Internally Sauced

A side dish, a sauce and chicken all in one? Yes, a roulade. A roulade is a piece of poultry, meat or fish wrapped around a stuffing. Pound the chicken thinly, add other ingredients, then wrap it up and cook.

The stuffing eliminates the need for a sauce. Each bite of chicken includes the sweetness of the sun-dried tomato pesto, the wilted spinach and creamy melted goat cheese. If you are feeling creative, change the flavor of your roulades by using basil pesto and experimenting with some of your favorite cheeses.

A roulade makes a beautiful presentation. Slice it in half on a bias or in a few rounds and serve over rice pilaf.

Since the roulades take 15 to 20 minutes to roast, be sure to have all your ingredients ready before you start rolling.

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Roasted Chicken Roulade With Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach and Goat Cheese

Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 30 minutes

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4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1 1/4 pounds

Salt, pepper

1/2 cup sun-dried tomato pesto or tapenade

12 large spinach leaves, stemmed

8 teaspoons (2 ounces) goat cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil

Heat the oven to 400 degrees and line a jellyroll pan with parchment paper.

Two at a time, place the chicken breasts, smooth side up, between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, gently and evenly pound the chicken to about 1/4-inch thick.

Place each pounded chicken breast lengthwise on the parchment-covered pan, smooth side down. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the pesto over the surface of the chicken, dividing evenly. Press 3 spinach leaves on top of each breast and add 2 teaspoons of goat cheese. Very gently and tightly, roll the chicken away from you. Rub the top of each roulade with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Roast the roulades until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, about 20 minutes. At the 18-minute mark, cut one of the roulades in half to check if the chicken is cooked through; if not, return to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes.

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4 servings. Each serving: 319 calories; 368 mg sodium; 108 mg cholesterol; 16 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 39 grams protein; 0.36 gram fiber.

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Rice Pilaf

Active Work Time: 5 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 25 minutes

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1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup diced onion

1 cup converted rice

1 bay leaf

Salt, pepper

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Warm the chicken stock in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter and onion. Pour in the warm chicken stock, add the bay leaf and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid has evaporated and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper.

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4 servings. Each serving: 225 calories; 390 mg sodium; 8 mg cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 42 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 0.38 gram fiber.

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MENU

Roasted Chicken Roulade With Sun-Dried Tomato,

Spinach and Goat Cheese

Rice Pilaf

STAPLES

Bay leaf

Butter

Chicken stock

Olive oil

Onion

Converted rice

SHOPPING LIST

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Goat cheese

Sun-dried tomato pesto

or tapenade

Spinach

GAME PLAN

30 minutes before: Pound chicken. Wash, dry and stem spinach.

25 minutes before: Start rice. Assemble and roast roulades.

Just before serving: Slice roulades and add to rice.

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Quick Fix Video On the Web

Now you can watch a Quick Fix dish being prepared in a weekly video on The Times Web site. Times Test Kitchen Director Donna Deane demonstrates the key steps of this week’s Quick Fix recipe. Also, take a quick video tour of the new Times Test Kitchen. Check it out: www.latimes.com/food