Three Cheese Italian Chicken Eggplant Rollatini

A lighter version of Chicken Eggplant Parmesan. The lemon zest brightens the dish and keeps it from being too heavy. Reduced or non-fat cheese is used, but you can use your preference. Substitute chicken with beef, pork, or omit entirely. It makes a great main dish or side dish. It is a little labor-intensive, but worth it. A marinara sauce recipe is included, but store-bought can be used.

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Three Cheese Italian Chicken Eggplant Rollatini Save
Three Cheese Italian Chicken Eggplant Rollatini
italian

A lighter version of Chicken Eggplant Parmesan. The lemon zest brightens the dish and keeps it from being too heavy. Reduced or non-fat cheese is used, but you can use your preference. Substitute chicken with beef, pork, or omit entirely. It makes a great main dish or side dish. It is a little labor-intensive, but worth it. A marinara sauce recipe is included, but store-bought can be used.

  • Preparing Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Served Person: 8
contains white meat tree nut free nut free gluten free red meat free shellfish free contains dairy
main dish

Step-by-step

  • PREHEAT oven to 450(F) or 230(C)
  • MARINADE chicken in Italian dressing for 30-45 minutes
  • SAUTÉ chicken until browned, remove from pan & cool.
  • BLANCH eggplant in batches in a large pot of boiling water, 2-3 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper towel lined baking tray and pat dry.
  • PURÉE cottage cheese in a food processor until smooth; transfer to a large bowl.
  • STIR IN 1-3/4 cups mozzarella, 3/4 cup basil, Parmesan, garlic, zest, pepper flakes, nutmeg, black pepper & salt.
  • COVER bottom of a 3-qt. baking dish with 3/4 cup sauce. (Recipe to follow)
  • SPREAD 1 heaping tbsp. cheese mixture onto each eggplant slice; starting at narrow end, roll up. Arrange in baking dish seam side down, packed in 1 layer. Top with 3/4 cup more sauce then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.
  • BAKE Rollatini until golden & bubbly, 15-25 minutes. Before serving, top with remaining basil and serve with extra sauce on the side.
  • BASIC MARINARA SAUCE
  • SWEAT onion and carrot in oil in a large pot over medium heat until softened, 3-5 minutes.
  • ADD tomato paste, garlic, oregano, pepper flakes & salt; cook 1-2 minutes.
  • STIR IN crushed tomatoes & tomato sauce; cook until bubbly, 10-15 minutes.
  • ADD basil right before serving.

Marinating the chicken strips in Italian dressing for thirty to forty-five minutes infuses the meat with acidity and herbal aromatics before any heat touches the pan. Puréeing the cottage cheese in a food processor eliminates its natural curds, creating a smooth, velvety ricotta-like base that blends evenly with the parmesan and mozzarella. Blanching the thin eggplant strips for two to three minutes softens the cellular structure just enough to make them pliable for rolling without breaking apart. Patting those blanched slices completely dry on paper towels prevents excess moisture from pooling in the baking dish, which would otherwise dilute the marinara sauce during the twenty-five-minute bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Freshly grated nutmeg introduces a warm, subtle aromatic note that cuts through the richness of the dairy layers without overpowering the minced lemon zest. When substituting store-bought marinara for the homemade carrot and onion reduction, monitor the sodium levels since commercial jars often carry a heavier salt concentration than the recipe specifies. Assembling the rollatini entirely a day in advance allows the flavors to meld effectively in the refrigerator before baking, though the total assembly requires patience due to the individual wrapping process.

Waffles?
Brie and Parmesan Polenta?
Venison Gumbo?
Pancakes?
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