Description
Tender chicken breasts stuffed with a flavorful herbed ricotta and Parmesan cheese mixture, coated in crispy breadcrumbs, seared to golden perfection, and baked to juicy finish. Served with warm marinara sauce, this elegant yet easy recipe makes a delightful main course for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Filling
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Breading Station
- 1/2 cup flour, for dredging
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
Cooking and Serving
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for cooking
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to ensure it’s ready when you’re done searing the chicken rolls.
- Prepare Chicken: Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, gently pound them to an even thickness of about 1/2 inch to promote even cooking and easier rolling.
- Make Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan, chopped basil, chopped parsley, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
- Stuff Chicken: Spread a generous amount of the ricotta mixture over each chicken breast, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges to prevent filling from leaking out when rolled.
- Roll Chicken: Starting at one end, tightly roll up each chicken breast to encase the filling. Secure them with toothpicks or kitchen twine as needed to hold their shape.
- Set Up Breading Station: Arrange three shallow dishes: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with breadcrumbs for dredging the rolls.
- Bread Chicken Rolls: Dredge each chicken roll first in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in beaten eggs, and finally thoroughly coat with breadcrumbs to achieve a crisp crust.
- Sear Chicken Rolls: Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken rolls and sear on all sides until golden brown, approximately 3-4 minutes per side, to lock in juices and add flavor.
- Bake: Transfer the skillet with seared chicken rolls to the preheated oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Rest and Serve: Remove from oven and let the chicken rest a few minutes. Slice each roll into medallions and serve with warm marinara sauce on the side for dipping or drizzling.
Notes
- To ensure even cooking, pounding the chicken breasts to a uniform thickness is essential.
- Use fresh herbs for brighter flavor, but dried herbs can be substituted if necessary—use about a tablespoon of each dried in place of fresh.
- Securing the chicken rolls tightly with toothpicks or kitchen twine helps prevent the filling from spilling during cooking.
- Use an oven-safe skillet for the searing and baking steps to avoid transferring to another dish.
- Let the chicken rest before slicing to retain its juices and prevent drying out.
