Can we be real for a minute? Chicken can be…well…it can be quite ho-hum. It can be downright tasteless if it’s overcooked till it’s as dry as sawdust. This chicken dish isn’t one of those! This is one of those meals that looks, at first glance, like it will be difficult to make, but truth be told it’s actually quite simple to prepare and it tastes absolutely delicious! It does take a little more effort to make but the end result is definitely worth it. Trust me on this one! It’s one of those meals that I typically reserve for the weekends or when I’m entertaining and I want to impress my guests. So the next time chicken is on sale at the market, toss a package in your shopping cart so you can make this impressive tasting meal that everyone will devour.
You may be asking, “Isn’t Rouladen typically made with beef?” And the answer would be yes, it’s traditionally made with beef. This recipe is kind of a cross between the more traditional German Beef Rouladen and Chicken Cordon Blue. It’s elegant enough to serve to guests but easy enough to prepare so you can make it for your family when you have a little extra time to spend in the kitchen. Trust me, this one is definitely worth the extra effort it takes to get onto the table!
How To Make Chicken Rouladen
Start by cutting each chicken breast in half, horizontally. Place chicken between plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet to pound each piece to a ¼ inch thickness. You want a nice thin cutlet, just be careful and not get too carried away pounding the chicken. It can easily shred apart on you.
Season chicken cutlets generously with salt and pepper.
Spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard onto each piece of chicken.
Top each piece of chicken with a slice of ham and a slice of cheese. I’m using Pepper Jack cheese in the photos because it’s what I had in the fridge. I’ve used Mozzarella cheese sticks in the past and they are delicious as well. I bet Brie would be another delicious choice too. Any white cheese that melts well will work for this dish.
Roll chicken around the ham and cheese filling to create a rolled bundle like this.
Secure each roll with either a skewer, a couple of toothpicks, or tie into bundles with string.
Season the outside of each roll with a little more salt and pepper.
Dredge each chicken roll in flour, shaking off excess flour.
Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Place the floured chicken bundles in the pan in the heated oil.
Brown the chicken bundles on all sides, about 8-10 minutes. Use tongs to turn them so they brown all around.
Remove browned chicken rolls from the pan and keep them warm while you prepare the pan gravy.
Add pats of butter to the pan.
Once the butter has melted, stir in 2 tablespoons flour and whisk together to make a roux, scraping up the browned bits in the bottom of the pan.
Cook until flour is lighty browned, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the white wine to deglaze the pan. Then stir in fresh lemon juice. Whisk to combine and then add the chicken broth.
Whisk until any lumps of flour are gone. Be sure to scrape up any browned bits in the bottom of the pan, there’s loads of flavor in those browned bits.
Return the chicken rolls to the pan and spoon some of the pan sauce over the rolls to coat them.
Reduce heat to low and cover the pan. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Use tongs to turn the chicken rolls occasionally and prevent them from burning. Rolls are done when their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Once chicken is cooked through, remove the skewers, toothpicks or string used to hold the bundles together.
To serve, top each Rouladen with some of the buttery, lemon infused pan gravy over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley if desired.
I hope you give this recipe a try, it will impress your family and friends! It can be prepped ahead of time making it an impressive meal you can serve to guests with ease and…it’s freaking delicious! Even the hubs who hates chicken and want beef every night, absolutely loves this meal! The filling is so very flavorful with the smokey ham and melty cheese filling. The addition of lemon juice and white wine creates a bright and buttery pan gravy that takes this meal over the top! Be sure to leave a comment and let me know if you give this recipe a try and if you enjoy it as much as we do!
ENJOY!
Chicken Rouladen
Equipment
- meat mallet
- wooden skewers, toothpicks or string
- large skillet with lid
- whisk
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 6 slices deli ham
- 6 slices Provolone, Monterey Jack, or Swiss cheese
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour, plus more for dredging chicken
- 1 large lemon, juiced
- ¼ cup white wine
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tbsp fresh minced parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Cut each chicken breast in half and use a meat mallet to pound each piece to a ¼ inch thickness.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper.
- Spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard onto each piece of chicken.
- Top each piece of chicken with a slice of ham and a slice of cheese.
- Roll chicken around the ham and cheese filling and secure with either a skewer, toothpicks, or tie with string.
- Season outside of each roll with salt and pepper.
- Dredge each chicken roll in flour, shaking off the excess.
- Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Place chicken bundles in the pan with heated oil.
- Brown chicken bundles on all sides, about 8-10 minutes.
- Remove browned chicken rolls from the pan and keep them warm.
- Add butter to the pan. Once the butter has melted, stir in 2 tablespoons flour and whisk together to make a roux.
- Cook until flour is lighty browned, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add wine to deglaze the pan.
- Stir in lemon juice and then add chicken broth.
- Whisk until any lumps of flour are gone.
- Return chicken rolls to the pan. Spoon sauce over the rolls to coat them.
- Reduce heat and cover pan. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Use tongs to turn chicken rolls occasionally and prevent burning.
- Once chicken is cooked through, remove skewers, toothpicks or string. Top each roulade with the pan gravy over a bed of mashed potatoes to serve.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley if desired.
This post was originally published June 2019 and republished with updated photos, recipe notes, and new content March 2025.
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John 6:35
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