Chicken Cordon Bleu

Crisp, golden chicken breasts wrapped around savory ham and melted Gruyère, finished with a silky Dijon cream sauce. This classic French-inspired dish delivers elegant comfort with surprisingly straightforward technique.

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Category: FEAST

Cuisine: French, Swiss

Course: Main Course

Keyword: Chicken, Gruyère, Ham, Poultry

Prep: 20

Cook: 30

Chill Time: 1

Total: 1 50

Servings: portions

Calories: 755kcal

Author: TastyDaddy

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Chicken

4 chicken breasts (boneless & skinless)
1 tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper (ground)
1 tsp onion powder
4 tsp dijon mustard
4 tsp garlic (minced)
1 shallot (minced, sautéed)
4 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (removed from stems, minced)
8 ounces Gruyère cheese (grated, divided into 4 equal parts)
16 ounces Black Forest ham (thinly sliced)

For the Breading

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper (ground)
½ tsp paprika
2 large eggs (beaten)
4 tbsp butter (melted)
2 cups seasoned panko bread crumbs
½ cup parmesan cheese (grated)
4 tbsp tarragon (chopped)
¼ cup canola oil (or vegetable oil)

For the Sauce

4 tbsp butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half and half
2 tbsp dijon mustard
¼ cup parmesan cheese (grated)

Instructions

Preparing the Ingredients

Finely grate the 8oz of Gruyère cheese and divide into four equal parts; set aside
Seasoning Blend: Mix 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, and 1 tsp onion powder; set aside.
Mince shallot and sauté until caramelized; divide into 4 equal parts.
Remove thyme leaves from stems and mince; divide into 4 equal parts.

Chicken Roll Ups

Take your Santoku knife and trim each chicken breast; once trimmed, butterfly each lengthwise. One by one, place each breast between two pieces of plastic wrap on a butcher block (or cutting board), and using your meat mallet (smooth side down vs spiky), beat each breast to ¼" thickness, setting each aside once flattened.
Wash hands.
Sprinkle ¼ of seasoning blend onto each piece of flattened chicken.
Once seasoned, squeeze about 1 tsp Dijon mustard on each piece of chicken and spread evenly with butter knife.
On each piece of chicken, sprinkle ¼ of minced thyme, ¼ of sautéed shallot, and 1 tsp of minced garlic so that it is evenly covered.
Sprinkle 2 oz of Gruyère cheese on each piece of chicken, covering it evenly, then cover with enough ham to cover the cheese.
Tightly roll each piece of chicken and cut in half, wrapping each roll-up in plastic wrap (there should be 8 total roll-ups) and place in refrigerator for at least an hour. The roll-ups can be done ahead of time (even overnight); or, if you're crunched for time, you can place in freezer for 25-30 minutes so that they hold their shape during the breading process.

NOTE: If you have other sides that need prep before cooking, this is the perfect time to do it while the roll-ups chill.

Dredging & Baking

Preheat oven to 400℉ and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix 1 cup flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, ½ tsp paprika in first dredging (or shallow) dish.
Crack 2 large eggs in second dredging (or shallow) dish and beat with whisk.
Mix 2 cups panko crumbs, ½ cup parmesan, 4 tbsp melted butter, and 4 tbsp tarragon in third dredging (or shallow) dish.
One by one, remove plastic wrap from each chicken roll-up and coat with flour, egg, and breadcrumb mixture in sequence (use tongs for the breadcrumbs so that you don't coat your fingers), setting each piece aside on a plate (or butcher block) once coated/breaded.
In a large skillet, pour ¼ cup of canola oil (or vegetable) and turn on med-high heat.

TIP: After 2-3 minutes of burner being on, place a toothpick in the oil. You know the oil is ready (hot enough) when bubbles form around the toothpick.

Place chicken breasts in hot oil, 4 at a time, until golden brown on all sides; place browned chicken breasts on parchment-lined baking sheet.
Once all pieces are browned, place baking sheet in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Parmesan Cream Sauce

While chicken is baking, melt 4 tbsp butter in sauce pan.
Mix ¼ cup flour in melted butter to create a roux (until a toasted brown color).
Slowly whisk 2 cups of half and half into roux, followed by 2 tbsp Dijon mustard. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until everything is thickened.
Stir in ¼ cup parmesan until incorporated and smooth and creamy.

Plating

Finish by drizzling sauce over baked chicken breast.

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