American · main

Spinach and Goat Cheese Chicken Rolls in a Pan Sauce

Spinach and Goat Cheese Chicken Rolls in a Pan Sauce reads citrus 5.5, richness 4.2 and umami 4.2 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American main, about 17 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.8 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.1 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.2 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.8 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.9 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.4 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 5.5 · Richness 4.2 · Umami 4.2 · Allium 3.9 · Funk & Ferment 3.2 · Herbaceous 2.5 · Sweetness 2.5 · Salinity 2.4 · Nutty 2.3 · Sourness 2.3 · Fruity 2.2 · Floral 2.2 · Heat 1.6 · Bitterness 1.6 · Earthy 1.3 · Warm Spice 1.1

What's in it (16)

• 4 6-ounce chicken breast halves
• 1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese or goat cheese with herbs, or crumbled Boursin (garlic and herb cows-milk cheese)
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Toothpicks
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
• All-purpose flour, for dredging, plus 1 tablespoon
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped (from 4 sprigs)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups chicken stock or broth
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (a generous handful), chopped
• 3 tablespoons diced roasted red peppers

Time & effort: about 17 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 109.1 kcal, 11.9 g protein, 3.7 g fat, 8 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (24 steps)

1. Preheat the oven to 325F.
2. Sprinkle a little water in food storage bags.
3. Place 1 chicken breast in each bag, and seal it up, pushing out excess air.
4. Using a mallet or a small, heavy pot or pan, pound each breast until flat and just shy of busting out of the bag.
5. Wring the spinach dry in a kitchen towel.
6. Separate it and add it to a bowl.
7. Add the goat cheese and the lemon zest, season with salt and pepper, and mix until combined.
8. Lay the 4 pounded chicken breasts out on a cutting board.
9. Season them with salt and pepper.
10. Place one fourth of the spinachgoat cheese filling on each breast, along one long edge of the cutlet.
11. Roll the chicken breast to enclose the filling, creating a cigar shape, and secure with toothpicks.
12. Season the outside of the chicken with salt and pepper and then dredge in the sesame seeds and flour.
13. Preheat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of the EVOO.
14. Shake the excess flour from the chicken and then add to the hot skillet and saute on all sides for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown all over.
15. Transfer to a rimmed cookie sheet and place in the oven to finish cooking through, another 5 to 7 minutes, until the juices run clear.
16. Place the skillet back over medium-high heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO, and add the garlic, onions, thyme, red pepper flakes, and some salt.
17. Cook for about 3 minutes, then sprinkle the mixture with 1 tablespoon flour and continue to cook for about 1 minute.
18. Whisk in the chicken stock and thicken the sauce, 3 to 4 minutes.
19. Finish the sauce with the lemon juice, the parsley, and the diced roasted peppers.
20. Ladle some sauce onto each dinner plate.
21. Slice the chicken rolls on an angle, and serve atop the sauce.
22. Use this method of pounding chicken portions in plastic storage bags to store the meat as well.
23. You can transfer the food bags to the freezer and have single-portion servings of chicken cutlets for quick defrosting, anytime.
24. Its a great way to take full advantage of a terrific sale on chicken.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Spiced Lamb Flatbread Pizzas with Yogurt and Pine Nuts — Middle Eastern
• Salsa Verde Braised Chicken Tacos — Mexican
• Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Roasted Broccolini — Italian
• Garlic Parmesan Baked Orzo with Chicken — Mediterranean
• Greek Chicken and Rice Skillet — Greek

Keep reading: what citrus, richness, umami mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.