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Are you craving a mouthwatering dish that combines the succulent flavors of chicken, ham, and cheese, all wrapped in a golden, crispy coating? Look no further! This Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu will leave your taste buds begging for more. Plus, there is no need to pound the chicken thin and roll it up with an easy shortcut. Grab the ingredients and let’s get this amazing dinner on the table in less than an hour!
Why I Love This Easy Recipe
For years, our family has loved that frozen cordon bleu from Costco and Sam’s Club. But with the crazy increase in food prices recently, I just couldn’t fork out the money to buy the already prepared ones from the store any longer. It was time to master making an easy cordon bleu recipe at home. It took me a few tries, but this is it my friend!
And because we love having these ready to go in the freezer, I’ve also made them in a double batch and frozen them for later. If you do this, be sure to freeze them before they are baked for the best results. You can bake them directly from frozen in either the oven or the air fryer!
My Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole has been one of our go-to recipes for those classic French flavors but now that I know how easy it is to make these from scratch, I might have to make this more often! Using this easy technique was so approachable and I think was even faster to make than the casserole!
What is Chicken Cordon Bleu
Chicken Cordon Bleu is a classic French dish that is traditionally prepared by pounding the breasts, layering them with slices of ham and cheese, and then rolling and breading them before frying. While it may seem like an elaborate and time-consuming dish to prepare, we have simplified the recipe without compromising on its essence or taste. This easy Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe will guide you step by step, ensuring a delectable outcome that will surpass all expectations, without the hassle of pounding out the meat or needing a deep fryer!
Chicken Cordon Bleu Ingredients & Tools
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Swiss cheese
- Ham
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Large chef’s knife
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Shallow bowls or containers for breading the chicken
How to Make Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu
It is surprisingly easy to make this classic French dish at home in your own kitchen! Especially if you skip the steps of pounding and rolling up the chicken.
Time needed:45 minutes
How to Make Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Cut pockets into each of the chicken breasts
Using pockets for the ham and Swiss cheese is how we make this an easy chicken cordon bleu recipe. Otherwise, you have to pound the chicken breast flat between two pieces of plastic, then roll it up with the ham and cheese inside. This method is so much easier!
- Bread the chicken
Breading the stuffed chicken breast is a very simple process. First, a quick dip into flour, then into beaten egg before it goes into the seasoned Panko breadcrumbs. Your hands will get a bit messy, but any beginner cook can do this simple step.
- Bake the cordon bleu in the oven
Some recipes call for deep frying but this easy chicken cordon bleu is done simply by baking them in the oven for 30 minutes. Just another way to make this recipe easier and more approachable for a beginner!
- Rest the finished chicken, slice, and top with the sauce
A quick 5-minute rest before you slice up the chicken will allow the juices to stay inside the chicken instead of all over your cutting board. And the easy cordon bleu sauce over the top is the perfect finishing touch.
Recipe FAQs
How to you keep the cheese from melting out of chicken cordon bleu?
A little bit of cheese oozing out isn’t a bad thing. However, to keep a lot of Swiss cheese from melting out of this easy chicken cordon bleu recipe, it’s important that the pockets are cut deep and wide enough into each breast. Secondly, be sure that you coat the stuffed chicken well in breading before baking it. This helps seal in the cheese as it bakes.
What to serve with chicken cordon bleu?
Cordon bleu is a versatile main dish and can easily be paired with your favorite vegetable side dish or salad. Because the cordon bleu is covered in a creamy sauce, keep the vegetables simple, either steamed or roasted. Something like an easy roasted broccoli or garlic asparagus.
Do I need to use toothpicks to keep the cordon bleu closed?
You can use toothpicks to help keep the chicken breasts closed, but they aren’t necessary. If you take the time to cut deep enough pockets, the filling will stay inside without the toothpicks. And the Panko breading process will also help keep the filling inside the chicken.
How to store and reheat easy chicken cordon bleu
If you are lucky enough to have leftovers from this easy chicken cordon bleu, all you need to do is store them in an airtight container. Store the chicken and the sauce in two separate containers. To reheat, you can use either the microwave or if you want a crispier result, pop them into the air fryer at 350 for 4-5 minutes.
Looking for More Easy Chicken Recipes?
If you loved this easy chicken cordon bleu recipe, I know you will love each of these other three easy dinner ideas as well!
Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu
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The best chicken cordon bleu recipe you will ever make! Perfectly crispy on the outside and with the creamiest sauce over the top.
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (around 8 ounces each)
8 slices of Swiss cheese
8 slices of black forest ham (around 5 ounces)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1 recipe Chicken Cordon Bleu Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Use a long sharp knife, cut a large pocket along the length of each chicken breast. Do not cut it in half. Place one slice of cheese and ham inside each chicken breast.
- Prepare the breading station. In one shallow bowl, beat together the eggs with some kosher salt and pepper. In another shallow bowl, mix together the flour with some kosher salt and black pepper. In the last shallow bowl, combine the panko, olive oil, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
- Roll the chicken in the flour first, then coat it in the egg, and lastly into the panko mixture. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes until the chicken is cooked and the juices run clear.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing and topping with the Chicken Cordon Bleu Sauce.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
You can use toothpicks to keep the chicken breasts closed but they aren’t necessary.
- Author: Carole Jones
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 561
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 428 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 89 g
- Cholesterol: 189 mg
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About Carole Jones
Carole Jones is an Arizona-based cookbook author & food blogger. She's authored The 30 Minute Cooking From Frozen Cookbook and the self-published Take 5: Chicken e-cookbook. For the past 15 years, Carole has shared her culinary adventures cooking and baking for her six brutally honest children here on My Kitchen Escapades. Hot, crusty bread is Carole's love language, but her two adorable grandchildren are a close second. Yes, second. Don't judge.
