I had some leftover pistou after a recent batch so I decided to experiment with a chicken dish. In this chicken cordon bleu -inspired dish, the chicken is stuffed with pistou/pesto, artichoke hearts, feta cheese and roasted red peppers. Ham could even be rolled up into the mix. I will definitely be making this again and pesto could easily be substituted if you have that instead. I actually ate this healthy dish plain but to complete the meal you could serve it over many things such as spinach salad, quinoa tossed with cherry tomatoes, or pasta.
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Pesto Chicken Roll-ups
- Total Time: 65 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
This cordon bleu-inspired chicken is stuffed with pistou or pesto, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, and feta cheese for a flavorful and healthy dish.
Ingredients
Pistou
- 4 cups (80g) basil leaves
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup (59mL) chicken broth
- 1 tbsp (11g) grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp (13g) olive oil
Spinach Pesto
- Roughly 1/2 cup (10g) basil leaves, washed and patted dry
- Roughly 1/2 cup (10g) spinach leaves, loosely packed
- 1/4 cup (45g) Romano or pecorino cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup (31g) pine nuts
- 2 tbsp (26g) olive oil
- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
Pesto Chicken Roll-ups
- Chicken tenders or chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise
- Pesto or pistou
- Artichoke hearts, chopped
- Roasted red peppers in strips
- Feta cheese crumbles
- 1/2 cup (30g) plain breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp (15mL) milk
- 1 tsp (2,5g) garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp (1g) salt
- Dash of black pepper
- Dash of cayenne pepper, optional
- Dash of thyme, optional
- 1 tbsp (11g) Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Pistou
- Mix all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth.
- Store the sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer.
Spinach Pesto
- In a blender, blend the cheese and the pine nuts for a few seconds.
- Drizzle in the olive oil and blend the mixture until it is smooth.
- Add the garlic and then the basil and the spinach, a little at a time, blending until smooth.
- Use the pesto sauce immediately or refrigerate it or freeze it in a sealed container.
Pesto Chicken Roll-ups
- lb the chicken breasts until they are very thin.
- Spread pistou/pesto down the center of the breast and then top with roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts and feta cheese.
- Roll up the chicken breast as tightly as possible and fasten the roll together with a toothpick.
- Beat an egg with 1 tbsp milk in a shallow bowl.
- In another shallow bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with the garlic powder, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, thyme and Parmesan cheese.
- Dip each rolled chicken breast into the egg and then dredge it in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray.
- Bake them at 375 degrees for roughly 10 minutes on each side, until the chicken is cooked all the way through.
Notes
- Pesto can be substituted for pistou if preferred.
- Ham can be added for extra flavor.
- Serve over spinach salad, quinoa with cherry tomatoes, or pasta for a complete meal.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken roll-up
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 5
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 40
- Cholesterol: 100
Find it online: https://honestcooking.com/pesto-chicken-roll-ups/
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between pistou and pesto, and can I use either here?
This recipe started as a way to use leftover pistou — a French basil sauce that omits nuts and typically uses broth instead of olive oil — but regular pesto can be substituted directly. Both versions work equally well.
How do I keep the chicken rolled up during baking?
Roll the pounded breast as tightly as possible and then fasten it with a toothpick before dredging in the breadcrumb mixture and baking at 375°F for roughly 10 minutes per side.
What can I serve these roll-ups with?
I ate them plain, but they’re great served over spinach salad, quinoa tossed with cherry tomatoes, or pasta to complete the meal. You can also add ham inside the roll for extra flavor.
