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Cheesy Chicken and Spinach Rolls
  • Prep
    30
  • Total
    1 hr 15 min
  • Serving
    8-10

Cheesy Chicken and Spinach Rolls

Made With

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Italian-style breadcrumbs
  • 1 1/2 cups Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese, plus more for topping
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
  • 5 eggs
  • 4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and cut in half lengthwise
  • 1 (8-ounce) jar basil pesto
  • 4 cloves minced garlic  4 cups fresh baby spinach, loosely packed
  • ¾ cup Dragone® Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more for seasoning
  • 1 (8-ounce) Dragone® Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, thinly sliced
  • 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
  • Fresh basil, for topping
  • Directions

    Oil a 9x13-inch baking dish and preheat the oven to 450°F.

    Place the breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl with 1 cup of the Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Reserve it to the side.

    In a separate shallow bowl, whisk 3 eggs together and set them aside.

    Working in batches, place 2 pieces of chicken in a gallon-sized zip-top bag, zip the top and pound the pieces until they are about ¼-inch thick. (This is for quick cooking and ease of rolling filling into the chicken).

    Then, prep the filling by pouring the oil from the prepared pesto into a large sauté pan with the minced garlic. Heat on medium-high heat until the garlic is lightly browned and fragrant, about 3 minutes. When the garlic is cooked through, add the spinach until it’s just barely wilted. Combine the sautéed spinach mixture with the Dragone® Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese, the remaining ½ cup of the Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese and the remaining 2 eggs. Add in the remaining jar of pesto. Then, sprinkle with a 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

    Assemble the chicken by placing one piece of chicken on a flat working surface and placing a spoonful of ricotta-spinach filling and a half slice of Dragone® Fresh Mozzarella Cheese in the middle. Roll the chicken so the edges meet to form a "seam." Then, lightly season the chicken roll with salt and pepper and dip the entire roll in the whisked egg. Finish by carefully rolling it in the breadcrumb-parmesan mixture. Place it in a baking dish, seam-side down. Repeat for the remaining pieces of chicken. Then, bake them for 25 minutes.

    After 25 minutes, the chicken should be cooked through — white on the inside and lightly browned on top. Cover the chicken with the marinara sauce and remaining slices of Dragone® Fresh Mozzarella Cheese. Then, bake them for another 5–10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Finish with fresh basil and Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese.

    Make your weekday menu prep easier; double the recipe, and dinner leftovers become a delicious lunch!

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