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Herb-Goat Cheese Chicken Roulade with Lemon-Garlic Butter and Wilted Baby Spinach

This recipe was generated with AI assistance; nutrition is computed from USDA FoodData Central.

Herb-Goat Cheese Chicken Roulade with Lemon-Garlic Butter and Wilted Baby Spinach

2 servings  ·  prep 20 min  ·  cook 30 min  ·  total 50 min  ·  difficulty medium

Pan-seared then baked chicken breasts are stuffed with goat cheese, garlic, parsley and thyme. After searing in olive oil, the roulades are basted with butter and lemon juice and finished in the oven while baby spinach is wilted in the same lemon-garlic butter. Rolling the breasts into tight roulades and tying them with kitchen twine keeps the goat cheese filling contained and promotes even browning during the quick three-minute-per-side sear. A five-minute rest before slicing lets the pan juices settle so the spooned lemon-garlic butter coats the medallions when plated.

Ingredients

  • 500 g chicken breastChicken, Breast, boneless, skinless, raw
  • 100 g goat cheeseCheese, Goat
  • 120 g baby spinachSpinach, Baby
  • 10 g garlicGarlic, Raw
  • 40 g butterButter, Salted
  • 15 ml olive oil
  • 10 ml lemon juiceLemon juice, Raw
  • 8 g parsley
  • 4 g thyme
  • 6 g saltSalt, Table
  • 2 g black pepperSpices, Pepper, black

Equipment

  • ovenproof skillet
  • meat mallet
  • kitchen twine

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 320°F. Line a baking sheet or shallow ovenproof skillet and set aside.
  2. Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to butterfly each breast: cut horizontally almost through and open like a book. Press each butterflied breast flat with the palm of your hand or a meat mallet to even thickness, about 6 mm.
  3. In a bowl, crumble the goat cheese and mix with minced garlic (use about two thirds of the garlic), chopped parsley, thyme, 2 g salt, and 1 g black pepper until combined.
  4. Divide the cheese mixture evenly and spread it in a strip along the long edge of each flattened breast. Starting at the cheese-topped edge, roll each breast tightly into a roulade and press the seam to seal. Tie each roulade loosely with kitchen twine at two points to hold shape.
  5. Heat 15 ml olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season roulades with the remaining 4 g salt and 1 g black pepper. Sear roulades, turning to brown all sides, about 3 minutes per side.
  6. Add 25 g butter to the pan along with the remaining minced garlic and 10 ml lemon juice. Tilt the pan and spoon the melted butter and lemon-garlic juices over the roulades for 30 seconds.
  7. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake at 320°F for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Remove skillet from oven and transfer roulades to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes; keep pan juices in the skillet.
  8. While roulades rest, return the skillet with pan juices to medium heat. Add the remaining 15 g butter and the baby spinach. Sauté, stirring, until the spinach is wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining parsley if desired.
  9. Slice each roulade into 2 to 3 medallions per chicken breast. Divide wilted baby spinach between two plates, arrange roulade medallions on top, and spoon any remaining lemon-garlic butter from the skillet over the chicken. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.

Per serving

2.9 gNet carbs
69.7 gProtein
43.3 gFat
1.8 gFiber
682.1Calories
Protein Fat Net carbs

407 g per serving

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Tips

Frequently asked questions

Can I use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?
Yes, chicken thighs can be used, but they will behave differently during cooking. Thighs are fattier and more forgiving so they may take a little longer to brown and to reach a cooked-through state; still butterfly and press them to an even thickness and roll and tie them the same way so the filling cooks evenly.
What can I use instead of goat cheese?
A mild, soft cheese such as cream cheese can substitute, but the flavor and texture will be different. Goat cheese contributes a tangy, crumbly filling that holds its shape; a smoother cheese will spread more, so chill the filled roulades briefly before searing to help the filling firm up and reduce leaking.
Can I skip the thyme and use only parsley?
Yes, using only parsley is possible and will yield a fresher, greener herb profile. Thyme adds an earthy, woody note that parsley does not, so expect a milder herbal flavor if you omit thyme and keep the same quantities of parsley.
My roulades opened up while searing—how can I keep them closed?
If roulades open during searing, the seam likely wasn’t pressed or tied firmly enough. Press the seam when rolling, tie each roulade at two points with kitchen twine as instructed, and set the seam by searing seam-side down briefly first; chilling the rolled breasts briefly before searing also helps the filling hold.
The garlic tasted bitter after basting—what went wrong?
Bitterness indicates the garlic cooked too long or at too high a heat and began to brown. Add the minced garlic when you add the butter for basting as directed, keep the heat moderate while spooning the butter, and stop cooking once the garlic is fragrant to avoid that scorched flavor.
The spinach turned out watery—how can I prevent that?
Watery spinach usually means it was overcooked or crowded in the pan. Sauté the baby spinach only until it wilts, about two to three minutes over medium heat, stir to let excess pan juices reduce, and add it to the pan after returning the skillet to medium heat so it wilts quickly without releasing excess liquid.
How should I store leftovers, and how do I reheat them?
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking — within 1 hour if the room is above 90°F (32°C). USDA general guidance for cooked leftovers is 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below, or the freezer for longer. Reheat until steaming hot throughout, to 165°F (74°C). These are USDA FoodKeeper general guidelines, not a measurement of this specific recipe.

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Published 15 August 2026 · updated 15 August 2026

Nutrition computed from USDA FoodData Central, from the matched food records — never estimated by a model. How we compute these numbers.