Rolled-Up Chicken with Feta Spinach Sun-Dried Tomatoes tastes rich, tangy, and a little fancy, even though it uses simple ingredients and basic techniques. It stays budget-friendly because you stretch a few chicken breasts with a flavorful filling instead of pricey cuts, and it cooks in under an hour from start to finish. This recipe works well for busy home cooks who want a weeknight dinner that feels restaurant-level, and I still make it on Tuesdays when my energy and patience both clock out at 5 p.m.
Reasons To Try This Rolled-Up Chicken with Feta Spinach Sun-Dried Tomatoes
This rolled-up chicken packs salty feta, garlicky spinach, and chewy sun-dried tomatoes inside juicy chicken, so every slice looks and tastes special. The filling keeps the chicken moist, so you avoid dry, boring chicken breast and get a pretty pinwheel effect on the plate.
You use mostly pantry staples like jarred sun-dried tomatoes and dried herbs, so you avoid a long shopping list. The recipe scales easily, works for meal prep, and fits both family dinners and casual entertaining without much extra effort.
“This Rolled-Up Chicken with Feta Spinach Sun-Dried Tomatoes tasted like something from a cozy neighborhood bistro, but my wallet and sink both stayed surprisingly calm. ★★★★★”
Ingredients You Need
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil or oil from the sun-dried tomato jar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning or a mix of dried basil and oregano
Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach, loosely packed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- Use block feta in brine if possible; it tastes creamier and less chalky than pre-crumbled.
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes for best flavor; pat them dry a bit with a paper towel.
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or basil, optional but tasty
Coating and baking
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Extra salt and pepper to taste
Optional sauce idea
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese or half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Extra feta or Parmesan to finish
Pantry shortcuts and swaps
- Use frozen chopped spinach instead of fresh: thaw 1 cup, squeeze it very dry, and season it well.
- Use goat cheese instead of feta for a creamier, milder filling.
- Use jarred minced garlic if you feel tired; use 1 teaspoon in the filling.
- Use pre-seasoned Italian breadcrumbs to coat the outside if you want a light crust.
Equipment list
- Cutting board and sharp chef’s knife
- Meat mallet or rolling pin to pound the chicken
- Plastic wrap or parchment to cover chicken while pounding
- Large skillet for the spinach and garlic
- Mixing bowl for the filling
- Toothpicks or kitchen twine to secure the rolls
- Oven-safe skillet or baking dish
- Instant-read thermometer for perfect doneness
Tips
- Pound the chicken to an even thickness so it cooks evenly and rolls easily.
- Keep the filling about 1/2 inch away from the edges so it stays inside while baking.
- Roll the chicken tightly but gently so you avoid tearing the meat.
- Use toothpicks across the seam of each roll and count them so you remove all of them before serving.
- Pat the chicken dry before seasoning so the oil and spices cling better.
- Use an instant-read thermometer and pull the chicken at 165°F in the thickest part.
- Let the rolls rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing so the juices settle.
- Slice with a sharp knife in clean, confident strokes so the pinwheel filling stays neat.
How to Make Rolled-Up Chicken with Feta Spinach Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Step 1: Sauté veggies and aromatics
Heat oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add onions and carrots; cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, harissa, coriander, and turmeric; cook 2 minutes, until aromatic. Season with salt.
Step 2: Prep and pound the chicken
Place a chicken breast on a cutting board and cover it with plastic wrap or parchment. Pound it gently with a meat mallet or rolling pin until it reaches about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thickness. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and keep them in the fridge while you prep the filling.
Season both sides of each piece with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Drizzle a little olive oil over the chicken and rub it in so the spices coat evenly. Set the seasoned chicken aside.
Step 3: Cook the spinach and build the filling
Heat olive oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook about 30 seconds until it smells fragrant, not browned. Add the spinach and a pinch of salt, then stir until the spinach wilts and most liquid cooks off.
Transfer the spinach and garlic to a cutting board and chop it roughly so it spreads easily. Add it to a mixing bowl with feta, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, lemon juice, lemon zest, and parsley or basil. Stir until the mixture looks evenly combined and taste it; adjust salt if needed, keeping in mind the feta already tastes salty.
Step 4: Fill and roll the chicken
Lay a pounded chicken breast flat with the smooth side down and the thinner end pointing toward you. Spoon some of the feta spinach sun-dried tomato mixture over the chicken, about 1/4 of the filling per piece. Spread it in an even layer, leaving a small border around the edges.
Start at the thinner end and roll the chicken up snugly over the filling. Secure the roll with toothpicks along the seam or tie it with kitchen twine in two or three spots. Repeat with the remaining chicken and filling.
Step 5: Sear the rolls for extra flavor
Preheat your oven to 400°F while you sear. Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Mix paprika and onion powder with a pinch of salt and pepper, then sprinkle this mix over the outside of the chicken rolls.
Place the chicken rolls in the hot skillet seam-side down. Sear each side for 2 to 3 minutes until the outside browns nicely. Turn the rolls gently with tongs so they keep their shape.
Step 6: Bake until juicy and cooked through
Transfer the skillet to the oven, or move the rolls to a lightly oiled baking dish if your skillet does not go in the oven. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, depending on thickness, until an instant-read thermometer in the center of a roll reads 165°F. If the tops brown too quickly, tent the dish loosely with foil.
Let the chicken rest on a cutting board for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove all toothpicks or twine. Slice each roll into 3 to 5 thick rounds so the feta spinach sun-dried tomato spirals show.
Step 7: Optional quick pan sauce
Place the skillet back on the stove over medium heat and add chicken broth. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Whisk in cream cheese or half-and-half and Dijon mustard until the sauce turns smooth and slightly thick.
Taste and adjust salt and pepper, then stir in a spoonful of feta or Parmesan if you want more richness. Spoon the sauce over the sliced rolled-up chicken or serve it on the side. Keep it just thick enough to coat a spoon so it clings to the chicken without feeling heavy.
Different Ways to Try It
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs if you add a crumb coating, and double-check labels on broth and mustard.
- Lower carb: Skip breadcrumbs and sauce thickeners and just sear and bake the chicken with spices and olive oil.
- Dairy-free: Swap feta with a dairy-free feta-style cheese and skip Parmesan; use olive oil instead of butter.
- Vegan twist: Use large flattened tofu slabs or thin eggplant slices instead of chicken and roll them around the same spinach and tomato filling with vegan cheese.
- Extra protein: Add finely chopped cooked bacon or chicken sausage to the filling.
- More veggies: Add chopped roasted red peppers, sautéed mushrooms, or artichoke hearts to the filling.
- Spicy version: Stir red pepper flakes or a spoonful of Calabrian chili paste into the filling.
How to Serve Rolled-Up Chicken
Serve the sliced rolled-up chicken on a platter so the colorful spirals show and drizzle a little pan sauce or extra olive oil over the top. Pair it with simple sides like garlic mashed potatoes, lemony rice, or a light couscous salad. Add a crisp green salad or roasted vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, or zucchini for balance. For drinks, offer sparkling water with lemon, iced tea, or a simple citrus spritzer.
Make-Ahead and Storage Success
Assemble the rolled-up chicken earlier in the day, cover it tightly, and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. Store leftover cooked chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat slices gently in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of broth so the chicken stays moist. Freeze cooked rolls or slices for up to 2 months, wrap them well, and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Rolled-Up Chicken with Feta, Spinach, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a baking dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to about 1/4-inch thickness.
- Season both sides of the flattened chicken breasts with salt, black pepper, and dried oregano.
- In a bowl, combine the chopped spinach, crumbled feta, sun-dried tomatoes, minced garlic, lemon juice, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix until evenly combined.
- Divide the spinach-feta mixture evenly among the chicken breasts, spreading it over one side of each piece.
- Starting from the shorter end, tightly roll up each chicken breast around the filling and secure with toothpicks or small skewers.
- Place the rolled chicken in the prepared baking dish, seam side down.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Carefully remove toothpicks, slice if desired, and serve warm.
Notes
Approximate per serving (1 stuffed chicken breast): 320 calories; fat 18 g; saturated fat 6 g; carbohydrates 5 g; fiber 1 g; sugars 2 g; protein 34 g; sodium 520 mg. Values will vary based on specific ingredient brands and portion sizes.