Chicken, Ham & Swiss Roulades

I love Real Simple magazine {especially their recipes} and I love cookbooks {I read them cover to cover}, so when I opened up this gift from my parents on Christmas morning, I was SO excited:

Not only does this cookbook contain some of my favorite Real Simple recipes that are already mainstays in my kitchen, but I found a lot of inspiration for new dishes to add to my kitchen repertoire.  There are literally TONS of post-it notes now sticking out of this book in my kitchen.

The first recipe I decided to make: chicken, ham & Swiss roulades.  So. Simple. So. Delicious. and healthy too.  Plus, you probably already have all the ingredients in your kitchen, so you can make some tonight!

Chicken, Ham & Swiss Roulades 

Serves 2

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 full-sized breasts)

4 thin slices cooked ham

2 very thin slices Swiss cheese

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.  

Place each chicken breast between plastic wrap and, using a meat tenderizer, pound the chicken breasts into chicken cutlets.  You want to the cutlets to be no more than 1/4 in.-thick.

Unwrap the chicken and salt and pepper both sides.  Layer the ham, then the cheese on top of the pounded chicken.

Carefully roll the chicken, ham, and Swiss into a log shape, and skewer the roulades closed with toothpicks.

In an ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the roulades, and cook on all sides until browned.  This will take about 4-6 minutes.  Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the roulades until cooked through, about 18-20 minutes.

Serve with a small green salad on the side and some good Dijon mustard.

Source: slightly adapted from Real Simple's Dinner Tonight: Done!