Chicken Sorrentino combines thinly sliced chicken cutlets that are pan-seared and topped with layers of prosciutto, roasted eggplant, and fontina and mozzarella cheese and simmered in a delicious tomato-marsala wine sauce. This is old-school New York Italian food at its best.
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Editor’s Note: Originally published on November 14, 2018. Updated with expanded information and improved recipe and photos on January 13, 2025.
Where I grew up on Long Island, Chicken Sorrentino was available at every Italian restaurant and was something I’d order frequently.
Whether or not it was ever actually made in Sorrento, Italy, is yet to be determined, but what I do know is this dish is one of the best Italian American dishes you can make.
The combination of the salty prosciutto and the rich roasted eggplant (some places use fried eggplant similar to this eggplant rollatini recipe) pair perfectly with the fontina cheese and marsala wine-tomato sauce making this dish a hit every time.
Chicken Sorrentino is great with a side of garlicky sauteed broccoli rabe or Italian green beans and some crusty bread to mop up the delicious sauce.
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- Chicken. Chicken cutlets are recommended but you could buy whole breasts and fillet in half and lightly pound them flat.
- Prosciutto (not shown). You’ll need 6 to 8 slices or 1 slice per chicken cutlet. You can often find packages of pre-sliced prosciutto at grocery stores which will save you a trip to the deli counter. While Prosciutto di Parma is considered the best, you can absolutely use domestic prosciutto, especially in a dish like Chicken Sorrentino where the prosciutto is cooked slightly.
- Cheese. I’m using fontina cheese because it melts well and its slightly nutty flavor really makes it stand out. If you can’t find fontina, it’s perfectly fine just to use block mozzarella cheese (not fresh).
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and set the rack to the middle level. Slice one medium eggplant, lengthwise, into 1/4-inch thick pieces, place the slices on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and coat with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Roast the eggplant for 20 to 30 minutes or until the pieces are lightly browned and soft when pierced with a fork.
- While the eggplant roasts, shred 1/2 cup of fontina cheese, grate 1/4 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano, finely dice 1/2 of a small onion, and mince 2 cloves of garlic. Place 1/2 cup of all purpose flour in a shallow pan. Season 8 thinly sliced chicken cutlets (roughly 1 1/2 pounds) with salt and pepper on both sides then dredge them in the flour, coating them completely, then shaking gently to remove the excess. Place the cutlets on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- In a large oven safe pan, heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat and add the chicken cutlets to the pan and sear them for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Work in batches to not overcrowd, repeat for remaining cutlets, and place on a plate covered with tented foil to keep warm once cooked.
- Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to the same pan along with the onion and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add 1/4 cup of dry marsala wine and 1 cup of low-sodium or homemade chicken stock, turn the heat to high, and bring to a boil for 3 to 4 minutes or until the liquid reduces by half, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge any brown bits.
- Add 1 14-ounce can of blend-pulsed plum tomatoes and bring the sauce to a lively simmer for 3 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter and stir together to finish the sauce, then taste test and season with salt and pepper if required. Remove half of the sauce from the pan and set aside.
- By now the eggplant should be done roasting and you can test with a fork to make sure it’s tender and ready for assembly.
- Add the cooked chicken cutlets to the pan.
- Top each cutlet with 1 slice of prosciutto, then cover the prosciutto with 1 to 2 slices of eggplant, folding it over onto itself if needed.
- Sprinkle each slice with some fontina cheese and Parmigiano Reggiano, dividing evenly. Spoon 1 tablespoon of sauce on top of each cutlet.
- Bake the assembled chicken Sorrentino stacks in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until fully cooked through and the cheese is bubbly. Serve with the remaining sauce on the side and enjoy!
Top tips
- Chicken. It will save you time to buy chicken breasts that have already been sliced. If you buy whole chicken breasts, you can slice them in half and pound them with a mallet until they have a uniform thickness. I show how to do it in this sun dried tomato chicken recipe.
- Don’t overcook the chicken. When searing the chicken, take care to not overcook it since the chicken will spend 6 to 8 minutes in the oven at the very end.
- Use an oven-safe pan. Using an oven-safe pan to sear your chicken and make the sauce will allow you to use the same pan to bake the chicken Sorrentino at the very end. If you don’t have an oven-safe pan, you can transfer everything to a large baking dish to complete the job.
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Chicken Sorrentino
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant 1/4" thick slices
- 8 chicken cutlets about 1 1/2 pounds of chicken
- 1/2 cup (68g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (120ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 6 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 small onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup (60ml) dry marsala wine
- 1 cup (240ml) low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 14-ounce can plum tomatoes blender pulsed
- 8 slices prosciutto
- 1/2 cup (57g) shredded fontina cheese
- 1/4 cup (23g) grated parmigiano reggiano
- salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F and place the rack on the middle level. Place eggplant on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and coat with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Roast the eggplant for 20-30 minutes or until the pieces are lightly browned and soft when pierced with a fork.
- Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper on both sides. Dredge dry cutlets into flour and coat completely, shaking off the excess. Place the dredge cutlets on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the chicken to the pan and sear the cutlets for 2-3 minutes per side. If needed work in batches to not overcrowd the pan. Set the seared cutlets on a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Add the remaining olive oil to the same pan along with the onion. Cook for a few minutes then add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 2 more minutes). Add the marsala wine and chicken stock to the pan and turn heat to high. Bring to a boil for 3-4 minutes, or until the liquid reduces by half, and scrape the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge the brown bits.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and bring the sauce to a lively simmer for 3 minutes. Add the remaining butter and stir it all together to finish the sauce. Taste test and season the sauce with salt and pepper if required. Remove half of the sauce from the pan and set aside.
- Add the cooked chicken to the pan. Top each cutlet with 1 slice of prosciutto. Cover the prosciutto with and 1-2 slices of eggplant. Sprinkle both cheeses on to each piece, dividing evenly. Place one tablespoon of sauce onto each cutlet.
- Bake the assembled chicken stacks in the oven for 6-8 minutes or until fully cooked through with nice bubbly cheese. Serve the remaining sauce on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
- 1 1/2 pounds of chicken cutlets (6-8 cutlets) will serve 4 people. If using chicken breasts, fillet and pound to equal thickness before seasoning and dredging in flour.
- Presliced thin prosciutto works great for this dish.
- Extra sauce can be served with a bit of pasta or with crusty bread.
- Leftovers can be saved in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe was originally published on November 14, 2018. It was completely updated on January 13, 2025.
This was delicious! Thank you.
Thanks for the comment, Donna. We’re so happy you enjoyed it!
No wonder your recipes are just like my family … my father’s family is from just outside Palermo and mom’s family is from a small town in basilicata! Of course most of the recipes were never written down so you take away some of the guessing!! Thank you!
Making this for our “ITALIAN” thanksgiving with pasta, home made sauce and big antipasto salad on the side, Dessert is Tiramisu, Lemons stuffed with Lemon Sorbet and Biscotti. I’m going rebel this year! I pardoned a turkey.
Thank you for the step by step and for the “make ahead” guidance. I like a clean kitchen and a enjoy minimal heat and eat meal so I can visit with my family.
Hi Nancy, we hope you enjoy this and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
I’m planning on serving this for Christmas. Can I make this the day before and then just assemble and bake on Christmas Day. How long do I bake it in the oven since it will be cold?
Hi Kathryn, yes, you can prepare it the day before and then assemble the next day. Remove it from the fridge about 30 minutes before placing in the oven and reheat without the cheese until the chicken is cooked through. Then add the cheese and bake for a few minutes longer until it’s melted and bubbly.
Made this so many times and it is delicious! Making it tonight for a dinner party! Thank you for this recipe!
Hi Carol, thanks for the comment and hope you and your dinner guests enjoy!
Delicious. Perfect combination of ingredients.
Hi Paula, I’m happy to hear you enjoyed this one as well and thanks for the comment!
I’d like to make this ahead of time…is that an option? We don’t eat pork, so wondering if adding some turkey bacon may give a similar flavor (just make sure it’s not too thick?) thx!
Hi Sharon, thanks for the question. To make ahead, I’d recomment preparing/baking the eggplant and cooking the chicken ahead of time. You can make the sauce ahead of time too but I’d still suggest assembling and baking with the cheese right before you’re going to eat it. For this dish I wouldn’t recomment using turkey bacon. Since you don’t eat pork, I’d suggest skipping the prosciutto entirely and just using the chicken and eggplant.
Replacing the prosciutto with Portobello slices is a wonderful alternative. I am sodium sensitive, so that is a delicious replacement. I also use smoked mozzarella cheese. YUM!
I love the step by step process and watching you make this on you tube. I made this recipe and it was fantastic my family loved the sauce . They loved all of it. I’m making this for a small dinner party tonight. I did and will serve with pasta but am adding broccoli I to the menu.
Hi Luanne, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed!
Most Italian americans in the North East come from the South of Italy. However, can you do somer Risotto recipes once in a while?
PS I love your posts. I have turned on many ither priests to your channel.
Thanks for the comment and appreciate you sharing my channel with others. I do have a risotto recipe on the site: https://www.sipandfeast.com/mushroom-risotto/
My wife and son and I absolutely loved these!
Delicious. My husband asked when can I make it again.
Hi Rachael, thanks for the comment and so happy you both enjoyed it!
I’ve always wondered about peeling the eggplant vs. not. Some people say they don’t like the skin. Would peeling affect the final dish?
Hi Lynda, you can choose to peel or not. It’s a personal preference and won’t impact the outcome of the dish.
Absolutely delicious and a huge hit! I had an eggplant and some chicken, so I was looking for an eggplant and chicken parm recipe, and on that recipe I found the link to this recipe. I had a little prosciutto on hand, so I had to do it! I added some fresh basil leaves to my stacks and since I had a few eggplant slices left over, smushed those in between the chicken pieces. Will make this again and again!
Hi there, I’m so happy you liked this one and thank you for the comment!
Do you use sweet Marsala or dry Marsala ?im planning on serving this tomorrow but pre making it tonight , any suggestions ?
Hi Linda, I usually use dry but you can use sweet if that’s what you have.
One of the best chicken dishes I’ve ever made! Crowd pleaser all the way. Elegant enough to serve to guests, or just for a family. You’re gonna love this dish.
Hi Cheryl, thank you for your comment! I’m so happy you enjoyed the Sorrentino recipe!
This truly is so delicious! You will crave it. 😊
Thank you, Cathy! So happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Hi Jim, frequent follower occasional commenter here. Can’t wait to make this this weekend my question is…Marsala wine is fuller bodied thick and sweeter how will using white wine affect this dish. It just seems buying a whole bottle of Marsala when I will only use “some” would justify the substitution
Thanks and keep on cooking!
Hi Robyn, thanks for your question. Yes, you can use a dry white wine as a substitute. It will have a slightly different flavor but will still be great!
Don’t hesitate to buy a bottle of Marsala, you will use it to make chicken Marsala which is easy, delicious, and impressive. I make it about every 10 days!
Just wondering if you could double the sauce and then freeze half to use again at another time.
Hi Deb. You can absolutely do that. Enjoy!
Just discovered you! How about a recipe using thick cod loins. Maybe sometime like a Franchise or a lite tomato sauce. My wife makes a delicious cod with a lemon butter sauce but we’re looking for something different. Thanks
Roger from Nashville
Hi Roger. I have plans for a cod francese in the near future. For now, I do have a chicken francese recipe.
I am so excited to find this recipe! It is literally my favorite dish ever. I worked at an Italian restaurant in my youth and frequented it long after I didn’t work there. I was friends with the Sicilian owners. But, they made such great food and great money and got out of the restaurant business into real estate! I have been suffering The lack of my favorite dish ever since. Going to try to make it soon. They used breaded eggplant as will I. Thank you!
Thanks so much! It’s one of our favorites as well. I know some places use breaded eggplant, and I have no doubt that would be great. Hope you enjoy it!
Oh my word, this dish is amazing! I made it for my husband and daughter tonight for Valentine’s Day and there was literally nothing left! Thank you! The step-by-step instructions and photos were instrumental in creating a perfect dish! I can’t thank you enough!
Thank you so much! Love the fact that the photos helped out.