Brian's Chicken Roll

We always serve this chicken roll with linguine and Mornay sauce. For a side salad, we like Brian's Avocado & Red Leaf Lettuce Salad. The creaminess of the avocado and the tenderness of the lettuce compliments the dish well.

2 double chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound spinach, blanched
4 thin slices deli ham
8 thin slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese
1 Tbsp fresh parsley
1/8 cup flour
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 egg
1 tsp water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Butterfly the chicken. Hold sharp knife parallel to cutting board and along one long side of breast; cut almost in half. Be careful not to cut all the way through to the other side. Open breast so it lies flat. If the breast is very thick, you may want to make 2 cuts.
3. Lay the chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, gently pound the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. Take care not to pound too hard because the meat may tear or create holes.
4. Place a thin layer of ham on each breast, followed by the slices of spinach, and then the cheese; leaving a 1/2-inch margin on all sides to help seal the roll. Tuck in the sides of the breast and roll up tight like a jellyroll. Squeeze the log gently to seal. You may also want to use cooking twine to tie it together.
5. Season the flour with salt and pepper; spread out on waxed paper or in a flat dish.
6. Mix the breadcrumbs with the parsley, oil, and butter. The oil and butter will help the crust brown.
7. Beat together the eggs and water, the mixture should be fluid.
8. Lightly dust the chicken with flour, then dip in the egg mixture. Gently coat in the bread crumbs.
9. Carefully transfer the rolls to a baking pan and bake for about 1 hour, or 1 1/2 hour if the chicken breasts are very large, until browned and cooked through. Cut crosswise into pinwheels before serving.

Good served with linguine topped with Mornay sauce and Brian's Avocado & Red Leaf Lettuce Salad.