Give your plain chicken breasts an upgrade by stuffing them with sautéed mushrooms and crisp spinach, all rolled into a tight cylinder and coated with a crispy breaded layer and topped with a creamy alfredo sauce. This fancy creamy chicken roulade with spinach and mushrooms is juicy and moist and packed with so much flavour. It looks like it took all day to make, but requires just 15 minutes of actual prepping.
What is a Chicken Roulade?
A chicken roulade is a dish where you take a chicken breast, pound it flat, and stuff it with vegetables, cheese, and even other meats by rolling it tightly into a cylinder with the stuffing inside. You then top the roulades with cheese or other sauces. In our version, we coated the outside of the roulade with a crispy breaded layer and topped it with a creamy alfredo sauce.
Ingredients in Chicken Roulade
- chicken breasts - boneless and skinless, seasoned with Italiano seasoning, salt and pepper.
- roulade stuffing - sautéed onions and mushrooms in oil, baby spinach.
- breaded coating - eggs and panko breadcrumbs.
- creamy alfredo sauce - butter, cream cheese, milk, Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic powder, and ground black pepper.
The stuffing is super customizable. You can use whatever vegetables that you have on hand. Some popular choices are asparagus, arugula, feta cheese, bacon, and prosciutto.
How to Make the Best Chicken Roulade with Spinach and Mushrooms
- Prepare the mushrooms. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and mushrooms. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes. Transfer the mixture into a bowl and let it cool at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.
- Prepare the chicken. Season both sides of each chicken breast with black pepper, salt and Italiano seasoning. Place each chicken breast, one at a time, between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or in a ziploc freezer bag. Carefully flatten the chicken breasts with a rolling pin until they are approximately ¼-inch thick and 6-inches wide.
- Stuff the chicken. Place one chicken breast on a clean sheet of plastic wrap. Add ⅓ cup baby spinach on top of the chicken breast. Reserve 1-2 tablespoons of the mushroom and onion mixture, and then add a third of the mushroom and onion mixture on top. Make sure to spread the filling evenly, leaving a ½-inch border around edges.
- Roll the chicken. Tightly roll the chicken into a log, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Once wrapped, grab the two ends of the plastic wrap and roll to twist them and make it extra tight. Use plastic clips to secure both ends. Repeat these steps with the remaining two chicken breasts. Transfer the chicken rolls in the refrigerator and let them set for 30–60 minutes.
- Add the breaded coating. Take the chicken rolls out of the fridge and remove the plastic wrap. Take two shallow plates and add eggs to one, and panko breadcrumbs to the other. Dip each chicken roll into the beaten eggs and then, roll in the panko to fully coat.
How to Cook Chicken Roulade
There are three ways that you can cook these breaded chicken rolls:
- Fry: Heat 1 cup of oil in a pot over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until it reaches 325°F (170°C). Fry the breaded chicken rolls in the hot oil for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the outside is an even golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 166°F (74°C).
- Air Fry: Spray some oil over the chicken rolls to ensure that they get that golden brown coating. Cook in the air fryer at 350 F for 25 minutes. Turn the chicken rolls over halfway through baking.
- Bake in the oven: Spray some oil over the chicken rolls to ensure that they get that golden brown coating. Cook in a preheated 375 F oven for 25 minutes. Turn the chicken rolls over halfway through baking.
Cool the chicken rolls on a wire cooling rack for 5 minutes. Slice and pour the creamy alfredo sauce on top.
How to Make the Creamy Alfredo Sauce
The creamy alfredo sauce takes this chicken to another level. It just pairs so well with it. We add some reserved sautéed mushrooms and onions to the sauce as well, which further brings out the mushroom flavour in the roulade stuffing. You don't want to skip it. It takes less than 5 minutes to make. Here's what you will need to do:
- Melt butter in a non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped parsley and the reserved onion and mushroom mixture. Cook for 2 minutes until it sizzles and it become aromatic.
- Add cream cheese and garlic powder. Stir well and cook for another minute. Add milk and continue stirring so the sauce forms a uniform texture.
- Add in Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Stir well to combine and cook for one more minute. You will notice the mixture start to thicken a bit.
Tips for Making Stuffed Chicken Roulade
- Wrap the chicken. Wrapping the chicken tightly in plastic wrap not only shapes them into rolls, but it also helps to marinate them better and enhances the flavours of the seasonings.
- How to serve. Chicken roulade pairs so well with pasta and salad. It is also a great complement to vegetable side dishes such as mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables.
More Chicken Recipes
- One Pan Garlic Roasted Chicken and Baby Potatoes
- Sheet Pan Soy-Glazed Chicken Thighs
- Pan-Fried Lemongrass Chicken
- Indian Butter Chicken
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Recipe
Creamy Chicken Roulade with Spinach and Mushrooms
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 3 servings
Description
Give your chicken breasts an upgrade by stuffing them to make fancy, juicy chicken roulade with spinach and mushrooms topped with a creamy alfredo sauce.
Ingredients
Chicken Roulade:
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
- 1 cup onions, finely chopped
- 1 cup brown mushrooms, finely chopped
- 3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 3 teaspoons black pepper, divided
- 3 teaspoons salt, divided
- 3 teaspoons Italiano seasoning, divided
- 1 cup baby spinach, chopped and divided
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1-2 cups panko breadcrumbs
Creamy Alfredo Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ⅓ cup parsley, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons cream cheese
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken Roulade:
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and mushrooms. Stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes. Transfer the mixture into a bowl and let it cool at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.
- Season both sides of each chicken breast with 1 teaspoon each of black pepper, salt and Italiano seasoning.
- Place each chicken breast, one at a time, between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or in a ziploc freezer bag. Carefully flatten the chicken breasts with a rolling pin until they are approximately ¼-inch thick and 6-inches wide. Don’t pound the breasts too hard. It could tear apart the breast. Ideally, you want flattened chicken breasts with uniform thickness.
- Place one chicken breast on a new sheet of plastic wrap. Add ⅓ cup baby spinach on top of the chicken breast.
- Reserve 1-2 tablespoons of the mushroom and onion mixture, and then add a third of the mushroom and onion mixture on top. Make sure to spread the filling evenly, leaving a ½-inch border around edges.
- Tightly roll the chicken into a log, and wrap the rolled chicken tightly in plastic wrap. Once wrapped, grab the two ends of the plastic wrap and roll to twist them and make it extra tight. Use plastic clips to secure both ends. Repeat these steps with the remaining two chicken breasts.
- Transfer the chicken rolls in the refrigerator and let them set for 30–60 minutes.
Make the Creamy Alfredo Sauce:
- Melt butter in a non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped parsley and the reserved onion and mushroom mixture. Cook for 2 minutes until it sizzles and it become aromatic.
- Add cream cheese and garlic powder. Stir well and cook for another minute. Add milk and continue stirring so the sauce forms a uniform texture. Add in Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Stir well to combine and cook for one more minute. You will notice the mixture start to thicken a bit.
- Remove from heat, and transfer the sauce to a clean bowl.
Make the Chicken Roulade:
- Take the chicken rolls out of the fridge and remove the plastic wrap. Take two shallow plates and add eggs to one, and panko breadcrumbs to the other. Dip each chicken roll into the beaten eggs (beaten eggs act like glue to coat the chicken rolls with bread crumbs). Then, roll in the panko and fully coat. If you like a thicker breaded coating, you can double dip in beaten eggs and then breadcrumbs again.
- Cook the breaded chicken rolls in one of 3 ways:
- Fry: Heat 1 cup of oil in a pot over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until it reaches 325°F (170°C). Fry the breaded chicken rolls in the hot oil for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the outside is an even golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 166°F (74°C).
- Air Fry: Spray some oil over the chicken rolls to ensure that they get that golden brown coating. Cook in the air fryer at 350 F for 25 minutes. Turn the chicken rolls over halfway through baking.
- Bake: Spray some oil over the chicken rolls to ensure that they get that golden brown coating. Cook in a preheated 375 F oven for 25 minutes. Turn the chicken rolls over halfway through baking.
- Cool the chicken rolls on a wire cooling rack for 5 minutes. Slice and pour the creamy alfredo sauce on top.
Notes
Wrap the chicken. Wrapping the chicken tightly in plastic wrap not only shapes them into rolls, but it also helps to marinate them better and enhances the flavours of the seasonings.
How to serve. Chicken roulade pairs so well with pasta and salad. It is also a great complement to vegetable side dishes such as mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (+ 50-80 minutes wait time)
- Cook Time: 10-25 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Fried
- Cuisine: Italian
Mindy Diller says
Fantastic recipe!!
My husband and I are trying new recipes and having fun with cooking for 2024, and this was our first one to try. It was absolutely delicious! We both loved cooking and eating this Chicken Roulade. We used Gluten free panko with the air fry instructions. WOW!
Seth says
A roulade means to roll this does not have to be a breat. Skin on, chicken thighs, can also make a great roulade plus you get tastier meat and crunchy chicken skin.
Jen says
I have never been able to get my chicken to stay rolled. Love the plastic wrap trick. Plus the recipe is delicious.
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Yes, sealing it in tightly in plastic wrap by twisting the ends is an easy way to keep the chicken rolled.
Laura says
These are definitely a great way to upgrade your plain chicken. So tasty!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
I have to agree! So glad you liked the recipe 🙂
Georgina @ Culinary Travels says
I love meals like. The recipe sounds amazing, and perfect for my LCHF diet right now
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you! Let me know if you try it! It's super delicious 🙂
Kathi says
These look fantastic and I can't wait to make them. I love that I can use my Air Fryer to cook them. Thank you so much for sharing.
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Thanks Kathi! I love our air fryer and try to make as many recipes as I can in there! 🙂