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Looking for a delicious dish to serve your dinner guests? This chicken roulade with goat cheese and dates looks very impressive but is actually quite simple to make!
This chicken roulade with goat cheese and dates is my go-to when I need something that looks impressive, tastes delicious, and doesn’t take me hours to make!
The sweet and savory filling combined with the tender chicken breast is simply outstanding. And brushing the chicken with lemon juice and honey really takes this dish over the top.
So whether you’re making dinner for guests, cooking for a special someone, or just want to treat yourself to a nice dinner, this roulade is the perfect recipe.
How to make chicken roulade with goat cheese and dates
From start to finish, this recipe will take a little less than an hour. Not too bad for something so delicious and impressive!
Step 1: Place the dates in a small bowl and cover them with boiling water. Allow them to stand for 5 minutes so they will get plump.
Step 2: Meanwhile, heat a small nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the almonds and stir until toasted, just a few minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
Step 3: Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board, smooth side down. Cover with plastic wrap and pound the meat to ¼-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.
Step 4: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Step 5: Drain the water from the dates, then combine with the goat cheese, almonds, and thyme. Mix well.
Step 6: Add ¼ of the goat cheese mixture to each chicken breast. Spread it evenly across the breast, but don’t go all the way to the edges.
Step 7: Starting at the narrow end, roll the chicken breasts up and secure each one with kitchen twine or wooden toothpicks.
Step 8: Heat olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat.
Step 9: Add the chicken rolls and cook for about 5 minutes total until they’re browned on all sides but not cooked.
Step 10: Place the chicken pieces seam-side down on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Set the tray in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or so until the chicken is cooked through.
Step 11: Combine the honey and lemon juice in a small bowl. Brush the mixture over the chicken and bake an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 12: Remove the twine or toothpicks, slice into rolls, and serve immediately.
Serve with edamame, green beans, or fresh-steamed broccoli and enjoy!
Variations for this recipe
Looking for a few other flavor combinations for your roulade? Or maybe you’d just like to use some ingredients you have on hand? Feel free to get creative with this recipe!
For example, you could swap the dates for figs and the goat cheese for feta cheese. You’ll still have a wonderfully sweet and tangy flavor combination.
For a fun twist, try stuffing the chicken with ricotta, Parmesan, and cherries, then brushing with a balsamic reduction instead of the honey and lemon juice mixture.
There are so many ways you can experiment with the flavors of this dish!
Storage
Want to prep this recipe ahead of time so you aren’t in the kitchen when your guests arrive? Follow the recipe up until you’ve stuffed, rolled, and browned the chicken, but don’t place them in the oven yet.
Once you’re almost ready to serve dinner, throw the chicken in the oven and follow the rest of the steps for the recipe!
If you have any leftovers, you can store them covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Other dinner-party-worthy recipes
Looking for a few more recipes that are great for impressing dinner guests or surprising that special someone? Here are a few of my go-to recipes when I need something beautiful that won’t take all day to make:
- Smoky Whole Chicken (Instant Pot)
- Mussels in White Wine Sauce
- Turkey Roulade with Quinoa, Swiss Chard, and Prosciutto
You can also take a look at this roundup of diabetes-friendly dinner recipes for more inspiration.
When you’ve tried this dish, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!
Chicken Roulade with Goat Cheese and Dates
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons pitted whole dates, (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
- 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts , (about 1½ pounds total)
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ounces soft goat cheese
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, (minced)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Place the dates in a small bowl and cover them with boiling water. Allow them to stand for 5 minutes so they will get plump.2 tablespoons pitted whole dates
- Meanwhile, heat a small nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the almonds and stir until toasted, just a few minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.2 tablespoons sliced almonds
- Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board, smooth side down. Cover with plastic wrap and pound the meat to ¼-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts, ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Drain the water from dates, then combine with the goat cheese, almonds, and thyme. Mix well.2 ounces soft goat cheese, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- Add ¼ of the goat cheese mixture to each chicken breast. Spread it evenly across the breast, but don’t go all the way to the edges.
- Starting at the narrow end, roll the chicken breasts up and secure each one with kitchen twine or wooden toothpicks.
- Heat olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the chicken rolls and cook for about 5 minutes total until they’re browned on all sides but not cooked.
- Place the chicken pieces seam-side down on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Set the tray in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or so until the chicken is cooked through.
- Combine the honey and lemon juice in a small bowl. Brush the mixture over the chicken and bake an additional 2 to 3 minutes.1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Remove the twine or toothpicks, slice into rolls, and serve immediately.
