ITALIAN CHICKEN ROLL-UPS

3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup spinach leaves

8 ounces ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon garlic bread seasoning (see below)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

Pizza sauce (or your favorite marinara sauce)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together the ricotta cheese and garlic bread seasoning, mozzarella and set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Place a chicken breast flat on a plastic cutting board and cover the entire board with a piece of plastic wrap. Pound the chicken breast with a meat mallet until it’s about 1/4″ thick (it will have spread considerably). Cut the pounded chicken breast in half. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.

Line a chicken breast with spinach leaves. Spread ricotta mixture over the spinach leaves, leaving about a 1/2″ margin from each edge. Starting at on one end, carefully roll up each chicken breast and secure with 2 toothpicks. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.

Roll each stuffed chicken breast in melted butter, then roll in the Italian seasoned bread crumbs and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes in the preheated oven or until the chicken is cooked through. If you want to brown the tops a little, turn on the low broiler for 1-2 minutes (be sure to keep an eye on it–burning things at this point would be very sad). Makes 6 servings.

Garlic Bread Seasoning:

1/2 cup powdered parmesan cheese (the kind in the green can, shelf stable)

2 tsp kosher salt

2 TBL garlic powder

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp marjoram

2 tsp basil

2 tsp parsley