Mouthwatering Spinach Stuffed Chicken Roll Ups

Here are my spinach stuffed chicken roll ups, with tender chicken cutlets filled with a cheesy ricotta mixture, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, and spinach, all rolled up and baked with marinara sauce.

These chicken roll ups have become a weeknight favorite at our house because they look fancy but are actually pretty simple to make. Plus, the kids love anything with melted cheese on top, so it’s a win-win!

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For this recipe, you’ll want to use chicken cutlets, which are basically thin slices of chicken breast that have been pounded flat. You can buy them pre-cut at most grocery stores, or you can make your own by slicing chicken breasts horizontally and pounding them to about ¼-inch thickness with a meat mallet. If you’re making your own, just place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper before pounding to keep things tidy. The thinner and more even your cutlets are, the easier they’ll be to roll up and the more evenly they’ll cook through.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Chicken cutlets: If you can’t find pre-made cutlets, just grab regular chicken breasts and pound them thin (about ¼ inch) between two pieces of plastic wrap. Works just as well!
• Ricotta cheese: Cottage cheese makes a great substitute – just drain it well and give it a quick blend if you want a smoother texture. Cream cheese also works, though it’s a bit richer.
• Mozzarella cheese: Feel free to use provolone or fontina instead. Both melt nicely and have that mild, creamy flavor that works well with the filling.
• Fresh spinach: Frozen spinach is totally fine here – just thaw it completely and squeeze out as much water as possible before chopping. You’ll need about ½ cup of frozen spinach to equal 1 cup fresh.
• Sundried tomatoes: Roasted red peppers from a jar make a nice swap if you’re not into sundried tomatoes. Just chop them up the same way.
• Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs give you extra crunch, or you can use crushed crackers or even ground oats in a pinch.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making chicken roll-ups is pounding the cutlets unevenly, which leads to some parts cooking faster than others – aim for a consistent 1/4-inch thickness across the entire cutlet for even cooking.

Another common error is overfilling the chicken with the spinach mixture, which causes it to burst open during baking, so stick to about 2-3 tablespoons of filling per cutlet and leave a small border around the edges.

To keep your roll-ups from unraveling, secure them with toothpicks before dipping in the egg wash, and remember to remove the toothpicks before serving (it’s easy to forget!).

Finally, don’t add the marinara sauce at the beginning of baking or your breadcrumb coating will get soggy – waiting until the last few minutes keeps everything crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.

What to Serve With Spinach Stuffed Chicken Roll Ups?

These chicken roll ups are pretty hearty on their own, so I like to keep the sides simple and let them shine. A big Caesar salad or mixed green salad is always a good choice, especially since the chicken already has that Italian vibe going on with the marinara and cheese. You could also serve them over pasta like spaghetti or angel hair if you want to make it a really filling meal, or go lighter with some roasted vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, or green beans tossed in olive oil and garlic. Garlic bread or a warm baguette is perfect for mopping up any extra marinara sauce on your plate.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your chicken roll ups in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They make great leftovers for lunch or a quick dinner later in the week. The flavors actually get even better after a day or two as everything melds together.

Freeze: These freeze really well for up to 3 months. You can freeze them either before or after baking. If freezing unbaked, just add an extra 10-15 minutes to the baking time when cooking from frozen. For already baked roll ups, thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Reheat: Warm them up in the oven at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes until heated through, or microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes. Cover with foil if reheating in the oven to keep them from drying out.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1400-1600
• Protein: 110-125 g
• Fat: 50-60 g
• Carbohydrates: 110-125 g

Ingredients

For the assembly and coating:

• 6 chicken cutlets (pounded to 1/4-inch thickness for easy rolling)
• 3 egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups breadcrumbs (Italian Style)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

For the spinach stuffing:

• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup mozzarella
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mushrooms (finely chopped)
• 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 1/2 cups spinach (tightly packed)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

For the topping and garnish:

• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 3/4 cup mozzarella
• 1 tbsp fresh basil (chopped)

Step 1: Prepare the Spinach and Cheese Filling

• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup mozzarella
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mushrooms
• 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups spinach
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Combine ricotta cheese, mozzarella, grated parmesan, finely chopped mushrooms, chopped sundried tomatoes, and tightly packed spinach in a bowl.

Season the mixture with salt and pepper, stirring until everything is evenly distributed.

This filling is the heart of the dish, so take a moment to ensure the ingredients are well incorporated and the spinach is broken up throughout.

Step 2: Set Up Breading Station and Prepare Chicken

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups breadcrumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 6 chicken cutlets

Preheat oven to 400°F and lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil.

In one shallow bowl, whisk together egg whites until slightly foamy.

In a second shallow bowl, combine breadcrumbs with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Season the pounded chicken cutlets with salt and pepper on both sides.

Step 3: Assemble and Bread the Chicken Rolls

• 6 chicken cutlets
• spinach and cheese filling from Step 1
• egg white mixture from Step 2
• seasoned breadcrumb mixture from Step 2

Lay one seasoned chicken cutlet flat and spread 2-3 tablespoons of the spinach and cheese filling from Step 1 across the center, leaving a small border on all sides.

Roll the chicken tightly from one end to the other, tucking in the sides as you go.

I find that rolling tightly helps the filling stay inside during baking.

Repeat with remaining chicken cutlets and filling.

Working one at a time, dip each roll into the egg white mixture, allowing excess to drip off, then roll in the seasoned breadcrumb mixture from Step 2 until fully coated.

Step 4: Initial Bake Until Golden and Cooked Through

• breaded chicken rolls from Step 3

Arrange the breaded chicken rolls seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.

Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the exterior is golden brown.

The internal temperature should reach 165°F when checked with a meat thermometer.

Step 5: Top with Sauce and Cheese, Finish Baking

• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 3/4 cup mozzarella

Remove the baking dish from the oven and spoon marinara sauce over each chicken roll.

Top evenly with mozzarella cheese.

Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the sauce is heated through.

Step 6: Finish and Serve

• 1 tbsp fresh basil

Remove from the oven and let rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.

Garnish with fresh chopped basil.

I always add the basil after cooking rather than before—it keeps the herb bright and fragrant instead of becoming muted from the heat.

Mouthwatering Spinach Stuffed Chicken Roll Ups

Delicious Mouthwatering Spinach Stuffed Chicken Roll Ups recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings 6 servings

Calories 1500 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the assembly and coating

• 6 chicken cutlets (pounded to 1/4-inch thickness for easy rolling)
• 3 egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups breadcrumbs (Italian Style)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

For the spinach stuffing

• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup mozzarella
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mushrooms (finely chopped)
• 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 1/2 cups spinach (tightly packed)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

For the topping and garnish

• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 3/4 cup mozzarella
• 1 tbsp fresh basil (chopped)

Instructions

 

• Combine ricotta cheese, mozzarella, grated parmesan, finely chopped mushrooms, chopped sundried tomatoes, and tightly packed spinach in a bowl. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, stirring until everything is evenly distributed. This filling is the heart of the dish, so take a moment to ensure the ingredients are well incorporated and the spinach is broken up throughout.
• Preheat oven to 400°F and lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil. In one shallow bowl, whisk together egg whites until slightly foamy. In a second shallow bowl, combine breadcrumbs with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Season the pounded chicken cutlets with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Lay one seasoned chicken cutlet flat and spread 2-3 tablespoons of the spinach and cheese filling from Step 1 across the center, leaving a small border on all sides. Roll the chicken tightly from one end to the other, tucking in the sides as you go. I find that rolling tightly helps the filling stay inside during baking. Repeat with remaining chicken cutlets and filling. Working one at a time, dip each roll into the egg white mixture, allowing excess to drip off, then roll in the seasoned breadcrumb mixture from Step 2 until fully coated.
• Arrange the breaded chicken rolls seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the exterior is golden brown. The internal temperature should reach 165°F when checked with a meat thermometer.
• Remove the baking dish from the oven and spoon marinara sauce over each chicken roll. Top evenly with mozzarella cheese. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the sauce is heated through.
• Remove from the oven and let rest for 2-3 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped basil. I always add the basil after cooking rather than before—it keeps the herb bright and fragrant instead of becoming muted from the heat.