These chicken rolls are sure to be your family’s new favorite dinner. The béchamel sauce gets a boost of flavor and texture from the tomatoes and spinach, which balances the crunchy chicken rolls perfectly. Serve over spaghetti with a green salad alongside and you have a complete meal!
Ingredients
CHICKEN ROLLS
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons pepper, divided
1 tablespoon onion powder
4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 tablespoon garlic powder
8 oz baby spinach (225 g)
1 cup sun-dried tomato (200 g)
2 cups canola oil (480 mL)
2 cups panko breadcrumbs (100 g)
4 large eggs, beaten
1 cup all purpose flour (125 g)
BÉCHAMEL SAUCE
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium shallots, diced
2 cups baby spinach (80 g)
1 ½ tablespoons sun-dried tomato, chopped
¾ cup tomato, diced (150 g)
2 cups heavy cream (480 mL)
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese (80 g)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
FOR SERVING
4 cups spaghetti (800 g)
4 cups green salad, lightly dressed (290 g)
Instructions
Make the chicken rolls:
Butterfly the chicken breasts and season on both sides with 1 teaspoon of pepper, the onion powder, 2 teaspoons of salt, and the garlic powder.
Place a chicken breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet, rolling pin, or heavy pan until about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap and place a handful of baby spinach over the center of the chicken breast, then cover with ¼ cup (50 G) of sun-dried tomatoes. Starting from the bottom, tightly roll the chicken, using the plastic wrap to help. Wrap the chicken roll tightly in plastic wrap to secure. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Chill the chicken rolls in the fridge for 30–60 minutes.
Make the béchamel sauce:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot and cook until softened and the onions are beginning to caramelize and become very fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and diced tomatoes and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream and flour and stir to incorporate. Add the salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, 5–7 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
Heat 2–3 (5 - 7 cm) inches of oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until it reaches 325°F (170°C).
Add the panko to a shallow dish and stir in 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Add the eggs to a separate shallow dish. Add the flour to a third shallow dish and stir in the remaining teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
Remove the chicken rolls from the fridge and coat in the flour, then the eggs, then the bread crumbs.
Fry the breaded chicken rolls in the hot oil for about 5 minutes per side, or until the outside is an even golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C). You may need to work in batches, so as not to overcrowd the pan. If a good color is achieved and the chicken’s center is still not to temperature, place the chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and finish cooking in the oven at 325°F (170°C) until the proper temperature is reached. Once the proper internal temperature is reached, place the rolls on a baking sheet lined with paper towels and a wire rack to cool slightly before slicing and serving.
Slice the chicken rolls and serve over a bed of spaghetti with the béchamel sauce and a green salad alongside.
Enjoy!
Recipe by Cooking TV Recipes at https://cookingtv-channel.com/creamy-tuscan-chicken-rolls/