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This dish, Chicken Sorrentino, is your go-to for family get-togethers. It layers crispy chicken, sautéed eggplant, flavorful prosciutto, and stretchy cheese, all baked in a bright tomato marsala sauce. It fills your house with a mouthwatering smell before you even pull it out of the oven, and folks usually show up in the kitchen just from the scent.
The first time I made Chicken Sorrentino was a crisp fall afternoon with my parents as guests. Honestly, everyone drifted over once the kitchen started smelling amazing. My family can't get enough of those layers of flavor, and they always ask me to make it again.
Tasty Ingredients
- Italian eggplant: Choose smaller, shiny-skinned ones—they're sweeter and have fewer seeds
- Kosher salt: Use it to season as you go and pull out water from the eggplant
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Same-sized, plump pieces help everything cook the same
- Eggs with water: Makes the breading stick well and keeps things light
- All-purpose flour: Gets you that crispy golden coating on both chicken and eggplant
- Table salt and white pepper: This combo seasons the flour and the whole dish just right
- Vegetable oil: Neutral flavor, great for frying and keeping the crust golden
- Extra virgin olive oil: Gives an extra pop of depth and works for both frying and sauce
- Yellow onion: Big dice sautéed for a hint of sweetness and a fuller taste
- Fresh garlic: Finely minced for warmth and zing in the sauce
- Marsala wine: Offers a sweet aroma, dry kind is best if you've got it
- Chicken stock: Homemade or the fancy store stuff makes things richer
- Whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes: San Marzanos are worth it if you can get them, crush by hand for that old-school vibe
- Tomato paste: Kicks up the flavor and thickens the sauce
- Freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes: Adds heat and brightness, punching up the flavors
- Butter: Makes the sauce silky and packs in flavor
- Fontina cheese: Melts smoothly, get deli-sliced if possible for thick cheese blankets
- Romano cheese: Bring your own sharpness by grating fresh Romano
- Prosciutto: Thin-sliced and salty, have the deli shave it super thin for best layering
- Provolone cheese: Melty as can be, grab deli slices for that gooey finish
Easy-to-Follow Steps
- Prepping the eggplant:
- Lay eggplant out in quarter-inch thick slices on paper towels, sprinkle both sides with kosher salt, then let it hang out for fifteen minutes. Wipe away moisture and salt so your eggplant turns out creamy, not mushy.
- Getting the chicken ready:
- Slice and butterfly each breast, then cut in half so you end up with six even pieces. Smash down the thick parts to a thin quarter-inch so they’ll cook through evenly.
- Breading time:
- Crack eggs with some water in a bowl, mix flour with salt and pepper in a second. Dip eggplant slices in the egg, then flour, gently pressing, then do the same for the chicken pieces. This way, you get a crunchy outside.
- Eggplant in the pan:
- Heat a large oven-friendly skillet, pour in half your vegetable oil plus some olive oil. Once hot, fry the eggplant until both sides go golden, about two or three minutes each. Set on paper towels to soak up extra oil.
- Frying chicken pieces:
- Wipe out your pan, add your remaining olive oil, and cook chicken until both sides are golden—about ninety seconds per side. Don’t cook it through, the oven will handle the rest later.
- Simmering the sauce:
- Drop the heat on your pan, toss in diced onion and let it get soft, stir in garlic for a minute. Add marsala and let it cook away, then pour in stock and reduce until thick. Mix in your tomatoes, paste, salt, pepper, and flakes. Simmer fifteen minutes, stirring a bit, and at the end, melt in butter off the heat.
- Stacking it all:
- Scoop out about a cup and a half of sauce for topping. Snuggle chicken pieces in a layer over the sauce left in your pan. Lay fontina slices on chicken, cut eggplant to fit and overlap, sprinkle fresh Romano, drape prosciutto, add the saved sauce, and finish with provolone slices for the best cheese pull.
- Bake and finish:
- Bake at three-fifty (Fahrenheit) for fifteen minutes uncovered, then broil a minute or two up top so the cheese browns and bubbles. Watch close—the cheese goes brown fast.
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I just love adding a generous slice of prosciutto to each layer—it crisps up perfectly, plus the sweet cheese flavors really shine through. There's something about serving up a bubbly, cheesy plate that brings the family running and always makes me smile.
Leftover Storage
Keep the rest in the fridge tightly covered for up to three days. Pop it in a low oven with foil to warm back up. If you've got extra sauce or cheese, hold those until you reheat, then put the cheese on and blast under a broiler for extra melt.
Ingredient Swaps
Try thin veal cutlets instead of chicken, or turkey breast for another twist. Going vegetarian? Use portobello mushrooms or more eggplant instead of meat. Mozzarella works in place of fontina or provolone, just use whole-milk for the proper gooey texture.
Ways to Serve
This dish rocks with some spaghetti tossed in olive oil and a handful of fresh herbs. Or plate it up with roasted broccolini or string beans. Crusty bread is a must for getting every last drop of sauce.
Backstory
Chicken Sorrentino is a staple among Italian American families, thought to be inspired by Southern Italy traditions—especially Sorrento, where both cured meats and eggplant are staples. But the cheesy, layered bake is all about the Italian American kitchen, where chefs mixed the best flavors into one crowd favorite.
Recipe Questions & Answers
- → Can I swap the Fontina for another cheese?
Absolutely! Gruyère or mozzarella melt just fine too, but Fontina's extra creamy.
- → Do I need to peel my eggplant first?
Up to you—it’s fine with the skin, which gives bite, but peel it if you want it extra soft.
- → Is it important to use homemade chicken stock?
Homemade gives more flavor, but honestly, a good store-bought stock does the trick too.
- → Can I get this all ready ahead of time?
Yep! You can put it together early and pop it in the fridge. Wait to bake it ‘til you’re ready to eat.
- → Any ideas for good sides here?
Toss it with a simple salad, roasted veggies, or some buttery bread to scoop up sauce.