Chicken and Goat Cheese Roulades

I’ve been making these chicken and goat cheese roulades for years. They’re so easy to whip up but look beautiful and taste delicious!

Easy, elegant chicken roulades are a perfect midweek pick-me-up.

I first started making these roulades nearly 20 years ago. Back then, my recipe would be thinly sliced chicken, shaved Midnight Moon Goat Cheese, and a few pieces of spinach. I would wrap each one with a thin slice of prosciutto. From there, I would fry them and finish them in the oven. That was the fanciest dinner I would often make for special occasions.

I’ve since revisited my chicken roulades and made some changes. While I loved the prosciutto, I simplified these to remove it and make them even more budget-friendly. Honestly, I always want to spring for Cypress Grove’s Midnight Moon cheese, which is expensive enough! I grate the cheese instead of shaving it and chop the spinach instead of whole leaves. Having the mixture be a chopped consistency creates a more homogeneous filling that spreads evenly over the chicken breast. It also makes them much easier to roll!

How to make chicken and goat cheese roulades

What you need

• Chicken: You can use a whole chicken breast, thinly slice it yourself, and then pound it with a mallet to ¼-inch thickness. I prefer to buy thinly sliced chicken, so I only have to pound it a little thinner. You’ll need to pick whatever is available at your local grocer!
• Goat cheese: My go-to is a block of Midnight Moon by Cypress Grove, but it costs a pretty penny! I splurge for it because I love it. You can use crumbled goat cheese instead, which would also be easy to work with!
• Spinach: I use chopped spinach, but arugula also works in this recipe.
• Garlic: I mince a few garlic cloves to add to the filling.

How to make it

• Step 1: Prep your chicken by pounding it to ¼-inch thickness. Season each cutlet with salt and pepper. Set them aside.

• Step 2: Combine the goat cheese, spinach, and minced garlic in a bowl and season with a pinch of black pepper.

• Step 3: Remove a few pinches of the filling–about ⅕ of the mixture–and place it in the chicken. Use your hands to press the filling into the chicken to flatten it so it adheres to the meat.

• Step 4: Roll the roulades. Position the chicken breast so that the wide part is facing you. Roll the chicken away from you, tucking the filling in as you roll.
• Step 5: Secure the roulades with two pieces of kitchen twine or toothpicks. I’ve done it both ways. The toothpicks are easier, but they make it more difficult to brown the chicken since they’ll poke out the bottom of the roulade. If you use kitchen twine, tie it closer to the center of the chicken so that it wraps around the narrow end piece of the roulade; otherwise, it will open up as it cooks. You can also secure it with just one piece of kitchen twine in the middle; I prefer two pieces to ensure it stays together nicely.

• Step 6: Continue rolling the chicken until all the roulades are prepared and secured with kitchen twine or toothpicks.

• Step 7: Fry the roulades. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the roulades and cook without moving until golden brown. Flip and cook for 1 minute before transferring to a preheated oven for 15 minutes.

From there, you can serve them up! I forgot to cut the string away before I garnished the roulades with parsley, so I removed the string right before serving.

I served the roulades with sautéed cabbage and mashed potatoes. Below are a few side dish suggestions that pair perfectly with these roulades!

• Rice: Butternut Squash Pilaf would make for a great side since the raisins add a nice sweetness that pairs perfectly with goat cheese
• Mashed potatoes: Try it with Sour Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes or Saffron Mashed Potatoes for an extra comforting dinner!
• Sweet potatoes: These would be delicious with my Sweet Potato Purée!
• Veggies: Try it with Roasted Broccoli and Spinach, Warm Frisée and Mushroom Salad, or Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Shallots.
• Pearl couscous: These roulades would go so well with my Pearl Couscous with Mushrooms recipe!

Chicken and Goat Cheese Roulades

I've been making these chicken and goat cheese roulades for years. They're so easy to whip up but look beautiful and taste delicious!

5 from 2 votes

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Servings: 5 roulades

Equipment

• Kitchen twine
• Box grater if using block goat cheese
• Ovenproof skillet

Ingredients

• 1¼ pounds thinly sliced chicken breasts (about 5 thin cutlets total; see Note 1)
• 1¼ teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper (plus more to taste)
• 4 ounces goat cheese (grated; yields 1 cup grated)
• 1½ ounces baby spinach (finely chopped; yields about 1 cup chopped)
• 3 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Prepare the chicken:

• Pat the chicken dry and place it on parchment paper. Use a mallet to pound each piece to ¼-inch thickness if needed. Season the chicken with 1¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and set aside.

Prepare the filling:

• Combine the grated goat cheese, chopped spinach, and minced garlic in a bowl. Add a pinch of black pepper. Mix well to combine.

Prepare the roulades:

• Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
• Place the seasoned chicken breast on a clean surface with the widest part of the breast toward you. Add ⅕ of the mixture and use your hands to press it firmly into the chicken so that it is tightly packed against the breast.
• Carefully roll the chicken around the mixture. Use two pieces of kitchen twine to tie the roulade together tightly on both ends. See Note 2. Set aside. Continue preparing the remaining roulades until all are rolled and tied.

Fry the roulades:

• Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Once hot, place the roulades in the skillet, seam-side up, and cook for 3 minutes until the top is well-browned. Flip and transfer to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until a meat thermometer inserted into the chicken registers 165ºF.

To serve:

• Remove the roulades from the oven and use kitchen shears to cut off the kitchen twine. Arrange the roulades on a platter and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

Note 1: You can use a whole chicken breast, thinly slice it yourself, and then pound it with a mallet to ¼-inch thickness. I prefer to buy thinly sliced chicken, so I only have to pound it a little thinner. You’ll need to pick whatever is available at your local grocer!

Note 2: You can use kitchen twine or toothpicks. I’ve done it both ways. The toothpicks are easier, but they make it more difficult to brown the chicken since they’ll poke out the bottom of the roulade. If you use kitchen twine, tie it closer to the center of the chicken so that it wraps around the narrow end piece of the roulade; otherwise, it will open up as it cooks. You can also secure it with just one piece of kitchen twine in the middle; I prefer two pieces to ensure it stays together nicely.

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