Description
A savory Chicken Roulade recipe featuring bacon, broccoli, and cheddar cheese, rolled in seasoned chicken breasts, seared to perfection, and finished in the oven for a delicious and elegant main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Cheese
- 4 strips bacon, drippings reserved
- 2 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts
- 1 ¼ cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
Vegetables
- 1 cup broccoli, steamed and finely diced
Seasonings and Others
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ cup flour, optional
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375° F to get it ready for baking the chicken roulades.
- Cook Bacon and Prepare Broccoli: Cook the bacon slowly over low heat until crispy, reserving the drippings. Roughly chop the cooled bacon. Steam or boil the broccoli for 7 minutes until tender, then dice finely.
- Prepare Chicken: Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise to get thinner slices. Place slices between sheets of saran wrap and gently pound them to an even ¼-inch thickness to avoid tearing.
- Arrange Filling: Place the chicken smooth side down. Evenly distribute shredded cheddar cheese in the middle, add diced broccoli, then chopped bacon on top.
- Roll Chicken: Roll the chicken upwards from the narrow side, tucking the filling inside tightly. Place each roulade seam-side-down.
- Season and Tie: Season the roulades with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and paprika. Optionally sprinkle flour on top to aid browning and prevent sticking. Secure each roulade with kitchen twine.
- Sear the Roulades: Heat 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken roulades on all sides until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes total. Remove the kitchen twine after searing.
- Bake: Transfer the seared roulades seam-side-down to a lightly greased baking dish. Cover and bake for 15 minutes, then remove cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- Rest and Check Temperature: Remove from oven and let rest for 5-8 minutes. Ensure the internal temperature of the thickest part reaches 165° F before serving.
- Serve: Serve warm paired with mashed potatoes and green beans for a complete meal.
Notes
- If using smaller chicken breasts, use 4 pieces instead of 2 and butterfly without cutting through the seam before pounding.
- Use the smooth side of a meat mallet and protect the chicken with saran wrap or a freezer bag to avoid tearing while pounding.
- If the tenderloin separates, you can remove it and save it for another use such as soup or a future meal.
- The optional flour coating helps to develop a richer browning and prevents sticking during searing.
- You can prepare the roulades ahead by stuffing and rolling, then wrapping tightly in saran wrap and refrigerating for up to 2 days or freezing for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before cooking.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat well for best quality.
- For stuffing variations, refer to the author’s blog post for additional ideas to customize your roulade filling.
