Great chicken is both juicy and flavorful – this hits the nail on the head in both of those categories. Pesto is one of my favorite sauces, basil and toasted pine nuts give a fantastic fresh and nutty flavor that pairs extremely well with poultry.

As you all know, I like to use citrus when I can, so I’ve added some lemon zest to give citrus notes throughout the chicken. This pairs very well with the floral notes of the basil, and contrasts perfectly with the rich fats of the cheese.

I served this with a spicy chipotle mayo, consisting of homemade mayonnaise, chipotle seasoning, chili garlic paste, and some sweetener. It goes very well with the chicken – but if you’re not a fan of spice then it’s not needed. You can also make extra pesto filling and use that as a sauce.

You could easily pair this with some Bacon Jammin’ Green Beans and have a fantastic meal on your hands – let me know what you do with it and what twists you put on it!

Yields 4 total servings

The Preparation

4 whole chicken breasts

chicken breasts 150 grams Halloumi cheese

Halloumi cheese ¼ cup pesto

pesto 1 tablespoon olive oil

olive oil Zest 1 lemon

lemon 1 teaspoon garlic

garlic 1 teaspoon salt

salt 1 teaspoon pepper

pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil

The Execution

1. Pat your chicken breasts dry of any moisture using some paper towels.

2. Pound the chicken breasts out to 1/8″ thickness using a metal meat hammer.

3. In a bowl, combine 1/4 Cup Pesto (I am using Classico Brand) and 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil.

4. Spread your pesto out on the chicken breasts and zest 1 lemon over the chicken.

5. Chop your Halloumi cheese into small pieces and spread it out into the chicken.

6. Roll your chicken up end to end as best as you can.

7. Tie the chicken together using either butchers string, or securing it with toothpicks.

8. Preheat your oven to 450F, and then bring 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil to its smoke point in a cast iron skillet.

9. Add your chicken to the pan and cook it on all sides, making sure you get a nice sear on the whole outside of the chicken.

10. Put the cast iron in your oven for 6-7 minutes to allow the chicken to cook through.

11. Once the chicken’s juices run clear, remove from the oven, let rest for 5-6 minutes, and serve.

Per serving, this is 478 Calories, 31g Fats, 2.5g Net Carbs, and 53.3g Protein.

Chicken Pesto Roulade Calories Fats (g) Carbs (g) Fiber (g) Net Carbs (g) Protein (g) 4 Chicken Breasts 800 19 0 0 0 180 1/4 Cup Pesto 240 23 5 1 4 3 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil 360 42 0 0 0 0 Zest 1 Lemon 6 0 2 2 0 0 1 tsp. Garlic 5 0 1 0 1 0 150g Halloumi Cheese 500 40 5 0 5 30 Totals 1911 124 13 3 10 213