The other day I walked into Fairway and right in front of me were these petite asparagus spears – they looked perfect for the chicken rolls that were dancing around in my head and with that, an impromptu recipe was born. After picking up some thin chicken cutlets, I was ready to cook – I had everything else at home, making this an easy weeknight recipe that takes little thought, effort, or preparation.
CHICKEN ROLLS WITH ASPARAGUS AND MOZZARELLA
Ingredients
- 4 chicken cutlets, pounded thin and evenly
- 1 bunch of asparagus
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- part-skim mozzarella cheese
- non-stick cooking spray
- salt and pepper, for seasoning meat
- whole wheat bread crumbs
Chicken rolls w/ asparagus and mozzarella!
Directions
- Sautee asparagus in olive oil until bright green. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Pat chicken dry and lightly season with salt and pepper.
- Lay out chicken breast, arrange asparagus on top, and sprinkle with mozzarella.
- Roll chicken around asparagus and cheese; place seam down in baking dish.
- Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
- Sprinkle whole wheat bread crumbs on top of chicken.
- Cook for approximately 25-30 mins* or until chicken registers 160/165 degrees with a meat thermometer.
That’s it – veggies plus protein in one fell swoop and a nice way to switch up chicken and vegetables! I suggest serving this with brown rice or cous-cous as a side to round out a nicely balanced meal that makes for a yummy, crowd-pleasing dinner and great leftovers.
This is also a solid base recipe – you could switch out asparagus for mushrooms or another veggie, use a different type of cheese, or even make mini flank steak roll-ups using the same concepts. Happy eating!
*October 31, 2012 update: It might take a little longer than 10 minutes to cook your chicken depending on the strength of your oven, size of cutlets, etc. Never consume raw or undercooked meat – always rely on a good meat thermometer to let you know when food is done!
*November 11, 2013 update: OK, OK, I have heard you all loud and clear – I changed the cooking time from 10 mins – I must have a magical oven or be totally inept at keeping time. Originally, I only cooked these for about 10 mins but the cutlets I used were really, really, really thin. So don’t eat raw meat, cook it long enough, and plan ahead accordingly.
