These might sound complicated but are actually very simple to make. There are a few steps involved but certainly nothing that’s too much effort. If you're making this for a special occasion the chicken and sauce can be prepped in advance so all you need to do is throw them together in a pan when you're ready to eat.

Ingredients

60g sun-dried tomato pesto

70g grated fresh mozzarella

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

 2 large eggs

70g breadcrumbs

15 chicken tenderloins

30 fresh baby spinach leaves 

Toothpicks to hold chicken

300g boiled baby new potatoes (optional side)

Sauce

15g sun-dried tomato pesto

50g dry white wine

1 garlic clove, minced

75g of chopped onion

50g olive oil

700g tomato passata

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Chicken

Add eggs, salt, pepper, ¾ or the parsley, breadcrumbs and 60g of the sun-dried tomato pesto and mix until combined.

Using a rolling pin, pound chicken tenderloins to tenderise and flatten. Distribute breadcrumb mixture evenly over tenderloins, then top each tenderloin with two spinach leaves and a sprinkle of reserved mozzarella.

Roll tenderloins up to enclose filling and secure ends with toothpicks. Arrange the chicken involtini in a large pan with lid and set aside.

Sauce

Place garlic, oil and onion into a pan on a medium heat and sauté for 5 minutes until soft. Add tomato passata, white wine and the remaining reserved sun-dried tomato pesto and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the sauce into and over the chicken involtini and then simmer on a low-medium heat for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Serve immediately with fresh parsley and baby new potatoes.

Gary Townsend is the head chef at One Devonsire Gardens, Glasgow