Stuffed chicken roll-ups with asparagus and cheese and smeared with fragrant pesto – an effortlessly impressive and satisfying main dish, or even an appetizer!
Table of Contents
These chicken rolls are juicy and full of flavor from herby basil pesto and melty aged cheddar cheese.
Asparagus prevents the chicken from drying and keeps it juicy and tender.
How to thinly slice and flatten a chicken breast:
Since chicken breast is naturally uneven cut of meat, it’s important to flatten it to make it easier to roll and cook evenly.
You can either butterfly the chicken breast by slicing it horizontally, or simply pound it with a meat pounder until nice and flat.
Tip
Here’s a great tutorial on how to butterfly a chicken breast.
How to Make Chicken Roll Ups:
- First, we need to flatten (or butterfly) chicken breasts.
- Then, salt and pepper the meat, and spread pesto and arrange asparagus and cheese slices over chicken breasts.
- And roll the chicken, making sure everything stays in place. Secure the seams with a couple of toothpicks and place them on a baking sheet seam side down.
- Smear more pesto on top.
2 ways to cook chicken rolls:
- Oven method: bake the chicken rolls for about 25 minutes at 350°F.
- Air fryer method: cook the chicken rolls for about 20 minutes at 370°F.
Can you freeze chicken roll ups?
I don’t recommend freezing cooked (or uncooked) chicken rolls.
What to serve with chicken rolls:
These cheesy asparagus stuffed chicken roll ups are SO versatile! They’re great with just about anything. That said, here’re some of my favorite ways to serve these roll ups:
- Simple pesto pasta makes it a perfect complete meal.
- Air fryer honey glazed roasted carrots are absolute best!
- For decadent meal, pair it with loaded mashed potato casserole.
- And oven roasted veggies are always great as a side dish.
How to serve chicken rolls as an appetizer:
As mentioned above, these chicken rolls also make a perfect appetizer.
To serve as an appetizer, simply slice the chicken rolls into 1/2-inch rounds and arrange on a platter with some fresh veggies.
Stuffed Chicken Rolls
Ingredients
- 12 asparagus
- 8 oz (115 g) cheddar cheese block
- 4 chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 1 teaspoon salt coarse kosher
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup pesto
- 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Wash asparagus and trim off the end, about 2 inches. Then cut each stalk in half. If the asparagus is thick, slice it vertically as well.
- Slice the cheese into 8 thin slices.
- To prepare the chicken: place each chicken breast between two plastic wraps and pound it with a meat tenderizer until chicken is evenly thin, about 1/2-inch thick.
- To make the rolls: salt and pepper chicken breasts and spread a tablespoon of pesto on each chicken breast. Place 2 stalks of asparagus and 2 slices of cheese on each chicken. Carefully roll the chicken breasts. Secure the seams with toothpicks.
- Place stuffed chicken breasts the seam side down on a baking sheet, lined with a parchment paper. Spread more pesto on the outside and sprinkle more Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until the chicken registers 165°F internal temperature. If needed, broil for 2-3 minutes to give a nice golden color.
- Cool slightly, remove the toothpicks and serve.
Air Fryer Instructions:
- Place the chicken rolls in the basket of the air fryer. Cook for 20 minutes at 350°F, or until the chicken registers 165°F internal temperature
Tips & Notes
Nutrition
I love the look of these and I need an appetizer for a new years party. How are they if not eaten right out of the oven? I have a 30 min drive to get to the party.
Hi there! These are good at room temperature as well, so you should be fine. Hope everyone will enjoy these. 🙂
Liked your recipe a lot. Looking forward for some more mouth watering recipes. Keep up the good work.
What a lovely dish! Love the combo of asparagus and pesto with this chicken. Not to mention so pretty!
Thanks so much, Patricia!
These present so beautifully – I can almost taste them already!
Thank you, Renee!
This is totally my kind of “game day” food. Screw the chips and nachos, I want some fancy food on a toothpick that tastes delicious!
Haha, don’t they look fancy? Thank you, Rachel. 🙂
Oh wow, these look great. I love pesto and this looks super creative and yummy.
Thank you!
I absolutely love asparagus AND pesto and have no doubt that these would taste amazing, Shinee!
They’re delicious. Thank you, Melanie!
Wonderful appetizer – all my guests loved it. I thought the chicken might be a bit dry, but it was not. Thanks!
I’m so glad that your guests enjoyed these chicken rolls. This recipe is one of our favorites. Thank you for your feedback, Rita. 🙂