Healthy recipe alert!! Ever since I launched More Than You Can Chew in the beginning of this year I can’t say that I’ve become known for posting the healthiest of recipes so I’m pretty hype that I’ve managed to post something that looks good, tastes amazing and is actually pretty healthy!
I say “pretty healthy” because I know how particular people are about what’s considered to be “healthy food”. Some say it has to be vegan, some say it has to have vegetables, some say it should not have carbs. To me, healthy food is just as much what it is as what it isn’t. This dish is not carbs smothered in meat and cheese. And it’s not deep fried and coated in sugar. So it’s definitely considered healthy to me!
That said, there are modifications that can be made to this recipe to make it even healthier. I will list some modification suggestions below but in short, this recipe does include ingredients like breadcrumbs and buttermilk. These are two things that can be omitted without changing the main components of the meal and still produce a pretty tasty result. “But Jasmine, if they can be omitted they why even include them in the recipe?” The reason for that is because I like buttermilk and breadcrumbs, they taste delicious and I can do what I want.
You can also do what you want! Since I started this journey I’ve always stressed the ability to take my recipes and modify them to your liking. All I want is for this to be a guide of what to do but ultimately you can add, omit, replace, reuse, reinvent any recipe on here. I actually encourage it!
Let me know in the comments below if you have any alternatives to this recipe. I’d love to hear your ideas!
- 2 lbs. chicken breast, cut into 8 strips
- 8 large lettuce leaves
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. onion powder
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 cup your favorite buffalo sauce
- 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
- 1 cup shredded carrots
Instructions- Place chicken in a large bowl and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne pepper, if using. Pour buttermilk over chicken, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Completely coat each buttermilk soaked chicken strip in panko bread crumbs and place on a baking rack over a baking sheet. Bake chicken for 30-35 minutes.
- Remove chicken from oven and cover in buffalo sauce.
- Arrange lettuce wraps by placing one chicken strip on a lettuce leaf. Top with blue cheese and shredded carrots.
DetailsPrep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 8 wraps - 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Notes:
Reduce prep time by seasoning chicken as directed but without buttermilk. This is also a healthier option.
Omit panko breadcrumbs for a healthier alternative.
Use blue cheese dressing instead of crumbles as an alternative. (The crumbles are a better option health-wise)
SHOP KEY INGREDIENTS & TOOLS:
Cheesesteak Egg Rolls
Bacon, Mushroom & Mozzarella Chicken Roll Ups
Let me tell you why I so excited about this recipe. Well for starters, I genuinely did not expect it to come out as good as it did! I’ve made a version of this a while back, you know, before blogging, and it turned out just okay. I can’t pinpoint what went wrong the last time but it just was not the same. Wait no, I know exactly what it was, there wasn’t any bacon! Seriously the bacon makes this dish everything!
The other thing about this recipe is that it was easy AF to put together! I would say one of the key components was beating the shit out of that chicken breast. Not only does it make it very easy to roll, but it was legit a fun time! You also have the option of buying pre-sliced chicken that are perfectly thin enough for rolling but it takes all the fun out of it! Just slice a regular chicken breast in half and go to town! Just remember to cover it with plastic wrap first otherwise you’ll end up with a massacred chicken mess.
After you punish the chicken, you have to layer your filling. We, well mostly Devin, decided to use mozzarella, mushroom and, of course, bacon. I threw in the spinach for some color. I really doesn’t matter what you decide to fill with, but we found that this flavor combination was too good to pass on. One tip is that you should try to use the “creamy” shredded mozzarella. Kraft has a “creamy shredded mozzarella” that has cream cheese in it and it unbelievable! This is in no way sponsored or anything, I truly believe this!
Rolling the chicken is much easier than it may seem at first. The trick is to roll pretty tight so that the filing doesn’t fall out and all the flavors can fuse together. Secure the end with the toothpick and that’s it! Jus make sure to take them out when it’s done cooking!
Now on to the panko coating. This is optional but I really do think it makes a difference. The last time I made these roll ups, I didn’t coat them in any type of breadcrumbs, and it was seriously lacking. Most recipes online will say to dip the rolls in milk before breading them. But I once read a comment on one of the recipes I saw and it said that instead of milk, she used yellow mustard. I thought that was so genius! However, Instead of yellow mustard, I used Dijon because I’m bougie and not sorry about it! But anyway, the mustard gives it another added layer of flavor while also helping the breadcrumbs to stick perfectly.
This isn’t specifically stated in the recipe, but I also season the panko crumbs with salt, pepper, oregano and thyme. This may seem like an obvious thing to do, but if it didn’t seem obvious to you then it’s your reward for actually reading the blog post! I am truly thankful for that! So, now you’re ready to pop these bad boys in the oven and wait. I’d use this time to make your side dish. This particular time I made goat cheese mash potatoes. And I promise I will post a recipe for this because it was on point!!
Once the chicken is done go ahead and slice them. Not only does this show all the goodness inside but also helps to remind you that there are toothpicks still in them! Please take those out! Now that you’ve avoided being attacked by your dinner, it's time to eat!
Let me know in the comments if you thought this recipe was as damn good as I did! Did you follow the recipe to a tee or try anything different? Let me know!
- 4 chicken breast halves
- 4 slices of bacon
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 4 oz. portabella mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 cup baby spinach
- 1 tbsp. butter (optional)
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 6-8 toothpicks
Instructions- Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Heat a skillet on medium heat and cook bacon until well done. Break bacon into large pieces. Cook mushrooms in bacon grease or in one tablespoon of butter in a clean skillet. Cook for 4 mins then set aside.
- Lay chicken breast on a cutting board and cover with a layer of plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin, beat chicken until flatten to about 1/4 inch. Remove plastic wrap layer and season with salt, pepper, thyme and oregano. One chicken breast at a time, layer bacon pieces, cheese, mushrooms then spinach on top of chicken. Begin to roll chicken tightly, starting from the thinner side. Secure end with 1-2 toothpicks.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Brush chicken rolls with Dijon mustard and coat each with panko crumbs. Place on baking sheet and bake for 30 mins.
- When chicken is done baking, cool for 5 minutes then slice 1/2 inch thick slices. Garnish with parsley and serve.
DetailsPrep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 4 - 1 tbsp. butter (optional)
