This deeply flavored, comfort-food dinner is made up of three dishes that come together quickly and easily. Make the simple marinara first and let it finish while the chicken and polenta cook—ready in less than half an hour.
Polenta is sometimes called the Italian version of southern American grits. But polenta, made with yellow corn, is often cooked on the stove to a creamy consistency, then baked to form cakes for presentation—similar to American cornbread, but with fewer ingredients. It is also served straight from the pan as a soft polenta.
This recipe uses quick-cooking polenta, a pre-cooked, fine-grained cornmeal available in the international sections of many supermarkets. It’s a good, fast substitute for polenta made from raw cornmeal that requires a longer cooking time. The ratio of broth to cornmeal may seem plentiful on the liquid side, but the corn grains soak up mixture quickly and need lots of liquid to stay creamy.
Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken Breasts over Creamy Polenta
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 cups crushed canned tomatoes
- 1 1/2 tbsp capers, rinsed, drained, and coarsely chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
- 1 tsp sugar
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 4 very thin slices of prosciutto, 2-3 inches wide
- 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup quick-cooking polenta
- Parmigiano-Reggiano, for grating
Preparation
- Heat a saucepan over medium-low heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the shallot and garlic and cook 3 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning.
- Add the tomatoes, capers, parsley, and sugar and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a slight simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Let cook while preparing the chicken and polenta.
- Sprinkle the chicken breasts on both sides with salt, pepper, and the dried basil. Wrap 1 slice of prosciutto around each breast.
- Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Place the chicken breasts in the skillet with the prosciutto seam-side down and cook until just cooked through, 5-6 minutes per side, depending on thickness.
- Meanwhile, bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a saucepan. Slowly stir in the polenta and season with salt and pepper. Cook until creamy and smooth, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes.
- To serve, divide the polenta among 4 plates, smoothing into a circle. Spoon about 1/2 cup of marinara each over the center of the polenta. Lay 1 chicken breast on top of the marinara on each plate. Grate a little Parmigiano-Reggiano over all and serve right away.
Also try Polenta with Mushroom Marinara and Italian Sausages.
Pamela Steed Hill - Pamela Steed Hill is an editor, freelance writer, and home cook. She has published over 250 food articles and recipes online.
