Last week I attempted a low-carb, low-sugar plan for seven days to reach a weight-loss goal. I told readers on Facebook that if I made healthy meals I’d share them and call out when something is genuinely “HEALTHY!” I don’t usually cook strictly for health reasons — I prefer balance and moderation — but I discovered that some lighter dishes can be every bit as satisfying. This Chicken & Spinach Rollatini is one of those surprises: flavorful, rich in texture, and unexpectedly addictive.
At first, eliminating bread, rice and pasta made meal planning feel limiting, but then I realized dishes like this don’t need crumbs or heavy coatings to be delicious. The result quickly became a household favorite. My husband walked in after work and said, “It smells amazing in here!” and later admitted he liked this recipe even more than many I’ve made. I was thrilled. This version is a twist on my Chicken Mozzarella with Avocado: same comforting idea of chicken with sauce and cheese, but here the chicken is butterflied and pounded thin, filled with a garlicky spinach-and-ricotta mixture, coated in pesto, then topped with marinara and mozzarella. Simple, elegant, and satisfying.
Chicken & Spinach Rollatini
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Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts
- non-stick pan spray
- ¼ cup small diced red onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 packed cups fresh spinach leaves, chiffonade
- ¾ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 2 Tbsp basil pesto
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 4 slices mozzarella
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 450°F. Cut the 2 chicken breasts in half to make 4 pieces. Butterfly each piece and gently pound any thick areas until the chicken is an even 1/4–1/2 inch thick. Use wax paper or plastic wrap to protect the meat while pounding.
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In a non-stick skillet sprayed with cooking spray, sauté the diced red onion and minced garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper until the onion becomes translucent and the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and toss until it wilts and reduces in volume, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and let cool briefly.
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Stir the ricotta into the slightly cooled spinach mixture. Season both sides of each chicken piece with salt and pepper, then spread the ricotta-spinach mixture over the chicken and roll each piece up tightly. Spread the pesto on a plate, press each roll in the pesto to coat, and place seam-side down on a greased baking sheet.
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Bake at 450°F for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Remove from the oven, spoon marinara sauce over each roll, top with a slice of mozzarella, and return to the oven for 2–3 minutes, until the cheese melts. Serve hot.
Notes
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