Name: Mac ‘n’ Cheese Stuffed Chicken Schnitzel Roll-Ups
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Fusion / Comfort Food
Ingredients: 3 large chicken breast fillets, boneless and skinless (butterflied and pounded thin); 1/2 cup plain flour (for dredging); 2 eggs, lightly beaten; 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs (plain or multigrain); 150 g dried macaroni pasta; 2 rashers bacon, finely chopped (optional); 1 cup baby spinach leaves (optional); 2 tbsp butter; 1 tbsp plain flour (for sauce); 1 cup milk; 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese; 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (for filling); 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 cup tomato & basil pasta sauce (for serving); Salt and pepper, to taste; Olive oil or cooking spray (for baking); Fresh parsley or micro-basil, for garnish; Salad leaves, to serve

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Combines the comfort of gooey mac and cheese with the satisfying crisp of schnitzel for a real crowd-pleaser.
Rolling the chicken with filling means each bite gives you sauce, pasta and crisp crust all together.
Great as a show-stopper dinner for family or guests—but still manageable for a weekend treat.
You can tweak the cheese blend, seasoning or crumb coating to match your taste.

Ingredients

(Tip: You’ll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)

Chicken breast fillets, boneless and skinless (butterflied/pounded thin)
Plain flour (for dredging)
Eggs (lightly beaten)
Breadcrumbs (multigrain or plain, your choice)
Dried macaroni pasta
Bacon rashers, finely chopped (optional but adds flavour)
Baby spinach leaves (optional)
Butter
Milk
Shredded cheddar cheese (for the mac & cheese)
Crumbled or shredded mozzarella (for the filling)
Garlic (minced)
Tomato & basil pasta sauce (for serving)
Salt and pepper
Micro-basil or chopped parsley (for garnish)
Salad leaves, to serve on the side

Directions

Preheat and prep: Preheat your oven to about 190 °C (≈375-400 °F).
Make the mac & cheese filling: Cook the dried macaroni until just al dente. Drain and return to the pot. In the same pot, melt butter, add milk and a little flour to make a light sauce, then stir in cheddar cheese until melted. Add bacon and spinach if using, season with salt & pepper, and combine with the pasta. Let it cool slightly so you can handle it.
Prepare the chicken: Take each chicken breast fillet, butterfly if necessary, then pound between sheets of plastic wrap to about ½-1 cm thickness (ensuring even, thin pieces for rolling). Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Fill & roll: Spoon a portion of the mac & cheese filling onto each chicken piece (towards one end, leaving room to roll). Sprinkle some shredded mozzarella over the filling. Carefully roll the chicken piece up, starting from the filled end, tucking in sides as you go. Secure with toothpicks if needed.
Coat the roll-ups: Set up three shallow bowls: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, one with breadcrumbs. Dredge each roll-up in flour, then dip into the egg, then press into breadcrumbs so it’s well coated.
Cook the roll-ups:
- Oven method: Place the roll-ups seam-side down in a greased baking dish. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through (internal temperature ~74 °C / 165 °F) and the coating is golden.
- Pan-fry then bake method: Heat some oil in a skillet, brown each roll-up on all sides for a minute or two, then transfer to oven and bake until done.
Serve: Warm the tomato & basil pasta sauce and spoon it onto serving plates or into a shallow dish. Remove toothpicks from roll-ups, place them on top of the sauce, garnish with micro-basil or parsley, and serve with salad leaves on the side.

Servings and timing

Makes approximately 6 servings (if you use 3 large chicken breasts and make 2 roll-ups each).
Preparation time: ~30 minutes (including pounding, filling and coating).
Cook time: ~25-30 minutes (assuming oven bake).
Total time: ~55-60 minutes.

Variations

Swap the bacon for cooked ham or omit altogether for a simpler version.
Use a cheese blend: add mozzarella + provolone + cheddar for extra melt-and-stretch.
Add herbs or flavour: mix chopped fresh basil or chopped roasted red pepper into the mac filling for extra colour and flavour.
For extra crispiness: after baking, you can broil for 1-2 minutes until golden and crunchy—but watch carefully so it doesn’t burn.
Make it gluten-free: use gluten-free flour for dredging, gluten-free breadcrumbs, and ensure the pasta used in the mac is gluten-free.
Make it lighter: skip the breadcrumbs, drizzle a little oil over the roll-ups, bake as is for a baked stuffed chicken version with less crust.

Storage/Reheating

To store: Let roll-ups cool slightly, then wrap individually or place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2-3 days.
To reheat: Pre-heat oven to ~160-170 °C (≈325-340 °F). Place roll-ups on a baking sheet, cover loosely with foil to prevent over-browning, and heat for about 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
Freezing: You can freeze cooked roll-ups (once cooled) for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the oven. Re-warm the tomato sauce separately.
Note: The breadcrumb coating may lose some crispness after reheating, but still tastes great.

FAQs

1. How thin should I pound the chicken breast?

You should pound the chicken so it’s roughly ½-1 cm (about ¼-½ inch) thick and even throughout. This ensures it rolls easily, cooks through evenly and doesn’t take too long.

2. Can I skip the breadcrumb coating and just bake the roll-ups?

Yes — you can skip the breadcrumbs for a lighter version; lightly brush with oil or melted butter and bake. The texture will be different (less crunch) but still delicious.

3. What if the mac & cheese filling is too runny when I fill the chicken?

If the filling is too loose, it may leak during cooking. To prevent this: let the mac mixture cool slightly so it firms up a bit, or reduce some of the extra milk so the cheese sauce is thicker. Also avoid over-filling the chicken.

4. How do I prevent the roll-ups from unrolling during cooking?

Secure with toothpicks and place them seam-side down in the baking dish. For extra security, wrap a piece of kitchen twine loosely around each roll (if comfortable with that) or ensure the coating covers the seam well.

5. Can I prepare these ahead of time?

Yes — you can prepare the roll-ups (fill, roll, coat) ahead, keep covered in the fridge for up to a few hours before baking. When ready to serve, bake as directed.

6. What should I serve alongside this dish?

It goes well with a crisp green salad (to cut through the richness), steamed vegetables, or roasted potatoes. Garlic bread is also nice if you’re going full comfort mode.

7. My coating browned too fast but the chicken wasn’t done — what do I do differently next time?

If the crust is browning prematurely you can loosely cover the dish with foil partway through baking to prevent over-browning while the chicken finishes cooking through. Or bake at a slightly lower temperature for a bit longer.

8. Can I use pre-made mac & cheese rather than homemade filling?

Yes — you can use a high-quality prepared mac & cheese filling (thick enough) and then use it to fill the chicken. Just ensure it’s not too liquidy and that the chicken is cooked to safe temperature.

9. My breadcrumb coating got soggy after refrigerating — how can I avoid that?

If you prepare ahead and refrigerate, consider keeping the coating dry until just before baking. Store the filled roll-ups without sauce or liquid contact, and bake soon after removing from fridge to ensure crispness.

10. What internal temperature should the chicken reach?

Chicken should reach an internal temperature of about 74 °C (165 °F) in the thickest part of the roll-up to ensure it’s fully cooked and safe to eat.

Conclusion

These Mac ‘n’ Cheese Stuffed Chicken Schnitzel Roll-Ups are a playful, flavour-packed way to combine two favourites—mac & cheese and schnitzel—into one fun roll-up meal. With crispy coating, gooey cheesy filling and tender chicken, they’re perfect for a dinner that delights. Try them out and make them your own with favourite cheeses or fillings. Enjoy!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Ingredients

Directions

Servings and timing

Variations

Storage/Reheating

FAQs

1. How thin should I pound the chicken breast?

2. Can I skip the breadcrumb coating and just bake the roll-ups?

3. What if the mac & cheese filling is too runny when I fill the chicken?

4. How do I prevent the roll-ups from unrolling during cooking?

5. Can I prepare these ahead of time?

6. What should I serve alongside this dish?

7. My coating browned too fast but the chicken wasn’t done — what do I do differently next time?

8. Can I use pre-made mac & cheese rather than homemade filling?

9. My breadcrumb coating got soggy after refrigerating — how can I avoid that?

10. What internal temperature should the chicken reach?

Conclusion

Mac ‘n’ Cheese Stuffed Chicken Schnitzel Roll-Ups

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition