Chicken & Asparagus Rollatini

with Fresh Basil Fettuccine

45 MIN

4 Servings

From the Test Kitchen

Rollatini is an Italian-American dish of chicken breasts rolled around a filling and baked. For our filling, we’re making a briny, savory spread of capers, garlic, and parmesan cheese. We’re also blanching and shocking asparagus—boiling it briefly, then plunging it into ice water to preserve its crisp texture and flavor. Fresh basil-infused fettuccine, tossed with sautéed spinach, makes for a hearty, delicately flavored pairing.

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Nutrition

PER SERVING
Calories

620 Cals (est.)

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fresh

ingredients

4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
10 oz Fresh Basil Fettuccine Pasta
8 Wooden Skewers
2 cloves Garlic
1 bunch Asparagus
½ lb Spinach
2 Tbsps Butter
2 Tbsps Crème Fraîche
1½ Tbsps Capers
⅓ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

time-saving

tips & techniques

step-by-step

instructions

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1 Prepare the ingredients & make the caper-garlic paste:

Preheat the oven to 475ºF. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard the tough, woody stem ends of the asparagus. Roughly chop the capers. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. In a bowl, combine the capers, half the garlic, and half the cheese. Slowly stir in 1 tablespoon of olive oil to create a rough paste; season with salt and pepper to taste.

2 Blanch & shock the asparagus:

Fill a medium bowl with ice water and a pinch of salt. Set aside. To the pot of boiling water, add the asparagus. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until bright green and slightly softened. Leaving the pot of water boiling, using a slotted spoon (or tongs), transfer the cooked asparagus directly to the bowl of ice water. Let stand until cool. Drain thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels.

3 Assemble & bake the rollatini:

While the asparagus cools, oil a sheet pan with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. Place on the prepared sheet pan. Evenly top the seasoned chicken with the caper-garlic paste. Place the shocked asparagus on top crosswise. Tightly roll up each chicken breast around the asparagus; thread 2 skewers through the center of each rollatini to keep intact. Arrange seam side down. Bake 14 to 16 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cutting board; let rest for at least 5 minutes.

4 Cook the spinach:

Once the rollatini have baked for about 10 minutes, in a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the spinach and remaining garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until wilted. Turn off the heat; season with salt and pepper to taste.

5 Cook the pasta:

While the rollatini rest, using your hands, carefully separate the strands of the pasta and add to the pot of boiling water. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until just shy of al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Turn off the heat.Reserving ¾ cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

6 Finish the pasta & serve your dish:

Add the cooked spinach, crème fraîche, butter, and half the reserved pasta cooking water to the pot of cooked pasta. Cook on medium-high, stirring vigorously, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the pasta is thoroughly coated. (If the sauce seems dry, gradually add the remaining pasta cooking water to achieve your desired consistency.) Turn off the heat; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the finished pasta among 4 dishes. Carefully remove and discard the skewers from the baked rollatini; cut in half crosswise. Top the pasta with the rollatini. Garnish with the remaining cheese. Enjoy!