Creamy Chicken Roll-Ups Are the Retro Dinner You’ll Love

This creamy, deeply flavored chicken dish is truly something special. My best friend’s mom used to make it for us when we were kids, and I had completely forgotten about it until my friend made it for us recently. Just one bite reminded me of its magic: the spinach-stuffed roll-ups are browned in butter, braised in wine, then finished with cream to create a rich and silky sauce. It’s everything I crave in a classic, home-cooked meal.

I desperately needed the recipe, so I asked my friend to make it again alongside me. We put our kids down for a long nap, popped open a bottle of red, and got to work. I had assumed there was some secret ingredient or fancy technique involved, but the ingredient list is surprisingly short, and the process is easy. Sure, it takes a little time, but your patience will be rewarded with a seriously comforting and delicious dinner. I love it alongside rice pilaf, egg noodles, or fresh pasta.

Before filling the chicken breasts, you’ll need to pound them to an even 1/4-inch thickness and then slice them in half lengthwise. Even if your grocery store offers “thinly sliced” breasts, you’ll still need to pound them — you really want quite thin pieces to roll with. If you like, you can use small pounded veal cutlets instead, which is how I ate these growing up.

After filling, rolling, and tying the chicken, you’ll brown the roll-ups on all sides in butter. Not only does this give the chicken great flavor, but it also creates the base for a deeply delicious sauce. Just be sure to watch the butter carefully and adjust the temperature as needed. You’re looking for a deep nutty brown, but not burnt.