Great chicken is both juicy and flavorful – this hits the nail on the head in both of those categories. Pesto is one of my favorite sauces, basil and toasted pine nuts give a fantastic fresh and nutty flavor that pairs extremely well with poultry.
As you all know, I like to use citrus when I can, so I’ve added some lemon zest to give citrus notes throughout the chicken. This pairs very well with the floral notes of the basil, and contrasts perfectly with the rich fats of the cheese.
I served this with a spicy chipotle mayo, consisting of homemade mayonnaise, chipotle seasoning, chili garlic paste, and some sweetener. It goes very well with the chicken – but if you’re not a fan of spice then it’s not needed. You can also make extra pesto filling and use that as a sauce.
You could easily pair this with some Bacon Jammin’ Green Beans and have a fantastic meal on your hands – let me know what you do with it and what twists you put on it!
Yields 4 total servings
The Preparation
- 4 whole chicken breasts
- 150 grams Halloumi cheese
- ¼ cup pesto
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Zest 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
The Execution
1. Pat your chicken breasts dry of any moisture using some paper towels.
2. Pound the chicken breasts out to 1/8″ thickness using a metal meat hammer.
3. In a bowl, combine 1/4 Cup Pesto (I am using Classico Brand) and 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil.
4. Spread your pesto out on the chicken breasts and zest 1 lemon over the chicken.
5. Chop your Halloumi cheese into small pieces and spread it out into the chicken.
6. Roll your chicken up end to end as best as you can.
7. Tie the chicken together using either butchers string, or securing it with toothpicks.
8. Preheat your oven to 450F, and then bring 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil to its smoke point in a cast iron skillet.
9. Add your chicken to the pan and cook it on all sides, making sure you get a nice sear on the whole outside of the chicken.
10. Put the cast iron in your oven for 6-7 minutes to allow the chicken to cook through.
11. Once the chicken’s juices run clear, remove from the oven, let rest for 5-6 minutes, and serve.
Per serving, this is 478 Calories, 31g Fats, 2.5g Net Carbs, and 53.3g Protein.
| Chicken Pesto Roulade | Calories | Fats (g) | Carbs (g) | Fiber (g) | Net Carbs (g) | Protein (g) |
| 4 Chicken Breasts | 800 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 180 |
| 1/4 Cup Pesto | 240 | 23 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil | 360 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zest 1 Lemon | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 tsp. Garlic | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 150g Halloumi Cheese | 500 | 40 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 30 |
| Totals | 1911 | 124 | 13 | 3 | 10 | 213 |
Chicken Pesto Roulade
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Breasts
- 150 g Halloumi Cheese
- ¼ Cup Pesto
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 Lemon's Zest
- 1 tsp. Garlic
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Pepper
- 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil For Frying
Instructions
- Pat your chicken breasts dry of any extra moisture. Pound the chicken breasts out into 1/8" pieces.
- Mix together 1/4 Cup Pesto and 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil. Spread the mixture out on all the chicken breasts.
- Add salt, pepper, and lemon zest to each chicken.
- Add sliced Halloumi cheese to each chicken breast.
- Roll the chicken breasts up and tie them using butchers string or toothpicks.
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- Heat 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil in a cast iron to high heat.
- Sear each side of the chicken making sure it gets nice and brown.
- Bake for 6-7 minutes until juice runs clear.
