Chicken Cordon Bleu
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Chicken cordon bleu is chicken breast stuffed with slices of ham and Swiss cheese, then breaded and baked until golden brown. Topped with a delicious cheese sauce, this is a wonderful meal for the family or to entertain guests.
Chicken Cordon Blue – gotta love it, right? But not when it’s fried. This “chicken-in-a-blanket” recipe is baked, not deep fried, and deliciously served with a homemade cheese sauce.
The chicken cordon bleu gets its name from the blue ribbon, which is the translation for the name cordon (ribbon) bleu (blue). The chicken is coated and breaded in breadcrumbs similar to chicken schnitzel, but also stuffed with ham and cheese inside and served with a cream sauce. The perfect chicken dinner for family or to entertain.
Why make this recipe
- This is a yummy recipe for all of you who want to try to make chicken Cordon Bleu at home but don’t want to deep-fry it.
- First, while the name makes it sound complicated it really is a very simple and easy recipe.
- Most of the ingredients are easy to find or pantry staples.
- It is the perfect dish to make if you have guests. You can prepare most of the process ahead of time and bake it just before your guest arrives.
- The white sauce takes the classic cordon bleu to the next level so don’t skip on that. It really is finger-licking delicious and your guests will thank you.
- Today, I am serving it with mashed potatoes, roasted cauliflower, and sesame green beans but the options for sides are endless.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Chicken – This recipe works best with skinless boneless chicken breast or chicken cutlets. I like to buy precut chicken schnitzel pieces from the butcher. These are already thinly sliced into 3. But, you can also cut each breast into 2 and pound them until 1/4 inch thick.
- Ham – I prefer to use thinly sliced ham. It is best to get these presliced because slicing them thinly yourself with a knife is difficult. And, if the slices are not thin, the rolls will be bulky and can open during baking.
- Cheese – Swiss cheese works great for both the filling as well as for the cheese sauce. Of course, sharp cheddar is the best way to go with cheese sauce. The parmesan cheese in the sauce adds a nice nutty flavor too.
- Breadcrumbs – I am using store-bought breadcrumbs with sesame seeds. But a cup panko bread crumbs is also a great option for coating chicken.
- Optional ingredients – There is so much more you can add to this chicken including garlic powder, dijon mustard paste, onion powder, etc.
Chicken cordon bleu recipe
- Prep chicken – Split each chicken breast into 3 thin slices. Place them between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound them down with a meat mallet until they are about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
- Chicken rolls – Place the three pounded pieces of chicken on a plastic wrap.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Place 2 slices of ham, topped with 2 slices of swiss cheese.
- Starting from one side to the other horizontally, roll each like a jellyroll, squeezing tightly in the pieces of plastic wrap. Twist the ends to keep them tight.
- Place the roulades on a baking tray or plate and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
Pro tip – These can also be secured with toothpicks but I find plastic wraps work best. These rolls can be kept in the freezer for up to 2 days. Make sure to thaw an hour before coating.
- Coat the chicken – Unroll the chicken rolls.
- Flour – Put the flour in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Coat the rolls with flour.
- Egg – Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Coat the rolls in the beaten egg.
- Breadcrumbs – Pour the breadcrumbs into a shallow plate and season with salt and pepper. Generously coat the chicken roll in the breadcrumb mixture.
Pro tip – these breadcrumb coated rolls will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Thaw in the fridge before baking.
- Preheat the oven at 350°F/ 177°C/ Gas Mark 4
- Bake chicken – Place the chicken rolls on a baking dish or baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Generously spray with cooking spray.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly golden brown.
Pro tip – You must spray them generously so they are crisp and to get a nice golden brown color.
Cheese sauce
- In a saucepan, over medium heat, add the oil and butter.
- Once melted, add the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- Then, gradually add the milk a little at a time whisking constantly.
- Add the garlic powder, salt, pepper, and mustard paste.
- Let it come to a simmer then add the cheeses.
- Cook until smooth then take it off the heat and pour into a sauceboat.
- Assemble – Cool the chicken for 10 minutes. Then, slice each roll into 1-inch thick pinwheels. Drizzle over the cheese sauce, Garnish with chopped parsley.
Pro tip – Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Variations
- Air-fryer cordon bleu – Preheat the Air Fryer to 400°F/200°C.
- Place the breadcrumb-coated chicken roulades on the air fryer tray.
- Generously coat them with cooking spray and
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes turning once in between.
- Stovetop cordon bleu – In a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add 2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsps butter. Place the breadcrumb-coated roulades in the skillet.
- Cook on medium-high for 2 minutes on each side until lightly golden brown.
- Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes turning as necessary until cooked through.
- The internal temperature of the chicken should read 165F on an instant meat thermometer.
Tips for Success
- Use thin slices of chicken breast. I like to slice each breast into 3 and then pound them so they are thin and can be rolled easily.
- Use thin slices of ham and cheese. Otherwise, the rolls will open during cooking. You can also use grated cheese if you don’t have slices.
- Chilling the stuffed roulade will help keep its shape and prevent them from opening during cooking.
- Coat the chicken generously in breadcrumbs so it becomes crisp on the outside while still staying soft and creamy on the inside.
- Make-ahead – there are a few ways you can make these ahead of time.
- Stuffed Chicken rolls – once stuffed, these can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days or frozen for up to a month.
- Breadcrumb-coated chicken rolls – once stuffed and coated in breadcrumbs, they can also be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days or frozen for a month.
- Baked chicken cordon bleu – once cooked, leftovers will keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. You can even freeze them for up to a month in an airtight container.
How long will this cordon blue chicken keep?
The chicken will keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. The unbaked breadcrumb-coated chicken will also keep in the fridge for 2 days or can be frozen for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge before you cook.
What sides do you serve with this chicken?
This chicken goes well with roasted potatoes, rice pilaf, as well as veggies like Garlic Sauteed Broccoli with Cranberries or sauteed mushrooms, Sauteed Asparagus Recipe.
Chicken cordon bleu vs. chicken Kiev?
Both these are quite similar in preparation. But, in chicken cordon blue the chicken breast is stuffed with ham and cheese while in chicken Kiev is stuffed with chilled butter.
What sauce do you serve with this chicken?
This chicken can be served on its own. The wonderful melty cheese is moist and wonderful. But, I love to serve it with a cheese sauce. You can also serve it with a white sauce, hollandaise sauce, mushroom sauce, or beer sauce.
Chicken Cordon Bleu with Sauce
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save GrowCalories: 447kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 8 servings
Description
Chicken cordon bleu is chicken breast stuffed with slices of ham and Swiss cheese then breaded and baked until golden brown. Topped with a delicious cheese sauce this is a wonderful meal for the family or to entertain guests.
Video
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 Boneless chicken breast (each split into 3 )
- 8 slices Ham
- 8 slices Swiss cheese
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- 1 cup (125 g) All-purpose flour
- 2 large Eggs
- 2 cups (220 g) Breadcrumbs (Panko breadcrumbs )
Cheese sauce
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 2 tbsp Butter (unsalted)
- 2 tbsp Flour (all-purpose flour)
- 2 cups (473 ml) Whole milk
- ⅛ tsp Garlic powder
- ½ tsp Mustard paste
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg (freshly grated)
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¼ cup Parmesan (grated)
- ½ cup (55 g) Swiss cheese (grated)
- ½ cup (60 g) Sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
Instructions
- Prep chicken – Split each chicken breast into 3 thin slices. Place them between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound them down with a meat mallet until they are about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
- Chicken rolls – Place the three pounded pieces of chicken on a plastic wrap.– Season with salt and pepper. – Place 2 slices of ham, topped with 2 slices of swiss cheese. – Starting from one side to the other horizontally, roll each like a jellyroll, squeezing tightly in the pieces of plastic wrap. Twist the ends to keep them tight. – Place the roulades on a baking tray or plate and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Pro tip – These can also be secured with toothpicks but I find plastic wraps work best. These rolls can be kept in the freezer for up to 2 days. Make sure to thaw an hour before coating.
- Coat the chicken – Unroll the chicken rolls. Flour – Put the flour in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Coat the rolls with flour. Egg – Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Coat the rolls in the beaten egg. Breadcrumbs – Pour the breadcrumbs into a shallow plate and season with salt and pepper. Generously coat the chicken roll in the breadcrumb mixture. Pro tip – These breadcrumb coated rolls will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Thaw in the fridge before baking.
- Preheat the oven at 350°F/ 177°C/ Gas Mark 4
- Bake chicken – Place the chicken rolls on a baking dish or baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Generously spray with cooking spray. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly golden brown. Pro tip – You must spray them generously so they are crisp and to get a nice golden brown color.
- Cheese sauce – In a saucepan, over medium, heat add the oil and butter. – Once melted, add the flour and cook for 2 minutes. – Then, gradually add the milk a little at a time whisking constantly. – Add the garlic powder, salt, pepper, and mustard paste. – Let it come to a simmer, then add the cheeses. – Cook until smooth, then take it off the heat and pour into a sauceboat.
- Assemble – Cool the chicken for 10 minutes. Then, slice each roll into 1-inch thick pinwheels. Drizzle over the cheese sauce, Garnish with chopped parsley. Pro tip – Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Air fryer cordon bleu
- Preheat theAir Fryer at 400°F/200°C. – Place the breadcrumb-coated chicken roulades on the air fryer tray. – Generously coat them with cooking spray and – Bake for 15 to 18 minutes turning once in between.
Stovetop cordon bleu( pan-fried)
- In a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.– Add 2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp butter. Place the breadcrumb-coated roulades in the skillet. – Cook on medium-high for 2 minutes on each side until lightly golden brown. – Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes turning as necessary until cooked through. – The internal temperature of the chicken should read 165F on an instant meat thermometer.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Use thin slices of chicken breast. I like to slice each breast into 3 and then pound them so they are thin and can be rolled easily.
- Use thin slices of ham and cheese, otherwise, the rolls will open during cooking. You can also use grated cheese if you don’t have slices.
- Chilling the stuffed roulade will help keep their shape and prevent them from opening during cooking.
- Coat the chicken generously in breadcrumbs so it becomes crisp on the outside while still staying soft and creamy on the inside.
- Make-ahead – there are a few ways you can make these ahead of time.
- Stuffed Chicken rolls- once stuffed these can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days or frozen for up to a month.
- Breadcrumb coated chicken rolls – once stuffed and coated in breadcrumbs they can also be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days or frozen for a month.
- Baked chicken cordon bleu – once cooked, leftovers will keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. You can even freeze them for up to a month in an airtight container
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Nutrition Information
Calories: 447– kcalCarbohydrates: 32– gProtein: 41– gFat: 16– gSaturated Fat: 6– gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2– gMonounsaturated Fat: 5– gTrans Fat: 1– gCholesterol: 152– mgSodium: 872– mgPotassium: 599– mgFiber: 2– gSugar: 2– gVitamin A: 247– IUVitamin C: 1– mgCalcium: 219– mgIron: 3– mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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What a decadent creation!!! I could eat this every day for dinner. I love that it’s made a bit healthy with the use of the oven instead of deep frying
One of my kids favorite and I will definitely make this for them. Yummy!