Cheese Tortilla Crusted Chicken with Asparagus {Only 4 Ingredients}

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These Cheese Tortilla Crusted Chicken roll ups with asparagus have only 4 ingredients! Try this easy and yummy family dinner this week!

Cheese Tortilla Crusted Chicken Roll Ups with Asparagus!  Yes, I used Doritos Cheese flavored chips that add a salty and crispy crust to the outside of the chicken with a hint of cheesy flavor.  The Chicken stays moist and juicy rolled up and you get this fresh bite of Spring in the center with the Asparagus.  Now, I’m not gonna go as far as to claim that this recipe is healthy, but c’mon it has Asparagus rolled inside so it can’t be that bad, right?  And what better way to get your kids to try asparagus than to coat it in Doritos!  

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Simple Ingredients and Substitutes

• Cheese-Flavored Tortilla Chips – I used Doritos, but there are so many delicious varieties of plain corn tortilla chips or cheese flavored.
• Chicken Breast, boneless, skinless – In order to roll the chicken, you really need to buy the whole breasts and then butterfly them yourself to get maximum surface area to fill and roll. I always have raw chicken breasts in the freezer as they can last up to 12 months if in an airtight container or packaging. Check out all of my tips on Prepping and Storing Chicken for Easier Dinners. 
• Fresh Asparagus spears – Fresh is best here as you want the long spears to roll up. Other veggies that you can use in these rolls are green beans, carrot spears, zucchini spears, or even scallions. You can also chop veggies and saute them, then mix with shredded cheese and fill these chicken rolls. Or just fill with mozzarella cheese!
• Egg – The egg is for dredging the chicken in so that the breadcrumbs adhere to the chicken. You can substitute the eggs with another thick and creamy ingredient, such as mayonnaise, greek yogurt, or even dijon mustard or sour cream.
• Salt – I used kosher salt, but any salt will work.
• Ground Black Pepper – You can use fine or coarse ground black pepper. I like fresh ground, but pre-ground is fine too.
• Olive Oil Spray – As we are baking the chicken, you want to be able to apply the oil without brushing off the breadcrumbs. That’s where an oil sprayer, either store-bought or refillable, is a great option. You can use olive oil, vegetable oil, or other oil.
• Toothpicks, about 12-16 (3-4 per breast)

Prep Steps for Tortilla Chicken and Asparagus

We are all extremely busy and making dinner during the week can be overwhelming. Prepping meals ahead can make ALL the difference!  Here are the steps you can do the day(s) in advance.  (See the recipe below for more details)

These Tortilla Crusted Chicken Roll Ups with Asparagus do take a little bit of dedicated time. But, I swear they are easy steps and it’s such a fun recipe!

It all starts with the fun stuff! Turn your cheese tortilla chips into crumbs by either placing them in a bag and smashing them with a rolling pin or placing them in a food processor and pulsing them. Store them in a plastic bag.

Prepare the chicken breasts by first opening them with your knife and then pounding them flat with a meat tenderizer or bottom of bowl. Note, you want to be sure you have full breasts, not pre-sliced thin, as they may not be big enough to roll. Opening up and pounding out your own ensures they are large enough.

Cut the woody ends off the asparagus, but wait to wash them until you are ready to cook.

That’s it! place the tortilla chip crumbs, the Chicken, the Asparagus, plus one unbroken egg on a sheet pan or large bowl in the fridge until the night you are ready to cook.

Cooking Steps for Tortilla Crusted Chicken Rolls

On the night you’re ready to cook, pull your KIT out from the fridge!

Preheat oven to 400, then spray the bottom of a large sheet pan with extra virgin olive oil.

Rinse the asparagus and set aside.

Lay the chicken breasts out on a flat surface. Season both sides with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Then place 4-5 spears of asparagus on the chicken off to one side as you will be rolling starting from that side.

Roll the asparagus up in the chicken and then secure the end with 3-4 toothpicks.

Beat an egg in a large bowl (big enough to fit your chicken rolls). In a second large bowl or on a plate, place the crushed tortilla chips. Take a chicken roll and coat it in the egg.  Shake the excess egg off, then roll it in the tortilla crumbs to full coat the chicken (you do not need to coat the asparagus).  Then place the chicken on the oiled sheet pan.

Do this for each of the 4 chicken breasts.  Once all are on the sheet pan, spray or brush with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, then bake in the 400 degree oven for 15 minutes on the center rack.  Flip the Chicken over and then bake for a second 15 minutes.

After a total of 30 minutes in the oven, remove the chicken and let rest for 5 minutes.

Slice your yummy Tortilla Crusted Chicken rolls with asparagus for the beautiful presentation and serve over salad or rice or quinoa. 

ENJOY! 😍 Carrie

Tortilla Crusted Chicken Rolls FAQs?

Can I use a different cut of chicken for this recipe?

Chicken breasts are the best for rolling. However, you can coat any cut of chicken in tortilla chip crumbs and bake it. You can use chicken tenders or boneless chicken thighs, or even bone-in chicken legs, wings, thighs or breasts.

Can I make these tortilla crusted chicken rolls ahead?

You can prep and even bake these chicken rolls up to 4-5 days in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat them, place on a sheet pan in a 350 F degree oven for 15 minutes until heated through.

Can I freeze these tortilla crusted chicken rolls?

You can prep and coat these chicken rolls in the tortilla crumbs and then flash freeze on a sheet pan in the freezer for 2-3 hours. Once frozen, you can transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 4-6 months.

To cook them, place the frozen rolls on an oiled sheet pan in a 400 F degree oven for 20 minutes. After the first 15 minutes, remove from the oven and gently flip the chicken using a large spatula, gently scraping the pan as you flip to lift any crumbs that may be sticking. Once all are flipped, put back in the oven and bake for the final 15 minutes.

Can I add parmesan cheese to the breadcrumbs?

Adding grated parmesan cheese to the breadcrumbs is delicious! For this recipe, I recommend reducing the tortilla chips by ½ cup and add in ½ cup grated parmesan cheese. If you add parmesan cheese, you may want to reduce the salt to just a pinch or it may be too salty.

What to serve with this chicken recipe?

Baked potato, french fries, pasta, or rice are some simple sides.  You can also serve these healthy sides…delicious Cheesy Cauliflower Rice or my Mushroom Quinoa Risotto or even this Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mash!