Chicken Roll Ups
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These creamy Chicken Roll Ups are exactly the kind of dinner I love: simple ingredients made into something that feels a little special. Tender chicken is rolled with creamy cheese and fresh herbs, seared until golden, then finished in a silky garlic Parmesan sauce. It’s cozy, beautiful, and made entirely in one skillet.
If you love this recipe, you should try my Creamy Baked Chicken Thighs, Stuffed Chicken Thighs (Involtini di Pollo), and Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas.
Quick Look: Chicken Roll Ups
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Servings: 8
- Method: Stovetop
- Technique: Pound the chicken into thin, even cutlets, season and fill with the creamy herb mixture, roll and sear until golden, then make the Parmesan cream sauce in the same skillet and finish the chicken in the sauce.
- Flavor & Texture: Juicy chicken, creamy herb filling, golden edges, silky garlic-Parmesan ceam sauce
- Best For: Sunday dinner, date night, entertaining, Thanksgiving weekend, Christmas dinner
Why You’ll Love These Creamy Chicken Roll Ups
This is my kind of special-occasion chicken recipe because it looks like you spent hours making it, but you really didn’t! I love recipes that have that little wow moment when you bring them to the table, and slicing into these chicken roll-ups and seeing the creamy herb filling does exactly that.
The combination of rosemary, sage, and thyme always reminds me of holiday cooking, so I especially love this for Thanksgiving weekend or Christmas dinner when you want something beautiful without making another large roast. And that Parmesan cream sauce? You’ll want plenty of crusty bread nearby for every last bit.
More recipes you’ll love: Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey, Oven Baked Chicken Breast Recipe, and 40+ Best Christmas Dinner Ideas.
Made With Amore,
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
Tender chicken, creamy cheese, fresh herbs, and a silky Parmigiano cream sauce come together to make these flavorful chicken roll ups.
- Chicken: Chicken breasts, olive oil, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper create tender, flavorful chicken with a beautifully seasoned exterior.Cutting large breasts horizontally gives you thin pieces that are much easier to pound, fill, and roll.
- Creamy Herb Filling: Cream cheese, mozzarella, rosemary, thyme, sage, garlic, and lemon zest create a rich, cheesy filling with fresh herb flavor and a touch of brightness.
- Parmigiano Cream Sauce: Butter, garlic, flour, white wine or chicken broth, heavy cream, Parmigiano-Reggiano, nutmeg, and fresh herbs create a silky sauce that coats the chicken beautifully.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Spinach Chicken Roll Ups: Add about ½ cup finely chopped, cooked, drained spinach to the filling. You’ll love my White Chicken Lasagna.
- Prosciutto Chicken Roll Ups: Lay a thin piece of prosciutto over each chicken cutlet before adding the cream cheese. Try my Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken or Chicken Saltimbocca.
- Sun-Dried Tomato: Finely chop a few oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes and fold them into the filling. You’ll love my Sun Dried Tomato Pasta.
How to Make Chicken Roll Ups
These chicken roll ups are filled with creamy herb cheese, seared until golden, and finished in a silky Parmesan cream sauce for a comforting dinner. Follow the step-by step photos and see the recipe card at the bottom for a printable version.
- Slice each chicken breast horizontally to make 8 thin cutlets. Gently pound to an even ¼-inch thickness. Combine the Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Season both sides of the chicken.
- Mix the softened cream cheese, mozzarella, garlic powder, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, sage, and lemon zest until combined.
- Spread about 2 tablespoons filling over each cutlet, leaving a ½-inch border.
- Roll tightly and secure with toothpicks if needed.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the chicken rolls seam-side down and sear until golden. Continue cooking, turning every few minutes, for about 10 minutes total, or until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 160-165°F (see notes). Adjust the heat as needed so the outside doesn’t get too dark. Transfer to a plate.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk for 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, scraping up all those flavorful golden bits from the pan. Add the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano, fresh herbs, nutmeg, and black pepper. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until smooth and slightly thickened. Taste and season with salt if needed.
- Return the cooked chicken roll ups and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Spoon the Parmesan cream sauce generously over the chicken and let everything gently simmer together for about 2 minutes.
- Remove the toothpicks and serve whole or sliced, with plenty of that creamy Parmesan sauce spooned over the top. Finish with fresh herbs and extra Parmigiano, if desired.
Chicken Roll-Up FAQs
Make Ahead: Assemble the chicken roll ups up to 1 day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Sear and make the cream sauce fresh when ready to cook.
Storage & Reheating: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat, adding a splash of chicken broth or cream to loosen the sauce.
Roll the chicken tightly and place the seam side down when searing. You can also secure each roll with a toothpick if needed, then remove the toothpicks before serving.
Leave about a ½-inch border around each chicken cutlet when spreading the filling and avoid overfilling. Rolling the chicken tightly and searing it seam-side down also helps keep the filling inside.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these chicken roll ups with sides that complement the creamy Parmesan sauce, such as Creamy Polenta or Mashed Potatoes. Add Roasted Green Beans, Crispy Parmesan Brussels Sprouts or Roasted Broccoli for a fresh contrast. Don’t forget a piece of Ciabatta Bread to soak up the extra sauce!
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Pound the chicken evenly. Aim for ¼-inch thickness so the cutlets roll easily and cook at the same rate.
- Don’t overfill the chicken. About 2 tablespoons of filling per cutlet helps keep the creamy cheese mixture inside as the chicken rolls and cooks.
- Use fresh herbs and lemon zest. Rosemary, thyme, sage, and lemon zest give the filling its distinctive flavor and balance the richness of the cheese.
- Let the chicken finish in the sauce. The final 2-minute simmer brings the chicken juices and Parmesan cream sauce together while allowing the chicken to finish cooking.
- Pull the chicken from the skillet at about 160–162°F, especially with thin chicken rolls. It will continue cooking as it rests and again during those final 2 minutes in the hot sauce. Aim for 165°F by the time it’s served.
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
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Chicken Roll Ups
Ingredients
Chicken Roll Ups
- 4 large chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon homemade Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cream Cheese Herb Filling
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened, prefered Phildelpia brand
- ½ cup freshly shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
Garlic Parmesan Cream Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ cup white wine or chicken broth
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1 tablespoon mixed fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage, finely chopped
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken. Slice each chicken breast horizontally to make 8 thin cutlets. Gently pound to an even ¼-inch thickness.
- Season. Combine the Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Season both sides of the chicken.
- Make the filling. Mix the softened cream cheese, mozzarella, garlic powder, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, sage, and lemon zest until combined.
- Fill and roll. Spread about 2 tablespoons filling over each cutlet, leaving a ½-inch border. Roll tightly and secure with toothpicks if needed.
- Sear and cook the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken rolls seam-side down and sear until golden. Continue cooking, turning every few minutes, for about 10 minutes total, or until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 160-165°F (see notes). Adjust the heat as needed so the outside doesn't get too dark. Transfer to a plate.
- Make the cream sauce. In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk for 1 minute.
- Finish the sauce. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, scraping up all those flavorful golden bits from the pan. Add the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano, fresh herbs, nutmeg, and black pepper. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until smooth and slightly thickened. Taste and season with salt if needed.
- Bring it all together. Return the cooked chicken roll ups and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Spoon the Parmesan cream sauce generously over the chicken and let everything gently simmer together for about 2 minutes.
- Serve. Remove the toothpicks and serve whole or sliced, with plenty of that creamy Parmesan sauce spooned over the top. Finish with fresh herbs and extra Parmigiano, if desired.
Notes
- Pound the chicken evenly. Aim for ¼-inch thickness so the cutlets roll easily and cook at the same rate.
- Don’t overfill the chicken. About 2 tablespoons of filling per cutlet helps keep the creamy cheese mixture inside as the chicken rolls and cooks.
- Use fresh herbs and lemon zest. Rosemary, thyme, sage, and lemon zest give the filling its distinctive flavor and balance the richness of the cheese.
- Let the chicken finish in the sauce. The final 2-minute simmer brings the chicken juices and Parmesan cream sauce together while allowing the chicken to finish cooking.
- Pull the chicken from the skillet at about 160–162°F, especially with thin chicken rolls. It will continue cooking as it rests and again during those final 2 minutes in the hot sauce. Aim for 165°F by the time it’s served.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
You know it was good when the kids asked to make it again!