The technical name for this recipe is “Petti di Pollo Alla Bolognese.” Many people have a hard time pronouncing that name, so feel free to call it “Roly-Poly Chicken,” as we do!
Table of Contents:
Tips for Chicken Success
I’ve been making this dish since I was little. When I got married, I decided to tweak the ingredients to fit my family’s lifestyle. I’ve also created a few hacks to help the cooking process go smoothly. Here are a few things you should try!
- When scoring the butter, use a knife! As the butter gets hard, it will already show the correct marks and won’t crack unevenly. I usually slice the butter two times one way and four the other.
- Be sure to flatten the chicken breasts! Pounding them makes them look uniform, and it makes the meat tender. You mustn’t skip this step!
- Gluten-free flour tends to absorb more, so you may need more eggs. I like to create an assembly line with three large bowls or gallon-size freezer bags.
- Remember, you should throw out any leftover flour, breadcrumbs, or eggs since they came in contact with raw meat!
- Large chicken breasts can be cut in half vertically and used for the kids’ plates.
- When scoring the herbed cheese, try to make the sizes congruent with your chicken breasts. Any cheese that isn’t sealed inside the chicken will ooze out the sides while baking.
- You can make the chicken in advance and freeze it. When ready to make your meal, let it thaw for 6 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Bake as usual!
- You can also make the butter herb sauce ahead of time. I like to put the frozen butter sauce and wine in a small pot on the stove’s back burner. As I use the oven throughout the day, the heat melts the sauce. Once the mixture melts, I’ll bring it to a low boil to cook the alcohol out. Be sure to keep a lid on the pan, so it doesn’t reduce!
- The herbed butter mixture is fantastic on gluten-free rolls as well!
Healthy Chicken Ingredients 101
You can make this delicious recipe with just ten ingredients. Here’s what you need to add to your shopping list.
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: Chicken is a great lean protein that’s relatively inexpensive. For this recipe, you’ll need chicken breasts without skin or bones. These cuts of meat are easy to tenderize and hold their shape once rolled.
When purchasing chicken, look for organic, free-range birds.
Butter: A huge fad in diet culture eschewed butter in favor of margarine. Gross! Recent studies show that butter doesn’t increase your risk of coronary disease. (1) In fact, in moderation, butter can be good for you!
We recommend using grass-fed, organic butter whenever possible.
Herbs: A savory blend of herbs takes this recipe to a new level! We use a yummy combination of oregano, marjoram, and parsley. These spices complement each other and bring out the flavor of the meat.
I prefer using fresh herbs, but you can always use dried ones.
Gluten-Free Flour: The secret to amazing gluten-free recipes is to use high-quality flour. This ingredient helps the breading to stick and creates a crisp coating. We recommend using cup-for-cup flour blends.
Some gluten-free flours require you to add xanthan gum, so be sure to look at the label!
Eggs: A great binding agent helps breading to stay where it belongs. When the Chicken Roll Ups bake, the egg seals the breadcrumbs to the chicken.
When possible, purchase organic, cage-free eggs. These chickens have better living conditions, and they aren’t pumped full of antibiotics.
Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs: Did you know you can make gluten-free breadcrumbs yourself? Take your favorite gluten-free bread and toast it. Then, pulverize it in a food processor or blender until it reaches the proper consistency.
You can also buy them pre-made from the store. Either option works great!
Dairy-Free Block Cheese: We use plant-based cheese to keep this dish free of dairy (besides butter!). Alternative ingredients have come a long way, and you honestly can’t notice a difference in taste.
I recommend using Monterey-Jack-style cheese for the best results.
Make Chicken Roll Ups
This gourmet meal is bound to be a hit with friends and family. Guests will think you spent all day in the kitchen. This recipe serves four people.
- ½ cup grass-fed butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon oregano, chopped
- ½ teaspoon marjoram, chopped
- ½ teaspoon parsley, chopped
- ¼ lb Monterey-Jack-style dairy-free cheese alternative, in block form
- 4 boneless skinless organic free-range chicken breasts, halved
- 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 2 pasture-raised organic eggs, beaten
- 1 cup fine dry gluten-free breadcrumbs
- ½ cup dry white wine
- Mixing bowls
- Wooden mallet
- Toothpicks
- Baking sheet
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the butter, oregano, marjoram, and parsley in a small bowl. Spread half of the herbed butter on top of the cheese block, and score the remaining butter into eight even pieces.
- Place the butter mixture and cheese block in the refrigerator to harden.
- Place the halved chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and flatten with a wooden mallet.
- Coat the chicken rolls, front and back, with gluten-free flour. Dip in beaten eggs, and last, breadcrumbs.
- Remove the cheese block from the refrigerator and cut it into eight even pieces based on the butter markings. Place one of these sticks on each pounded chicken breast.
- Roll each piece of meat as you would a jellyroll. Fasten with toothpicks.
- Place the chicken roll ups on a greased baking sheet and bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
- While the chicken is baking, unwrap the saved butter and melt it in a small saucepan. Stir in the wine.
- When the oven timer goes off, pour the sauce over the chicken and bake for 15 more minutes.
- We like serving this meal with brown rice. Pour the liquid from the dish over the chicken for a savory touch. Enjoy!
You can freeze them for up to 4 months. When you're ready to bake them, remove them from the freezer and let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bake as usual.
Step One: Create the Herbed Butter
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the butter, oregano, marjoram, and parsley in a small bowl. Spread half of the herbed butter on top of the cheese block, and score the butter into eight even pieces.
Place the butter mixture and cheese block in the refrigerator to harden.
Step Two: Tenderize the Meat
Place the halved chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and flatten with a wooden mallet.
Step Three: Bread and Stuff the Chicken
First, coat the chicken rolls, front and back, with gluten-free flour. Dip in beaten eggs, and last, breadcrumbs.
If you’re planning on freezing the chicken breasts, wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag with the herbed butter.
At this point, you can freeze the chicken roll-ups for up to 4 months. When you’re ready to bake them, remove them from the freezer and let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bake as usual.
Remove the cheese block from the refrigerator and cut it into eight even pieces based on the butter markings. Place one of these sticks on each pounded chicken breast.
Roll each piece of meat as you would a jellyroll. Fasten with toothpicks.
Step Four: Bake the Chicken Roll Ups
Place the chicken roll ups on a greased baking sheet and bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
Step Five: Add the Wine Sauce
While the chicken is baking, unwrap the saved butter and melt it in a small saucepan. Stir in the wine. When the oven timer goes off, pour the sauce over the chicken and bake for 15 more minutes.
We like serving this meal with brown rice. Pour the liquid from the dish over the chicken for a savory touch. Enjoy!
