Chicken Roll-Ups
Chicken roll-ups are the healthier version of one of my favorite Italian dishes, braciola, a dish I make usually on Christmas. Thinly pounded chicken breasts are rolled up with a filling of fresh breadcrumbs, bacon and parmesan cheese. The rolls are cooked in a simple tomato sauce, which is made easy by using your favorite jarred sauce. This dish is so comforting and satisfying. Serve the chicken roll-ups on a bed of polenta, buttered rice or even pasta.
Tips:
Chicken thighs can be used too. The rolls will be smaller.
This dish can be made ahead of time. Just gently reheat the dish, covered, when you are ready to serve it. If the tomato sauce is too thick, add just enough water to thin it out a bit.
Chicken Roll-Ups
Serves 4
PREP 15 minutes
COOK 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 slices bacon
1 cup of plain breadcrumbs, homemade is best
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
1 jar of marinara sauce, I used Raos
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
In a large sauté pan or a Dutch oven cook the bacon over medium heat. You want to render the fat from the bacon, without burning the bacon, about 5 minutes.
Once the bacon is cooked, remove the strips to a paper towel lined plate. When cool enough to handle, chop the bacon into small pieces. Reserve a tablespoon of bacon grease in the sauté pan for the chicken.
Prepare the chicken: Using a sharp chef knife butterfly the chicken by slicing it in half without cutting all the way through. Open up the chicken and use a rolling pin or meat tenderizer to pound the chicken so that the cutlets are an even thickness throughout. Be careful to not pound them too much and create holes in the meat. Continue with all four breasts.
In a medium size bowl combine the breadcrumbs, bacon, garlic powder and parsley. Add olive oil to create a wet sandlike texture.
Place a piece of chicken on a cutting board and place a 1/4 of the breadcrumb on top of the chicken. Roll up the chicken tightly, tucking back in any filling that falls out. Use butchers twine to secure the roll-up- 2 to 3 pieces of twine should do it. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Cook the chicken: Preheat the sauté pan over medium-high heat. If your bacon was very lean, add a tablespoon of olive oil.
Once the fat is heated, add the chicken roll-ups and cook the chicken for about 8 minutes, rolling the chicken every few minutes to brown the rolls all the way around.
Remove the chicken once browned to a plate and carefully add the wine to deglaze the pan. Cook the wine for about 4 minutes until it has reduced by half.
Add the marinara sauce and bring to a boil. Add the chicken, along with any juices that have accumulated, back into the pan and lower the heat to a simmer. Partially cover the pan and cook the chicken roll-ups for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Adjust the seasoning of the sauce with salt and pepper. Remove the twine before serving the chicken roll-ups. Enjoy!