Asparagus chicken roll-ups feature chicken breast cutlets with tender asparagus spears rolled up inside and a garlicky lemon dill sauce spooned on top.
Asparagus season is here, folks! I’m locked and loaded with the green stuff over here and these chicken roll-ups are the first of many entering my table this year.
Alongside a fresh lemon dill sauce cause TIS THE SEASON. I’m so ready for spring over here and I couldn’t be more excited to get all the spring eats in my face.
First and foremost, don’t be intimidated by these roll-ups! I promise they are SO much easier than they look and they actually call for a very minimal ingredient list as well.
Living proof that simple dinners are the best. I could eat these every dang night and just try and stop me.
These Chicken Roll-Ups Feature…
- Juicy chicken breasts
- Tender asparagus spears and fresh dill rolled inside
- A fresh lemon sauce on top
Making the Chicken Roll-Ups
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Chicken breasts
- Asparagus
- Dill
- Unsalted butter
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Chicken stock
- Lemon
Choosing Your Chicken
You will need about 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. You will want to select 2 medium breasts which you will then slice in half width-wise so you end up with 4 cutlets.
I do not recommend subbing chicken thighs for breasts as thighs are smaller and more difficult to get flat for rolling.
Tips for Perfect Chicken Roll-Ups
- Pound chicken cutlets flat – use a meat mallet to gently flatten each cutlet to about 1/2-inch thickness. The flat chicken cutlets will roll much easier.
- Season chicken well – make sure to season both sides of chicken cutlets with salt and pepper.
- Roll up chicken and asparagus and secure with toothpicks – a few toothpicks will hold everything in place.
- Sear chicken roll-ups – searing the chicken adds a flavorful golden crust to the exterior plus builds a flavorful base for the lemon sauce. Sear roll-ups seam-side down and then gently turn until golden brown being careful not to unroll.
- Finish baking in oven – searing the chicken isn’t quite enough to finish cooking it so I pop them in the oven for 5-10 minutes after searing.
- Use fresh lemon and dill in sauce – you can’t beat the flavor using these ingredients fresh will give the sauce.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on these roll-ups.
- Try another vegetable – try green beans, thinly sliced sweet peppers, or mushrooms.
- Use another fresh herb – try parsley, chives, or basil in place of the dill.
- Add cheese – sprinkle a little Parmesan, asiago, white cheddar, or feta on chicken breasts before rolling up.
Serving Suggestions
These roll-ups go well alongside a variety of dishes! Try serving them alongside buttered noodles, risotto, pasta primavera, steamed rice, rice pilaf, mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, or roast vegetables.
It’s almost unreal how juicy the chicken cooks up in these roll-ups while the asparagus inside stays perfectly tender at the same time! A good drizzle of that zingy lemon dill sauce and we are in business.
Spring dinner on steroids, folks.
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Try these other spring dinner favorites next!
Asparagus Chicken Roll-Ups with Lemon Sauce
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Ingredients
Asparagus Chicken Roll-Ups
- 2 medium thick chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
- 1/2 lb fresh asparagus, ends trimmed
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced dill
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Lemon Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F and lightly grease a medium sheet pan. Set aside for a moment.
- Cut each chicken breast in half width-wise so you have 4 chicken cutlets. Gently pound chicken cutlets flat to about 1/2-inch thickness between two sheets of wax paper using a meat mallet or a rolling pin.
- Place chicken cutlets in a single layer on a cutting board and season each cutlet on both sides with salt and pepper. Arrange 3-5 asparagus spears on one end of each chicken cutlet, sprinkle each cutlet with a little fresh dill and tightly roll up vertically. Use toothpicks to secure chicken roll-ups.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and olive oil to pan and swirl to evenly coat. Add chicken roll-ups in a single layer seam-side down to pan (work in batches if needed) and sear chicken on all sides, very gently turning frequently until chicken is golden-brown, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer chicken to prepared sheet pan.
- Bake chicken roll-ups at 375F 10-15 minutes until chicken registers 165F on a kitchen thermometer inserted in the thickest part. Remove chicken from oven and keep warm.
Lemon Sauce
- While the chicken bakes, make the lemon sauce. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the same pan you used to sear the chicken over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute until fragrant. Pour chicken stock into pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. Simmer chicken stock 3-5 minutes over medium heat until slightly reduced.
- Remove sauce from heat and stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and dill until sauce is smooth. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
- Drizzle lemon sauce over chicken roll-ups for serving and serve immediately. Enjoy!
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