These chicken roll ups are filled with creamy ricotta, fresh spinach, garlic, and Parmesan, coated in seasoned breadcrumbs, then baked with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella. Each roll has juicy chicken on the outside and a cheesy spinach filling tucked into the center.
I love serving these when I want something a little more special than plain baked chicken without making dinner complicated. If you love creamy chicken dinners, try my Chicken with Creamy Mushroom Sauce next. Add Crispy Baked Potato Wedges on the side, pour a cold Fresh Cucumber Lemonade, or try my Chicken Pasta Bake for another cheesy family dinner.
The trick is pounding the chicken thin enough to roll easily, keeping the filling concentrated in the center, and leaving a little room between the rolls while they bake so the breadcrumb coating can turn golden instead of steaming.
What Are Chicken Roll Ups?
Chicken roll ups are thin pieces of chicken breast wrapped around a savory filling before being baked.
This version combines sautéed spinach, garlic, ricotta, and Parmesan for the center.
Once filled, each piece of chicken is rolled tightly, dipped in egg whites, and coated with whole wheat Italian breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
The chicken rolls bake until golden before being topped with marinara sauce and fresh mozzarella for the final few minutes.
The result is somewhere between stuffed chicken breast and chicken Parmesan, with a creamy spinach center in every slice.
Table of contents
What You Need
How to Make Chicken Roll Ups
- Prepare the Chicken
Cut the chicken breasts into 8 pieces.
Place each piece between sheets of parchment or plastic wrap and pound gently until thin and relatively even.
The chicken should have enough surface area to hold the filling and roll closed.
Set aside while you prepare the spinach mixture.
- Prepare the Breadcrumb Coating
Add the whole wheat Italian breadcrumbs to a shallow bowl.
Mix in 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.
Set aside.
- Sauté the Spinach
Heat a small drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Add the minced garlic and spinach.
Cook for about 2–3 minutes, stirring gently, until the spinach is just wilted.
Avoid cooking it until completely dry and dark.
- Make the Ricotta Filling
Remove the spinach from the heat.
Combine the sautéed spinach and garlic with the ricotta cheese, remaining 4 tablespoons Parmesan, and about 2–3 tablespoons beaten egg whites.
Mix until evenly combined.
- Fill and Roll the Chicken
Lay one thin chicken piece flat on a cutting board.
Place a spoonful of the spinach-ricotta filling near the center.
Do not overfill it.
Roll the chicken around the filling until the edges come together and form a seam.
Place the roll seam-side down temporarily while you finish the remaining pieces.
- Bread the Chicken Rolls
Pour the remaining beaten egg whites into a shallow bowl.
Dip each stuffed chicken roll into the egg whites.
Then coat the entire outside with the breadcrumb-Parmesan mixture.
Press the crumbs gently onto the chicken so they adhere.
- Bake the Chicken
Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
Lightly oil a large baking dish.
Place the chicken rolls in the dish seam-side down, leaving a little space between them.
Bake for approximately 25 minutes, until the coating is golden and the chicken is nearly cooked through.
Stuffed poultry should reach 165°F (74°C) in the center before serving. USDA recommends checking poultry with a food thermometer rather than relying only on appearance.
- Add Marinara and Mozzarella
After about 25 minutes, remove the baking dish from the oven.
Spoon marinara sauce over the chicken rolls.
Top each roll with thin slices of fresh mozzarella.
Return the dish to the oven.
Bake for another 3–5 minutes, or until the mozzarella has softened and melted.
- Finish and Serve
Remove the chicken from the oven.
Let it rest briefly before serving.
Sprinkle fresh chopped basil over the mozzarella.
Serve the chicken rolls whole or slice them crosswise to show the creamy spinach-ricotta filling.
How to Keep Chicken Roll Ups from Falling Apart
Start by pounding the chicken thin enough to roll without resistance.
If the chicken is too thick, it will try to spring open after you roll it.
Do not add too much filling either. A generous spoonful is enough.
Keep the filling in the center rather than spreading it all the way to the edges.
Roll the chicken tightly but gently, then place it seam-side down in the baking dish.
The weight of the roll helps keep the seam closed while it bakes.
If one piece is especially difficult to keep closed, you can secure it temporarily with a toothpick, but remember to remove it before serving.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Leaving the chicken too thick: Thin pieces roll and cook much more evenly.
- Overfilling the rolls: Too much ricotta filling will squeeze out during rolling or baking.
- Spreading filling to the edges: Keep it concentrated near the center.
- Overcooking the spinach: It only needs to wilt.
- Using all the Parmesan in one place: Divide it between the breadcrumb coating and filling.
- Using all the egg whites in the filling: Reserve most of them for coating the outside.
- Putting the rolls seam-side up: Seam-side down helps them stay closed.
- Crowding the baking dish: Leave room for the coating to brown.
- Adding marinara too early: The breadcrumbs will become soft before they have time to crisp.
- Checking doneness only by color: Stuffed chicken should reach 165°F (74°C) internally.
What to Serve with Chicken Roll Ups
These stuffed chicken rolls already have plenty of flavor from ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, marinara, and spinach, so simple sides work best.
Roasted potatoes, pasta, rice, garlic bread, or crusty bread are all good options.
For something lighter, serve the chicken with a green salad, tomato cucumber salad, steamed broccoli, roasted green beans, or asparagus.
You can also spoon a little extra warm marinara onto the plate before adding the chicken.
FAQs
Chicken roll ups are thin chicken breast pieces wrapped around a filling and cooked with the seam underneath.
This version uses spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, marinara, and mozzarella.
Pound chicken thin, add filling in the center, roll it closed, dip it in egg whites, coat it in breadcrumbs, and bake.
Add sauce and mozzarella near the end.
Pound the chicken thin, avoid overfilling it, roll tightly, and bake seam-side down.
Yes.
You can assemble the rolls earlier in the day, cover them, and keep them refrigerated until you are ready to bake.
Yes, but thaw it completely and squeeze out as much moisture as possible before mixing it with the ricotta.
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Chicken Roll Ups with Spinach and Ricotta
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) and lightly oil a large baking dish.
- Cut the chicken breasts into 8 pieces and pound each piece until thin and even.
- Combine the breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons Parmesan in a shallow bowl.
- Heat a small drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and spinach and sauté for 2–3 minutes, until the spinach is just wilted.
- Combine the spinach and garlic with the ricotta, remaining 4 tablespoons Parmesan, and 2–3 tablespoons beaten egg whites.
- Pour the remaining beaten egg whites into a separate shallow bowl.
- Lay one chicken piece flat and place a spoonful of spinach-ricotta filling in the center.
- Roll the chicken around the filling to form a tight roll.
- Dip the chicken roll into the egg whites.
- Coat completely in the breadcrumb-Parmesan mixture.
- Place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
- Repeat with the remaining chicken, leaving a little space between each roll.
- Bake for approximately 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and spoon marinara sauce over the chicken rolls.
- Add thin slices of fresh mozzarella.
- Return to the oven for another 3–5 minutes, until the mozzarella is melted and the chicken has reached 165°F (74°C) internally.
- Garnish with fresh basil and serve warm.
Nutrition
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