🇮🇹 Italian · Main Dish
🍗 Involtini di Pollo alla Siciliana
Involtini di Pollo
Thin chicken cutlets rolled around a breadcrumb, cheese, and prosciutto filling, skewered together and baked until golden, echoing the same Sicilian filling used in stuffed sardines.
These rolled chicken cutlets borrow the classic Sicilian breadcrumb-pine-nut-raisin filling used in sarde a beccafico, adapted here for chicken, and are traditionally threaded onto skewers with bay leaves between each roll.
Ingredients
Equipment: Meat mallet, Skewers, Baking dish
- 8 thin chicken breast cutlets
- 100 g (1 cup) breadcrumbs, toasted
- 60 g (¾ cup) grated pecorino or caciocavallo
- 4 slices prosciutto, chopped
- 30 g (¼ cup) pine nuts, toasted
- 30 g (¼ cup) raisins, soaked
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) extra virgin olive oil
- Bay leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Gently pound the chicken cutlets to an even thinness if needed.
- Combine the breadcrumbs, cheese, chopped prosciutto, pine nuts, drained raisins, and lemon zest with a drizzle of olive oil into a moist filling.
- Lay each cutlet flat, season lightly, and spread a spoonful of filling at one end.
- Roll each cutlet up tightly and thread 2-3 rolls onto a skewer, alternating with bay leaves.
- Arrange the skewers in a baking dish and drizzle generously with olive oil.
- Bake at 200C (400F) for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and lightly golden.
- Serve hot with any remaining filling scattered over the top.
Chef Tips
- Pound the chicken to an even thickness so it rolls neatly and cooks evenly.
- Threading the rolls onto skewers with bay leaves helps them hold their shape and adds aroma during baking.
- This dish echoes the classic Sicilian sweet-savory filling found in stuffed sardines, adapted here for a heartier chicken version.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overfilling the cutlets, making them difficult to roll and prone to bursting.
- Overcooking the chicken, which can dry it out.
- Skipping the bay leaves between rolls, which contribute meaningful aroma during baking.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- A good source of lean protein from the chicken.
Cultural Note
This dish reflects Sicily's fondness for rolled, stuffed preparations, borrowing the same sweet-savory breadcrumb filling found throughout the island's culinary traditions.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat gently in the oven, covered.
Serve with: A simple green salad, Roasted potatoes