Grilled Chicken and Prosciutto Involtini

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Grilled Chicken and Prosciutto Involtini deliver a lot of flavor in a tidy little package. Stuffed with thin slices of salty prosciutto, sun dried tomatoes and smoky, creamy mozzarella cheese and grilled to perfection. And to seal the deal, topped with a simple lemony parsley topping. This chicken recipe doesn’t disappoint. A peppery Arugula and tomato salad is a perfect and simple side companion for these tasty bundles.

grilled chicken involtini with arugula salad on white platter

INSPIRED BY GIADA’S DELICIOUS RECIPES

First, I use Smoked Mozzarella which compliments the full, tangy flavor of sun dried tomatoes and the saltiness of the prosciutto. Alternately, you can use Black forest ham and Provolone cheese which are similar flavors. I use the addition of dried Italian herbs, crushed red pepper and garlic powder to intensify the flavor from the inside out and the final result is a perfect balance. I made some adjustments to Giada DeLaurentiis’ original recipe for Grilled Chicken Involtini that can be found here. One of the best things about this easy recipe is that comes it comes together really quickly so it’s perfect for busy Summer weeknights.

WHAT IS INVOLTINI?

The word Involtini is an Italian term for “little rolled bundles”. Vegetables or thinly pounded meat are commonly used as the wrapper. The fillings are as creative as you want them to be as long you can create a closure for the Involtini to stay together. I often hear the word Rollatini, and according to Wikipedia, Rollatini is an Italian American term for the same little bundles of deliciousness.

Preparing the chicken cutlets

Start with chicken breast cutlets. If you can’t find cutlets, buy regular skinless, boneless chicken breasts and carefully slice lengthwise. Now for my favorite part, pounding the chicken pieces! I used a zip type gallon size bag. I place a chicken piece inside the bag and pound on the outside until about 1/4 inch thick. Use the flat side if you have a meat tenderizer with two sides.

Remove the pounded chicken piece and repeat until all the chicken pieces have been pounded. Cut each piece of chicken in half.

In a small bowl, combine kosher salt, dried basil, dried oregano, garlic powder and crushed red pepper. Mix well.

Sprinkle the spice mixture on the insides of the pounded, boneless chicken breasts.

Depending on how thin the prosciutto is, use 1 to 2 slices, top with about 1 tablespoon of julienned sun dried tomatoes in oil, and a slice of fresh mozzarella cheese.

Carefully, roll each chicken piece tightly and secure with a toothpick or small skewer.

Stuff all chicken pieces.

Finish off by sprinkling the stuffed chicken pieces with a pinch of kosher salt.

ingredients for grilled chicken involtini on half sheet — pound chicken flat and cut each piece in half

pound chicken flat and cut each piece in half

How to prepare grill

Preheat grill (about 400ºF). (gas grill and charcoal grill instructions shown below.)

For an outdoor gas grill, I recommend a copper grilling mat to contain any melted cheese. If you don’t have a mat, spray chicken bundles with oil to prevent them from sticking on the grill.

Conversely, for a charcoal grill, burn coals until a medium heat is reached, about 20 minutes and usually when the briquets are gray overall.

Alternatively, if you prefer to cook indoors, I suggest spraying your indoor grill pan to make clean up easier.

grilling time

Now it’s time to cook our little Grilled Chicken and Prosciutto Involtini. First, place chicken bundles on the side without the toothpick first, cook about 3 minutes and flip every 3 minutes or so. This will allow the sides of chicken breast to start cooking without the filling falling out of the chicken bundle and to brown evenly. Total cooking time is between 15-20 minutes.

If your grill is really hot, you can move chicken pieces to the indirect side of the grill for more even cooking time. Grill chicken Involtini until internal temperature has reached 160F.

Remove from the grill and place on a platter.

Place aluminum foil on top and allow the chicken to rest about 5-10 minutes. This allows the chicken to continue to rise to the proper temperature.

Salad preparation and serving

In a medium bowl use pre-washed Arugula, add tomatoes, shredded parmesan cheese (optional) and toss with our White Balsamic Honey Mustard Vinaigrette or your favorite Balsamic Dressing and place on platter.

In a small bowl combine chopped flat leaf parsley, minced fresh garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and set aside.

Lastly, remove the skewers or toothpicks from the stuffed chicken pieces and place on platter with Arugula and Tomato salad and top chicken pieces with Parsley Lemon mixture.

Serve whole or sliced with a side of Arugula Salad. Enjoy one of our favorite chicken recipes!

horizontal photo of grilled chicken involtini sliced in half with arugula salad

What if my package of cutlets has four pieces instead of three?

You have enough ingredients to stretch them for the fourth cutlet.

Best substitutes for fresh, Smoked Mozzarella:

Smoked provolone, smoked gruyere, and regular mozzarella are great substitutes.

Best substitutes for Prosciutto:

Thinly sliced Black Forest ham and smoked ham are great substitutes.

Can I cook this chicken recipe in the oven?

Yes. Spray an oven safe dish with some olive oil and arrange chicken pieces. They can be baked at 375ºF, covered for 10 minutes and then uncovered for 10. They will not brown as nicely as on the grill.

Can I cook Chicken Involtini on the stove top?

They can be cooked on a grill pan or on a large skillet. Follow same method of turning every 3 or so minutes so they cook and brown evenly.

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