Pizza Chicken Rollups are a family-friendly, waist-friendly meal that can be on the table in as little as 30 minutes. Take out not required
The making of Pizza Chicken Rollups
When one sets about to lose weight, one throws themselves into it.
We walk with our FitBits, we compare steps, "I got my 10,000" we exclaim, sharing our buzzing wrists with each other. We notice others wearing devices and instant conversations ensue about our new lifestyles.
Yes, we can be rather obnoxious and perhaps, at times, a bit self-righteous. We check the calories in and log our food before we eat it.
And that, my friends, is one of the reasons pizza is not on the menu.
And I love pizza. So why not come up with a way to enjoy all my favorite pizza flavors, and save calories while I'm at it?
Why not indeed...
So I came up with Pizza Chicken Rollups. Lean chicken breast, filled with my favorite toppings and baked in the oven until melty and hot, and well, I didn't miss the crust at all. Well, OK, I missed it a little bit, but just a little bit.
"All the flavor of pizza just without the crust"
Pizza Chicken Rollups can be filled with whatever you like.
Mushrooms, if you must. Are you a ham and pineapple person? Why not?
Since I love Pizza Supreme and Pizza Margherita, I filled mine with pepperoni (I used turkey pepperoni to save on fat and calories) fresh buffalo mozzarella, a basil leaf, and a quick blend of sun-dried tomato mixed with roasted red peppers.
With this recipe, you can add mushrooms, either on top or inside, black olives, onions, whatever you like on top of a pizza pie can go into the roll-up.
Put a thin layer of pizza sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish, I did use a jarred sauce, Trader Joe's Pizza Sauce, at only 80 calories and 2g fat per serving (a serving being a ¼ cup) AND getting a B on the Fooducate scale, it seems like a satisfactory pre-made product to use in this hustle-bustle world; the flavor and thickness of the sauce was awesome.
If you have time to make your own sauce, you could cook down some Basic Marinara Sauce adding some extra oregano, until you have a nice thick sauce, but if you don't have time ...
Keeping it "GLUTEN FREE"
Keep this dish gluten-free and carb-free by serving it with Zucchini Spaghetti.
Make it a meal...
Baby Greens with Light Balsamic Vinaigrette
Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad
Here's more low-fat roll ups to try...
CHICKEN ROULADE WITH CHAMPAGNE SAUCE
CHILE CHEESE CHICKEN ROLL-UP WITH CREAMY VERDE SAUCE
Pizza Chicken Rollups
Ingredients
- 3 6 ounce boneless skinless (tasteless) chicken breasts (cut in half laterally and lightly pounded to be of even thickness)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- For the filling sauce
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 ounces roasted red pepper jarred or do it yourself
- 1- ounce sun-dried tomato pack in oil, rinsed and drained
- For the Inside
- what was in my rendition
- 4-6 slices turkey pepperoni
- 6 large fresh basil leaves
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella cut into slices
- in Brian's, not mine sauteed mushrooms
- To Finish
- 8 ounces jarred or homemade pizza sauce or marinara
- 3 ounces fresh mozzarella cut into thin slices
- Fresh basil torn or in a chiffonade, optional
Instructions
- Make the Inside Sauce: Place the roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomato, extra virgin olive oil, Italian seasoning into the work bowl of a food processor, and blend until well mixed. Set aside.
- Heat oven to 400 °F Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper; spread the red pepper/sun-dried tomato mixture semi thickly over the top of each.
- Set your desired fillings aside. (This is good to not have cross-contamination of the chicken and fillings which will probably cookout anyway, but hey, why take chances?) Place your desired fillings inside the chicken breast and roll to enclose.
- Put a thin layer of pizza or marinara sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish, place the chicken pizza rolls, seam side down on top; then top with more sauce along with a layer of mozzarella cheese. Place in oven and cook, 20 minutes or until cooked through.
- Let rolls set for 5 - 10 minutes, slice and serve with sauce.
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