Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced eggplant
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup ricotta
• 6 spears canned asparagus, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella
• 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning chicken
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more for seasoning chicken
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 2/3 cup prepared tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-heat. Add eggplant and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk 1 egg with the ricotta. Stir in the reserved eggplant, asparagus, 1/4 cup of the mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan, oregano, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
4. Put the chicken breasts in a large plastic bag and pound until very thin and of even thickness. Remove chicken from bag and season with salt and pepper. Spoon a generous dollop of the cheese mixture near the bottom edge of 1 piece of chicken and roll it into a cylinder, around the filling, like a jelly roll. Repeat with remaining chicken.
5. Beat the remaining eggs in a shallow bowl and put the flour and bread crumbs on separate plates. In a large skillet, melt the butter and shortening. Dredge the chicken rolls-ups in the flour, dip in the beaten eggs, and then coat them with bread crumbs. Place the rolls-ups in the skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes.
6. Spread the tomato sauce in a shallow baking dish and place the roll-ups over the sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes.
7. Divide the roll-ups among 4 plates, spooning some sauce over the top. Sprinkle with diced tomato and serve immediately.