Chicken Asparagus Roll-Ups with Orange Yogurt Sauce and Couscous
This recipe is a lighter take on a Rachel Ray recipe, resulting in a delicious and healthy meal.
This recipe is a lighter take on a Rachel Ray recipe, resulting in a delicious and healthy meal.
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 dash kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- 4 slices reduced fat 2% milk swiss cheese
- 4 oz lean deli-sliced ham
- 12 thin spears asparagus trimmed of tough ends and blanched
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
- 1/4 tsp orange zest
- 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1/2 tsp honey
- Carbohydrate 5.44786874941805 g
- Cholesterol 111.415 mg
- Fat 5.39082499955 g
- Fiber 1.02729943395587 g
- Protein 50.7308575520812 g
- Saturated Fat 2.04597166660453 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (289g)
- Sodium 956.162531249963 mg
- Sugar 4.42056931546218 g
- Trans Fat 1.01869791665448 g
- Calories 283 calories
Step-by-step
- Halve the chicken breasts horizontally separating each into 2 cutlets.
- Place each halved cutlet in an individual freezer plastic storage bag (with slider tab). Add a tablespoon of water to each bag and pound into1/8-inch thick cutlets.
- Arrange the 4 cutlets on work surface. Season cutlets with salt and pepper on the side facing up. Cover each piece of chicken with 1 slice cheese and 1 oz ham. Starting on 1 side of the breast, place a small bundle of 3 asparagus spears. Wrap and roll the chicken around the asparagus. Wash hands.
- Heat about 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet (I used my new cast-iron pan, but you can use non-stick) over medium heat. When hot, using tongs, add the chicken roll-ups to skillet with seam side down. Season the roll-ups with salt and pepper. Cover the pan loosely with tin foil or lid and cook 4 to 5 minutes, turn roll-ups over and cook and other 4 to 5 minutes.
- Combine Sauce ingredients in a bowl
- Serve over couscous with the sauce drizzled over both
The Pounding Pitfall
Home cooks routinely shatter chicken cutlets by pounding them directly with a metal mallet without adding moisture first. Placing the halved breast inside a plastic bag with one tablespoon of water distributes the force evenly while protecting the delicate protein fibers from tearing. Flattening the meat to a precise 1/8-inch thickness guarantees it cooks through in precisely eight to ten minutes total without drying out the interior.Multiplying Portions Efficiently
Scaling this production from four servings up to twelve requires careful attention to pan crowding and thermal mass. Cast-iron skillets retain heat exceptionally well, but overloading the surface drops the temperature and causes the meat to steam instead of searing. Cook roll-ups in distinct batches separated by at least one inch of space, adding an extra half teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil between rounds to maintain proper browning.Balancing Yields and Ratios
Rolled poultry dishes derive their structural integrity from tight wrapping and strategic seam placement. Position the seam side directly against the hot skillet surface first to fuse the chicken before turning. Whisk the yogurt, orange zest, orange juice, and honey in a separate bowl at least thirty minutes prior to serving so the dairy proteins absorb the citrus acids fully.
