was dark and crispy and the meat pulled clean with a tug. Turkey wings are poor man's BBQ — cheap, underrated, delicious — and they remind me that the best food doesn't come from the expensive cuts. It comes from the cuts that nobody else wants, transformed by time and smoke and a pitmaster who sees potential where others see waste.

Rosetta ate a wing and said, "These are better than your chicken." I said, "Don't tell the chicken." She didn't laugh, which means she was serious, which means the turkey wings have entered the rotation, and the rotation is sacred, and joining it is an honor that few dishes receive and no dish refuses.

When Rosetta said the turkey wings were better than my chicken, I took it as a compliment to the wings — but I also heard it as a challenge to the chicken. The dish she was thinking of, the one that has held its spot in the rotation longest, is this Chicken Saltimbocca: thin cutlets pressed with sage and prosciutto, seared hard in butter until the edges crisp and the kitchen smells like somewhere in Rome. It earned its place the same way everything does around here — by being so good nobody wanted to argue about it. Now it has competition, and competition makes everything better.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 6 oz each), pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
8 fresh sage leaves
4 thin slices prosciutto
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon capers, drained (optional)
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Prepare the cutlets. Place 2 sage leaves on top of each pounded chicken breast. Lay a slice of prosciutto over the sage, pressing gently so it adheres. Season the underside of each cutlet lightly with salt and pepper.
Dredge. Spread the flour in a shallow dish. Lightly dredge each cutlet on the prosciutto side only, shaking off any excess. This helps the prosciutto crisp without over-coating the chicken.
Sear. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter foams. Add the cutlets prosciutto-side down. Sear for 3 to 4 minutes until the prosciutto is golden and crisp. Flip and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
Build the pan sauce. Pour off any excess fat, leaving the browned bits in the pan. Add the white wine and let it reduce by half, about 2 minutes, scraping up the fond with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice and simmer until slightly reduced, 2 to 3 minutes more. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to finish the sauce. Add capers if using.
Serve. Spoon the pan sauce over the cutlets and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately alongside roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, or a simple green salad.

Nutrition (per serving)

Chicken Saltimbocca — The Dish That Holds Its Place in the Rotation