Crispy Creamy Chicken Cordon Bleu

This recipe delivers a gourmet experience by rolling tender chicken breasts with ham and Swiss cheese, coating them in a golden panko crust, and serving them with a rich, tangy Dijon cream sauce. It’s a wonderful, classic dish that tastes far more complicated than it is!

Table of Contents

• Ingredients for Chicken Cordon Bleu
• Simple Step-by-Step Instructions
• Expert Tips
• FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
• Conclusion

Ingredients for Chicken Cordon Bleu

This elegant recipe yields 4 servings (4 pieces):

• For the Chicken
  • Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: 4 pieces (Pounded to 1/2 inch thickness)
  • Seasoning (Salt, Black pepper, Garlic powder, Onion powder): 1 tsp each
• For the Filling
  • Swiss cheese: 8 slices (Gruyère or Jarlsberg can be substituted)
  • Thinly sliced ham: 8 slices (Black Forest or honey ham recommended)
• For the Coating
  • All-purpose flour: 1 cup (Use GF flour blend for gluten-free)
  • Large Eggs, beaten: 2
  • Panko bread crumbs: 1 cup (For maximum crunch)
• For the Sauce
  • Butter: 2 tbsp
  • Garlic cloves, minced: 2
  • All-purpose flour: 1 tbsp
  • Milk: 1 cup
  • Dijon mustard: 2 tbsp (Key for that wonderful tanginess)
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese: 1/2 cup
• For Frying
  • Peanut or Vegetable oil: Enough for shallow frying (Aim for $340^\circ\text{F}$ ($170^\circ\text{C}$))

Simple Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep and Fill Chicken

Pound the chicken breasts until they are an even 1/2 inch thickness. Season them well with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Layer 2 slices of Swiss cheese and 2 slices of ham on each seasoned chicken breast. Roll them up tightly and secure them with plastic wrap or toothpicks to maintain the shape.

Step 2: Chill (Don’t Skip This!)

Refrigerate the filled chicken rolls for a minimum of 30 minutes. This chilling time is essential—it helps the rolls firm up, making the breading much easier and preventing the filling from leaking out during cooking.

Step 3: Bread the Rolls

Set up a simple breading station with three separate shallow dishes: one with flour, one with the beaten eggs, and one with the panko bread crumbs. Dredge each chilled chicken roll first in the flour, then dip it fully in the beaten eggs, and finally coat it thoroughly with panko. Press the panko on gently.

Step 4: Fry the Rolls

Heat the oil in a large skillet to $340^\circ\text{F}$ ($170^\circ\text{C}$). Fry each roll for about 5 minutes per side until they are beautifully golden brown. To ensure they are fully cooked through, finish them in a preheated oven until the internal temperature reaches $165^\circ\text{F}$ ($75^\circ\text{C}$).

Step 5: Make the Dijon Sauce

In a separate saucepan, melt the butter and sauté the minced garlic until fragrant. Sprinkle in the 1 tbsp of flour (this creates a roux) and whisk for one minute. Gradually whisk in the milk until the sauce is smooth. Stir in the Dijon mustard and shredded Parmesan, continuing to stir until the sauce thickens and becomes wonderfully creamy.

Step 6: Serve

Gently slice the cooked chicken rolls to show off the beautiful ham and cheese layers inside. Drizzle the warm Dijon sauce generously over the top and serve immediately.

Expert Tips

• Tightly Roll: A tight roll is your best defense against the cheese and ham oozing out while cooking.
• Chill Time: Do not skip the 30-minute chilling time; it stabilizes the chicken and ensures a perfect shape.
• Double Breading: For an extra crispy crust, after the initial breading, dip the rolls in the egg again and re-coat with panko.
• Serving Suggestions: This rich dish is best paired with a simple starch and a fresh green vegetable, such as Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, a Crisp Green Salad, or Steamed Asparagus.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can I bake Chicken Cordon Bleu instead of frying it?

Yes, you can! After breading, place the chicken on a greased baking sheet and bake at $400^\circ\text{F}$ ($200^\circ\text{C}$) for 25–30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches $165^\circ\text{F}$ ($75^\circ\text{C}$).

Can I prepare these ahead of time?

Yes, this is a great make-ahead meal! You can prepare the rolls completely (fill and bread them) and freeze them. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before frying or baking.

What kind of cheese is best for the filling?

Swiss cheese is classic, but Gruyère, which is nuttier, or Jarlsberg, which is sweeter, are excellent substitutes that melt beautifully.

Davis Janet

Chicken Cordon Bleu

This recipe delivers a gourmet experience by rolling tender chicken breasts with ham and Swiss cheese, coating them in a golden panko crust, and serving them with a rich, tangy Dijon cream sauce. It’s a wonderful, classic dish that tastes far more complicated than it is!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Chill Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Entrée, Main Dish

Cuisine: European, French

Calories: 455

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 pieces Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (Pounded to $1/2text{ inch}$ thickness) (For the Chicken)
• 1 tsp Salt (For the Chicken)
• 1 tsp Black pepper (For the Chicken)
• 1 tsp Garlic powder (For the Chicken)
• 1 tsp Onion powder (For the Chicken)
• 8 slices Swiss cheese (For the Filling)
• 8 slices Thinly sliced ham (For the Filling)
• 1 cup All-purpose flour (For the Coating)
• 2 large Large Eggs, beaten (For the Coating)
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs (For maximum crunch) (For the Coating)
• 2 tbsp Butter (For the Sauce)
• 2 cloves Garlic cloves, minced (For the Sauce)
• 1 tbsp All-purpose flour (For the Sauce)
• 1 cup Milk (For the Sauce)
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard (Key for that wonderful tanginess) (For the Sauce)
• 0.5 cup Shredded Parmesan cheese (For the Sauce)
• Peanut or Vegetable oil (Enough for shallow frying at $340^{circ}text{F} (170^{circ}text{C})$) (For Frying)

Equipment

• Meat mallet for pounding chicken
• large skillet for frying
• Saucepan for the Dijon sauce
• Oven for finishing the chicken

Method

 

1. Pound the chicken breasts until they are an even $1/2text{ inch}$ thickness. Season them well with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Layer $2text{ slices}$ of Swiss cheese and $2text{ slices}$ of ham on each seasoned chicken breast. Roll them up tightly and secure them with plastic wrap or toothpicks.
2. Refrigerate the filled chicken rolls for a minimum of 30 minutes. This chilling time is essential to help the rolls firm up, making the breading much easier and preventing the filling from leaking.
3. Set up a simple breading station with three separate shallow dishes: one with flour, one with the beaten eggs, and one with the panko bread crumbs. Dredge each chilled chicken roll first in the flour, then dip it fully in the beaten eggs, and finally coat it thoroughly with panko. Press the panko on gently.
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet to $340^{circ}text{F}$ ($170^{circ}text{C}$). Fry each roll for about 5 minutes per side until they are beautifully golden brown. To ensure they are fully cooked through, finish them in a preheated oven until the internal temperature reaches $165^{circ}text{F}$ ($75^{circ}text{C}$).
5. In a separate saucepan, melt the $2text{ tbsp}$ butter and sauté the minced garlic until fragrant. Sprinkle in the $1text{ tbsp}$ of flour (this creates a roux) and whisk for one minute. Gradually whisk in the milk until the sauce is smooth. Stir in the Dijon mustard and shredded Parmesan, continuing to stir until the sauce thickens and becomes wonderfully creamy.
6. Gently slice the cooked chicken rolls to show off the beautiful ham and cheese layers inside. Drizzle the warm Dijon sauce generously over the top and serve immediately.

Notes

The $30$-minute chilling time is essential for stabilizing the chicken rolls and preventing the filling from leaking. For best results, secure the rolls tightly with toothpicks. The dish is traditionally finished in the oven after frying to ensure the internal temperature reaches $165^{circ}text{F}$ ($75^{circ}text{C}$). The Dijon cream sauce is made using a roux ($1text{ tbsp}$ butter + $1text{ tbsp}$ flour) for smooth thickening.

Conclusion

This Gourmet Crispy Chicken Cordon Bleu with Dijon Cream Sauce is a truly special, French-inspired meal that is perfect for a weekend dinner. The creamy sauce and crispy coating make every bite absolutely delicious.