Chicken Asparagus Roll-Ups

Now this recipe is a real treat, folks! My mother used to make a similar dish when I was growing up... and it was always one of my favorites. I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com. It was given 4.5 out of 5 stars from people who have prepared it... and I can understand why! My only recommendation would be - take your time. Be patient. If you go slow and steady, the recipe is not rocket science. I used mozzarella instead of provolone cheese, which worked out great. I also used toothpicks to help keep the chicken rolled up nicely... especially when your adding and rolling in the breadcumbs.

Chicken Asparagus Roll-Ups



Ingredients:

1/2 cup of mayonnaise
3 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
1 lemon, juiced and zested
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 spears of asparagus, trimmed
4 chicken breasts, skinless
4 slices provolone cheese
1 cup panko bread crumbs


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Grease a baking dish. In a bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, tarragon, salt, and pepper until the mixture is well combined. Set aside. 

2. Cook asparagus in the microwave on High until bright green and just tender, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Set the asparagus spears aside. Place a chicken breast between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound the chicken breast with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Repeat with the rest of the chicken breasts. 

3. Place 1 slice of provolone on each chicken breast, and top the cheese with 4 asparagus spears per breast. Roll the chicken breasts around the asparagus and cheese, making a tidy package, and place, seam sides down, in the prepared baking dish. With a pastry brush, apply a coating of the mayonnaise mixture to each chicken breast, and sprinkle each with panko crumbs, pressing the crumbs into the chicken to make a coating. 


4. Bake in the preheated oven until the crumbs are browned and the chicken juices run clear, about 25 minutes.