Healthy Chicken Breast and Vegetable Eggplant Rolls
Easy and Nutritious Chicken Breast and Vegetable Eggplant Rolls Recipe
These delightful eggplant rolls are made by thinly slicing eggplant, filling them with tender chicken breast and fresh vegetables, and then rolling them up. They’re a perfect way to use up leftover vegetables in your fridge, making them an ideal ‘fridge clean-out’ meal. Their mild yet satisfying flavor makes them a great choice for kids’ snacks or a healthy meal.
Ingredients- 2 eggplants
- 1 piece chicken breast
- 1/2 zucchini
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 carrot
- 1 king oyster mushroom
- 5 stalks green onions
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1/2 tsp whole peppercorns
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1.5 Tbsp cooking oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Wash and prepare all ingredients for the eggplant rolls. Get the chicken breast ready for boiling and trim the vegetables for easy slicing.
Step 2
Wash and peel the zucchini, carrot, and onion. Thinly julienne them to a similar thickness as the eggplant. Finely chop the king oyster mushroom and green onions to match the size of the other vegetables. Slicing all vegetables to a similar size ensures the rolls look appealing and are easy to eat.
Step 3
Place the chicken breast in a pot, add enough water to cover, and add the whole peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until tender. Boiling the chicken breast makes it tender and easy to shred, also adding more flavor.
Step 4
Wash the eggplants and remove the ends. Use a vegetable peeler to slice them thinly lengthwise. Slicing them thinly allows the eggplant to roll smoothly without tearing. Sprinkle a little salt on the sliced eggplant and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Salting draws out excess moisture, preventing the rolls from becoming watery when cooked and improving their texture.
Step 5
Gently pat the salted eggplant slices dry with paper towels. Lightly coat both sides of each eggplant slice with cornstarch. This step prevents the slices from sticking together while cooking and adds a slightly chewy texture.
Step 6
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add about 1.5 Tbsp of cooking oil. Lightly pan-fry the cornstarch-coated eggplant slices on both sides until they are lightly golden and slightly softened. Avoid overcooking, as they will become too mushy.
Step 7
Eggplant can become very soft if overcooked, and the residual heat will continue to cook them. It’s important to cook them just until they are tender to maintain their texture and vibrant color.
Step 8
While the eggplant is cooking, remove the boiled chicken breast from the pot, let it cool slightly, then shred it finely along the grain. Lightly season the shredded chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper. This pre-seasoning enhances the chicken’s flavor.
Step 9
Clean the frying pan, add a little cooking oil, and quickly stir-fry the julienned vegetables over high heat. Stir-frying vegetables quickly over high heat helps them retain their crispness.
Step 10
Combine the quickly stir-fried vegetables with the seasoned shredded chicken. Gently mix them together so the vegetables and chicken are well distributed.
Step 11
Place a portion of the chicken and vegetable mixture onto a cooked eggplant slice. Carefully roll up the eggplant, starting from one end, similar to making sushi rolls. Tuck in the ends to create a neat shape.
Step 12
Your chicken breast and vegetable eggplant rolls are now ready, looking appetizing with their vibrant eggplant color. Each bite offers a delightful combination of the soft eggplant and the rich flavors of the filling.
