Serve with buttered and parslied orzo or small potatoes or with lots of crusty bread.

　　

Ingredients

4 servings

　　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 cow’s-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

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

　　

Step 2

Sprinkle a little water in food storage bags. Place 1 chicken breast in each bag, and seal it up, pushing out excess air. Using a mallet or a small, heavy pot or pan, pound each breast until flat and just shy of busting out of the bag.

　　

Step 3

Wring the spinach dry in a kitchen towel. Separate it and add it to a bowl. Add the goat cheese and the lemon zest, season with salt and pepper, and mix until combined.

　　

Step 4

Lay the 4 pounded chicken breasts out on a cutting board. Season them with salt and pepper. Place one fourth of the spinach–goat cheese filling on each breast, along one long edge of the cutlet. Roll the chicken breast to enclose the filling, creating a cigar shape, and secure with toothpicks. Season the outside of the chicken with salt and pepper and then dredge in the sesame seeds and flour.

　　

Step 5

Preheat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of the EVOO. Shake the excess flour from the chicken and then add to the hot skillet and sauté on all sides for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown all over. 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.

　　

Step 6

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. Cook for about 3 minutes, then sprinkle the mixture with 1 tablespoon flour and continue to cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken stock and thicken the sauce, 3 to 4 minutes. Finish the sauce with the lemon juice, the parsley, and the diced roasted peppers.

　　

Step 7

Ladle some sauce onto each dinner plate. Slice the chicken rolls on an angle, and serve atop the sauce.

　　

Tidbit

Step 8

Use this method of pounding chicken portions in plastic storage bags to store the meat as well. You can transfer the food bags to the freezer and have single-portion servings of chicken cutlets for quick defrosting, anytime. It’s a great way to take full advantage of a terrific sale on chicken.

　　Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats