This is a dinner that looks like it came straight from a restaurant! It starts with a quick homemade pesto, although you can always use store-bought if you prefer. Scoop out some chicken, stuff with pesto and sun-dried tomatoes and roll up. It gets smothered in a creamy pesto sauce, loaded with cheese, and then baked to perfection. Serve it over rice, pasta or mashed potatoes for a dinner that will impress everyone at the table.
For more pesto goodness, try ours Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta or us Roasted Parmesan Pesto Potatoes.
Why our recipe?
- A restaurant-quality meal that's easy enough for a weeknight and impressive enough for guests.
- Perfectly juicy and tender chicken every time.
- The creamy pesto sauce will make you want to serve it over rice, pasta or mashed potatoes so you can lick the plate clean.
Pesto Chicken Roll Ups have quickly become a staple at the Stay At Home Chef house You need some skill to pull off this dish, but it's worth every second of prep work! While you can always use store bought, you'll definitely want to go for homemade pesto. It's super easy to make, comes together in minutes and the results are simply mouth-watering This recipe is perfect for those nights when you want something special without spending hours in the kitchen. The quick browning and baking process keeps the chicken juicy and tender.
Material notes
- Pesto: Uses basil, fresh garlic, parmesan, olive oil and pine nuts. You can always use store bought, but it's much quicker to make.
- Pine nuts: Can be expensive, so sunflower seeds are one of the cheapest options. You can use walnuts, pecans or even almonds.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Large ones work best for this recipe because they will be cut in half.
- Salt and black pepper: Essential for seasoning chicken just right.
- Garlic Powder: Pesto also adds an extra layer of garlic flavor to the chicken.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Finely chopped for easy incorporation. Packed in oil is preferred for this recipe.
- Heavy Cream: Pesto gives the sauce its rich, creamy texture.
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese: That melts in nicely for the gooey factor.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: Adds a delicious cheesy finish to that tangy flavor.
Chicken substitute
For pesto chicken roll ups, you'll want thin, even slices of chicken so they can roll up and cook quickly and evenly. We call for chicken breasts and you have to slice them in half horizontally into thin, even slices. The only problem is that sometimes grocery stores are selling what we call “less-than” chicken breasts that can be very thin. So let's take a quick look at your options:
Standard chicken breast: These are your traditional plump, boneless, skinless chicken breasts. If they seem less thick, you can't cut them in half, so buy 6 pieces instead of 3. You skip the slicing and work with them to make them thin enough to roll up
Chicken Cutlets: If you want to save time, you can buy chicken cutlets, which are chicken breasts already thinly sliced. This convenient option ensures uniform thickness and speeds up the preparation process.
Butterflied Chicken Breast: Another option is butterflied chicken breast, which is cut horizontally but not all the way through, creating a piece that opens like a book. You can end up slicing them to make two thin slices, perfect for rolling with pesto and sun-dried tomatoes.
Serving suggestions:
If you're wondering how to make pesto chicken roll-ups into a full meal, you have several options! It has such a great sauce that it deserves to be served over something that lets you enjoy it even more!
Storage and reheating instructions
Refrigerate: Store any leftover pesto chicken roll ups in an airtight container. They will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat in the oven, Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place chicken roll-ups on an oven-safe dish and cover with foil to prevent drying. Reheat for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
To reheat in microwave, Place the roll ups on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a microwave-safe lid or another plate. Heat on medium for 2-3 minutes, checking halfway through to ensure they are evenly heated.
