Recipe: Chicken Cordon Bleu

This recipe for Chicken Cordon Bleu is a classic. Tasty little bundles of ham and cheese wrapped in chicken…. Yummmm

I know this is a long post... but I am giving you several options of ingredients and cooking methods.... so read on.... and find what strikes your fancy.

TIPS

There are numerous variations of Chicken Cordon Bleu… some recipes don’t add breading to the little bundle…. some use Swiss cheese… some use Provolone… some use prosciutto …some use ham…. some fry it in butter and olive oil … some bake it…. it really is up to you…. you choose what you prefer.

I was taught to use very thin boneless chicken cutlets…. Actually I first learned to make Veal Cordon Bleu with veal cutlets…. Veal is so expensive… the recipe just morphed into Chicken Cordon Bleu.

In any case, the meat was pounded thin between two pieces of waxed paper with a kitchen mallet. Then a piece of thin sliced ham and Swiss cheese was put on it and rolled. The bundle was secured with a toothpick and then dredged in seasoned flour, dipped in an egg mixture (beaten egg and milk) and then rolled in unseasoned bread crumbs. A skillet was heated with 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in it and the chicken bundles were cooked over medium heat for about 15 minutes a side or until the chicken was fully cooked…( a meat thermometer is the best way to check doneness).

I have had trouble getting thin chicken cutlets where I am in the south… what they consider thin, in my opinion is not… no amount of pounding with a mallet will thin these…. and I’m not about to try and fillet them myself… so I buy the thinnest chicken breast cutlets I can find… and instead of rolling the Cordon Bleu… I fold it over… secure it with a toothpick and proceed with the breading.

You can also buy thick boneless chicken breasts and cut a slit into the side and make a little pocket and stuff the ham and cheese in that way and just secure the open side with a toothpick.

In the picture above, I had to fold mine over, I used thin sliced deli ham and thin sliced Swiss cheese. I breaded mine with Panko bread crumbs (the best for this) and I cooked mine in a skillet with butter and olive oil.

In the instructions below… I will also give you instructions for baking so if you prefer to bake rather than use butter and olive oil….. but be aware… baking will produce a drier breading. You can spray them with olive oil cooking spray to help… but the breading will not be as moist as with pan frying.

You can partially pan fry them and then finish the cooking by placing them in the oven to bake… the advantage to this method is that the breading will have the taste and crust from the pan frying and the ease of cooking with the baking. When they’re in the skillet, make sure your heat is medium… you don’t want breading done and chicken completely raw on the inside.

You can use this method when entertaining … you can prepare them ahead and cover them loosely with foil and finish them up in the oven. I would fry them until golden brown on each side… baking times will vary… and you should check doneness with a meat thermometer… but about 10-15 minutes a side in the oven would be about right.








PRINT RECIPE

Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe

All you need:

4 boneless, skinless thin sliced chicken breasts
4 thin sliced ham slices
4 slices of thin sliced Swiss cheese
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
1 cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
2 cups Panko bread crumbs, unseasoned
Toothpicks
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil

All you need to do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (If you are planning to bake rather than pan fry).

Lay the chicken breast on a flat surface.

Lay 1 slice ham and 1 slice Swiss cheese on each, leaving a little border of about 1/8 inch (you may have to cut the ham and cheese… just layer the cut pieces.

If the chicken cutlet is thin enough, roll it up. If not, fold it over.

Secure with a toothpick.

On a plate or in a wide bowl, prepare the seasoned flour.

In a small bowl beat the egg and milk until thoroughly mixed.

Place the Panko crumbs on a plate or in a wide bowl.

Dredge the bundle in seasoned flour, dip in the egg mixture and roll in the bread crumbs.

If baking…. Liberally grease a large baking pan with olive oil. Place the chicken bundles in the pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes a side. If the breading darkens too much… loosely cover with foil.

If pan frying…. Heat a large skillet with the butter and olive oil in it over medium heat. Place the chicken bundles in the pan and cook until chicken is done…about 15 minutes a side.

If breading darkens too much lower the heat and cover the pan… keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn….. turning occasionally…..or you can place them in a baking pan and cover loosely with foil and bake at 350 degrees until done. Do not grease the pan… the chicken bundles will have enough grease from the pan frying.

Test for doneness with a meat thermometer.