Criollo Swiss Chard Rolls with Paprika Chicken, Roasted Tomato Sauce, and Sardo Cheese Crust

Name: Criollo Swiss Chard Rolls with Paprika Chicken, Roasted Tomato Sauce, and Sardo Cheese Crust
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Argentina
Ingredients: 12 leaves large Swiss chard leaves; 1 1/2 cups cooked long-grain rice; 14 oz chicken breast; 1 1/4 cups onion; 1 cup red bell pepper; 3 cloves garlic; 1/3 cup green olives; 1 2/3 cups tomato purée; 10 1/2 oz plum tomatoes; 1 cup grated Sardo cheese; 1 large egg; 1/3 cup breadcrumbs; 3 tbsp olive oil; 2 tsp sweet paprika; 1 tsp dried oregano; 2 tbsp fresh parsley; 1 tsp sugar; 1 1/4 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper

An original Argentine-inspired recipe: Swiss chard leaves filled with rice, paprika chicken, onion, and green olives, topped with roasted tomato sauce and finished with a Sardo cheese crust. Comforting, savory, and true to a home-style criollo table.

35 minPrep

45 minCook

80 minTotal

4Servings

High Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

12 units large Swiss chard leaves (without stalks gruesos)
300 g cooked long-grain rice (cold or tibio)
400 g chicken breast (cut diced small)
180 g onion (chopped fina)
120 g red bell pepper (chopped small)
9 g garlic (chopped)
50 g green olives (chopped)
400 g tomato purée (for the sauce)
300 g plum tomatoes (cut al medio)
100 g grated Sardo cheese (for gratinar)
1 unit egg (for ligar the relleno)
40 g breadcrumbs (for dar estructura al relleno)
45 ml olive oil (divided)
6 g sweet paprika (for the chicken)
2 g dried oregano (divided)
10 g fresh parsley (chopped)
4 g sugar (for balancear the sauce)
8 g salt (or a taste)
2 g black pepper (freshly ground)

Nutrition facts

per serving

428 kcal

Calories

31 g

Protein

27 g

Carbs

20 g

Fat

4 g

Fiber

23 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

GlutenDairyEggs

Instructions

1
1. Preheat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F. Place the plum tomatoes in a small baking dish, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, half of the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, a pinch of salt, and black pepper. Roast for 20 minutes until softened and lightly browned.
2
2. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a large pot. Blanch the Swiss chard leaves for 30 to 40 seconds, transfer them to cold water, drain, and pat dry. Carefully trim the thickest part of the stems so they can be rolled easily.
3
3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion and red bell pepper for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
4
4. Add the diced chicken, sweet paprika, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until the chicken is fully cooked and lightly golden. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
5
5. In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, the chicken mixture, green olives, parsley, egg, and breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The filling should be moist but hold its shape.
6
6. Remove the roasted tomatoes from the oven and blend or chop them roughly. Mix them with the tomato purée, sugar, and a pinch of salt to make a rustic sauce.
7
7. Lower the oven temperature to 200 °C / 400 °F. Spread one-third of the tomato sauce over the bottom of a baking dish.
8
8. Place one Swiss chard leaf on the work surface, add a portion of filling at the base, then roll it up while folding in the sides. Repeat with all 12 leaves.
9
9. Arrange the rolls seam-side down in the baking dish. Cover with the remaining sauce and scatter the grated Sardo cheese over the top. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
10
10. Bake at 200 °C / 400 °F for 20 to 22 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is deeply golden. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Chef tips

If the Swiss chard leaves are very large, you can halve some and make smaller rolls. For deeper browning, broil for the last 2 minutes near the top of the oven.

Substitutions

You can replace Sardo cheese with a similar aged Argentine hard cheese. The long-grain rice may be swapped for cooked brown rice for a more rustic texture. Green olives can be omitted for a milder flavor.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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