Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepperto taste
4slicesprovolone cheesehalved
8fresh sage leavesoptional, or as desired
8slicesbacon
1teaspoongarlicminced
½cupmarsala wine
½cupchicken brothpreferably low-sodium
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Create a large clean workspace—it’s easier to roll up all of the chicken breasts at the same time, assembly-line fashion; you may want to line the counter space with wax or parchment paper (or use a huge cutting board).
Lay the chicken breasts on the work space and season them lightly with salt and pepper. Place a piece of provolone on each cutlet (trim it so it doesn’t extend over the edges of the chicken), and a sage leaf if desired. Roll up each breast, and then wrap a slice of bacon around the middle, trimming the bacon so that the ends just overlap to seal the rolls (see the Cooking Tip). Skewer each with a toothpick to keep it closed.
Heat a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon-wrapped chicken and brown on all sides, turning the rolls with tongs so they hold their shape, about 8 minutes in all.
Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake until the rolls are cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. A little cheese will probably melt out; that’s okay. Transfer the chicken to a serving dish, remove the toothpicks, and keep warm while preparing the sauce. Or forgo the sauce—see the Fork in the Road.
There should be just a couple of teaspoons of fat left in the skillet; pour off any more than that. (The skillet will be very hot. Remember to use pot holders while preparing the sauce.) Heat the pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir for a few seconds until it starts to color, then add the marsala and stir to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan to flavor the sauce. Add the broth, allow the sauce to come to a simmer, and simmer until the mixture is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.
Serve the hot chicken rolls with the sauce, either spooned over or passed at the table.
Notes
Fork in the Road
You can hold back on the marsala sauce for those looking for a plainer dish.
What the Kids Can Do
If you are pounding chicken breasts (see Note), they would love to help with that. They can also layer the ingredients and roll up the chicken bundles, and skewer them with toothpicks.