Chicken Sorrento Recipe (Chicken Sorrentino)

Published: Jun 24, 2022 · Modified: Jun 24, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley · 20 Comments·This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Chicken Sorrento (aka Chicken Sorrentino) is a popular menu item you’ll find at many Italian restaurants. My version consists of pan-fried crispy eggplant cutlets topped with marinara sauce, followed by tender chicken breasts and mushrooms, then finished with a thin slice of prosciutto and provolone cheese.

What is Chicken Sorrento?

My history with this dish goes back to a little Italian restaurant I worked at many years ago, family-owned and operated.

While I was working on the menu, he told me about a dish his aunt had made when she had first come to America. He had the basics down but didn’t have a clue as to how she made it. After a few test runs this recipe was declared the winner. I hope I did her memory justice.

You can find this dish on many menus as Chicken Sorrentino or in Italian “Pollo alla Sorrentina”.

Chicken Sorrento isn’t a complicated dish, just a few components put together in the right order so that each mouthful of this delicious dish was moan-worthy.

What ingredients do I need to make Chicken Sorrento?

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Chicken Sorrento. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.

Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

You can replace the provolone with mozzarella cheese, fontina, or gruyere. If you’re not a fan of prosciutto (you won’t even know it’s there) feel free to leave it out.

How do I make chicken Sorrento?

Start by preparing the eggplant cutlets. I like to bread a bunch of eggplant cutlets at one time, so I have it for Eggplant Parm or dishes like Chicken Sorrento or Sicilian Style Seafood.

• Peel and slice the eggplant.
• Dredge the eggplant slices in flour seasoned with salt and black pepper.
• Dip the floured eggplant in the egg wash, completely coating the eggplant.
• Coat the eggplant in seasoned breadcrumbs. *Make sure to fully coat the eggplant in each of the steps of the breading station.

• In a large saute pan over high heat add enough olive oil to the pan to fry one side of the eggplant at a time. Fry each side of the breaded eggplant until it’s golden brown. Set the cutlets on a wire rack or paper towels to drain.
• Empty the oil from the saute pan and wipe it out with paper towels

• Dredge the chicken breasts in flour seasoned with sea salt and black pepper.
• Place the chicken breast into a preheated pan over medium-high heat with olive oil. Sear one side of the chicken and turn it over.
• After turning the chicken cutlets over, add the sliced mushrooms to the pan. (add more olive oil if necessary) to saute the other side. Continue cooking over medium heat, allowing the mushrooms to cook until soft, at this point the chicken should almost be fully cooked.
• Add a splash of white wine to stop cooking and deglaze the pan (optional). Add the chicken broth, onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper to the pan and mix well. Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

• Place the fried eggplant cutlets on a baking sheet or large baking dish, add a few spoons of marinara sauce (tomato sauce) on top of the eggplant and sprinkle liberally with grated Romano or parmesan cheese.
• Place the sauteed chicken cutlets on top of the eggplant with some of the mushrooms.
• Place a thin slice of prosciutto on top of the chicken breasts.
• Top the prosciutto with two slices of provolone cheese.

Place the completed Chicken Sorrento in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese has fully melted and an instant-read thermometer reads an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.

As I moved to different restaurants throughout my career, this was one dish I always took with me. In. It’s a very flavorful chicken dish and served with a side of pasta or risotto it will satisfy the heartiest appetite.

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Chicken Sorrento

Chicken Sorrentino (Pollo alla Sorrentina) is a dish you’ll find in many Italian restaurants. My version consists of pan-fried crispy eggplant cutlets topped with marinara sauce, followed by a tender chicken breast sauteed and mushrooms, then finished with a thin slice of prosciutto and provolone cheese.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time55 mins

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 4

Calories: 951kcal

Author: Chef Dennis Littley

Ingredients

Eggplant

• 1 eggplant peeled and sliced thinly longways ¼-½ inch thick – 4 cutlets are needed
• 1 cup all-purpose flour seasoned with salt and pepper
• 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs Italian style bread crumbs or season plain bread crumbs with granulated garlic, granulated onion, chopped parsley and grated Romano cheese
• 2 large eggs lightly beaten with ¼ cup of water added to make your egg wash
• ¼ water
• ½ cup vegetable oil to saute eggplant cutlets- more if needed

Chicken

• 2 tbsp olive oil to saute chicken breasts, more if needed
• 1 pound 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (4 ounces each breast)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour seasoned with salt and pepper
• 2 cup sliced mushrooms (add more oil to saute mushrooms if needed)
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 ounce splash of white wine optional
• ½ tsp granulated garlic
• ½ tsp granulated onion
• ½ tsp black pepper

Assembly

• 1½ cup marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce
• 2 ounces prosciutto sliced very thin
• 2 tablespoons grated romano cheese
• ¼ lb provolone cheese thin slices – 2 slices for each portion
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley garnish

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Instructions

Eggplant

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

• Dredge the eggplant cutlets in flour, then in egg wash, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Make sure to fully coat the eggplant in each of the steps of the breading station.

• In a large saute pan over high heat add enough olive oil to the pan to fry one side of the eggplant at a time. Fry each side of the breaded eggplant until its golden brown. Set on a wire rack or paper towels to drain.

• Empty the oil from the saute pan and wipe it out with paper towels.

Chicken

• Add two tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and allow to get hot over medium-high heat.

• Dredge the chicken breasts in flour seasoned with sea salt and black pepper, then place into pan with hot oil, sear one side of the chicken and turn it over to saute the other side. At this time add the sliced mushrooms to the pan.*If the chicken breast are too thick, pound them thin with a meat hammer. if they are too thick they will be hard to eat.

• Continue cooking over medium heat, allowing the mushrooms to cook until soft, at this point the chicken should almost be fully cooked.

• Add a splash of wine to stop cooking, add the chicken stock, seasonings and mix well. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

Assembly

• Place the fried eggplant cutlets on a baking dish, add a few spoons of marinara sauce on top of the eggplant and sprinkle liberally with grated romano cheese.

• Place the sauteed chicken breasts on top of the eggplant with some of the mushrooms.

• Place a slice of proscuitto on top of the chicken breasts.

• Top the prosciutto with two slices of provolone cheese. Place the completed chicken sorrento in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese has fully melted and an instant read thermometer reads an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.

• Garnish the portions with the pan sauce and mushrooms, fresh chopped Italian parsley, and serve with your favorite pasta or side dish.

Nutrition

Calories: 951kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 53g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 209mg | Sodium: 1608mg | Potassium: 1468mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 925IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 352mg | Iron: 7mg