Impress your friends and family with Chicken Cordon Bleu! Thin chicken breasts are topped with prosciutto and Swiss cheese, then rolled, breaded, pan-fried and baked to crispy golden perfection. Dinner has never tasted so good!
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Chicken cordon bleu is one of those meal-in-one dishes that appeals to my family’s tastes in different ways.
What is chicken cordon bleu?
My family and I were staying at a hotel near Rothwald, Switzerland, and the hotel owner told us a story about the beginnings of the dish we know as chicken cordon bleu.
Swiss origin chicken cordon bleu was created in no time. According to legend, the chef of a small inn in the village of Brig, Switzerland, was caught off guard by a last-minute dinner rush.
With very little meat on hand to feed the unexpected crowd, she decided to pound pork into a thin cutlet and then stuff it with ham and cheese to fill it up. The dish turned out to be such a hit that diners declared it was worth it Le C Ordon bleu– The Blue Ribbon – the highest award bestowed on a French chef.
Over time, the recipe has evolved into a dish with chicken. The first known mention of chicken cordon bleu was in the New York Times in 1967. Nevertheless, it is still as impressive as it was on this hectic day in Brig.
To prepare chicken cordon bleu, a boneless, skinless chicken breast is gently flattened with a meat mallet to 1/4 inch thickness, similar to a pork chops. The meat is then wrapped around a simple filling of sliced ham and Swiss cheese. It is then breaded and fried.
While the classic cooking method is pan frying, This recipe finishes the dish in the oven. Pan frying gives the chicken an over-crispy crust, while final baking in the oven ensures the chicken is cooked through (and gives you a few minutes to prep your side dishes).
Tips for flattening chicken breasts
It’s important that the chicken breasts are thin enough to cook in the allotted time, but not so thin that they tear easily when stuffing or rolling.
I like to put a breast between two pieces of parchment paper and pat it down, but don’t to aggressively, with a meat mallet. Take your time so the chicken breasts don’t tear.
When the breast has reached 1/4 inch thickness, remove the top piece of parchment, leaving the thin chicken breast on the bottom piece of parchment. Stuff and roll the breast on the parchment for easy cleaning.
Gluten Free Chicken Cordon Bleu
To make chicken cordon bleu gluten-free, substitute rice flour for the all-purpose flour called for in this recipe. Then replace the breadcrumbs with gluten-free panko or pork rind “breadcrumbs.”
What is the sauce for chicken cordon bleu?
A lemon slice squeezed over your cordon bleu is about as cheeky as it gets!
Remember our girl in Brig struggled to feed this crowd the way she was. It certainly wasn’t time for one sauce! The sauce making would only make this somewhat picky recipe even pickier. The filling of succulent chicken and gooey cheese is so good you won’t even miss a sauce.
What do you serve with chicken cordon bleu?
My family loves it when I serve mashed potatoes and a simple green salad alongside this chicken.
Save yourself a little time and make these Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes. This mixed green salad with pecans and goat cheese is always a hit. Toast the pecans for the salad while you finish the chicken.
If pasta and greens are more your thing, lightly buttered egg noodles and green beans also pair well with this recipe.
Store and freeze chicken cordon bleu
Cordon Bleu is notoriously time consuming – with the stuffing and rolling and breading and stuff!
I don’t recommend cooking this dish ahead of time because part of the excitement of chicken cordon bleu is watching melted cheese ooze out of its center. I tried it the day after making it and the dish was drier after reheating than the day I made it.
However, I’m a big fan of preparing it ahead of time and freezing it for later. This is a great Sunday prep meal to store in the freezer for surprise guests or busy weeknights when you need a quick dinner.
- I have the chicken pounded, stuffed and rolled when I have a little more time.
- Then I wrap them individually in plastic wrap, store them in a container and put them in the freezer. They can be kept for up to two months. (This is a great recipe for doubling!)
- The day before I want to make them, I take the amount I need out of the freezer and thaw the chicken in the fridge overnight.
- Then, the day I want to eat them, I just bread the prepared chicken and cook it. Any time you can create something that looks and tastes gourmet on a weekday without the stress of doing it from start to finish is a win in my book.
Need more great chicken recipes?
- Classic baked chicken
- Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Chicken Piccata
- Easy Chicken Parmesan
- Chicken Milanese
- Chicken and Bacon Roulade
Chicken cordon bleu
ingredients
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1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
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1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
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1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
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3/4 cup all-purpose flour
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1 1/2 cups panko or regular breadcrumbs
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1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
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2 large eggs, beaten
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4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 1/2 pounds), trimmed of excess fat
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1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
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8 slices (about 4 ounces) prosciutto or sliced ham
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4 ounces Gruyere or Swiss cheese, cut into 1/2-inch sticks
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3 cups vegetable oil for frying
- Serve:
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1 lemon, cut into wedges
method
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Mix spices:
In a small mixing bowl, combine the salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. You will later use this spice mixture to season the breadcrumbs, flour and chicken.
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Prepare the breading station and baking sheet:
Prepare your breading station by arranging three shallow dishes in the following order: flour, beaten eggs, breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs should be closest to your skillet, as this is the final step before frying. Add the chopped parsley to the bowl with the breadcrumbs and mix well.
Season both flours with 1/2 teaspoon of the spice mixture. Season the breadcrumbs with 1/2 teaspoon of the spice mix and the chopped fresh parsley. Set these aside while you prepare the chicken breasts.
Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet and set aside. This allows hot air to circulate under the chicken, allowing it to cook on all sides without the risk of it becoming soggy.
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Pound the chicken breast:
Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of parchment paper and use a meat mallet to flatten them out to a thickness of 1/4 inch.
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Season and Stuff the Chicken:
Spread a teaspoon of mustard on the flattened chicken breast, then season the meat with a pinch of the spice mix. Slightly overlap two slices of ham in the middle of the chicken. Place a gruyere stick (stick) on top of the prosciutto on one of the longer sides of the chicken.
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Roll up and fix the filling:
Starting with the cheese side, roll the chicken over the cheese until the meat and cheese are completely coated in the chicken. If possible, try to fold the chicken over the ends of the cheese to prevent the cheese from oozing out during cooking. Use a toothpick or two to secure the chicken bundle.
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Heat frying oil and oven:
In a 12-inch skillet, bring the oil to 350°F over medium-high heat. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
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Bread chicken:
Lightly dredge the chicken bundles in the flour. Pat off excess flour and brush the egg on the floured chicken, allowing excess egg to drain, then press the chicken bundle into the breadcrumbs to completely coat.
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Fry the Cordon Bleu; then finished in the oven:
Once your oil is hot, add the chicken to the pan. Fry the chicken for 5 minutes on each side. (You may need to do this in batches. Overfilling the pan can lower the temperature of the oil and leave you with a soggy crust.)
When the chicken breasts are done roasting, drain on kitchen paper before placing on the cooling rack baking sheet and return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes.
What is the temperature of cooked chicken?CONTINUE READING:
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Serve and cut:
Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. The thrill of a chicken cordon bleu is cutting into the bundle, separating the pieces, and watching the glorious cheese spill out.
Serve the cordon bleu hot with lemon wedges, mashed potatoes and a simple green salad.
