This showstopping chicken cordon bleu recipe is a dish that is perfect for entertaining or a simple weekend meal for your family. It’s crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and topped with a flavorful sauce that looks incredibly fancy but is easily prepared. It’s a classic for a reason!
Even better, this recipe is prep-friendly, meaning you can roll them ahead of time to freeze for another day. You can even make them ahead of time and refrigerate them for a day or two to make entertaining even easier. Simply pop them in the oven before your guests arrive!
While traditionally pan-fried, this baked version is much easier to make, and you can bake multiple servings at once and have them all come out perfectly hot, juicy, and tender at the same time. Everyone will be asking you to make this chicken cordon bleu recipe over and over. If you want another delicious chicken recipe for dinner, then try my chicken alfredo recipe, chicken parmesan recipe, or chicken florentine recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Chicken breasts — I recommend using chicken breasts and not chicken thighs, as breasts are easier to stuff and roll up.
Swiss cheese — traditionally, you use Swiss cheese. You can use Gruyere, provolone, or sharp white cheddar if you do not have Swiss cheese. You can also use shredded Swiss if you prefer.
Ham — you can use any thinly sliced ham you prefer. I like to use honey ham.
Flour — I use all-purpose flour, but you can use your flour of choice to coat the chicken and make the sauce.
Bread crumbs — if you cannot find panko bread crumbs, then you can use regular or Italian-style bread crumbs.
Milk — I recommend using full-fat milk for the best flavor and texture of the cream sauce.
Dijon — Dijon adds a tangy and sharp flavor to the sauce. Use smooth Dijon to ensure the sauce stays smooth.
Parmesan — freshly shredded cheese will give you the best consistency. Avoid pre-shredded cheese if possible.
How to Make Chicken Cordon Bleu
1. Using a sharp paring knife or fillet knife, butterfly each chicken breast, leaving one long side attached. Open each chicken piece like a book with the cut side facing up.
2. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on top and pound to an even ¼-inch thickness with a rolling pin or meat mallet.
3. With the cut-side facing up, cover with an even layer of swiss cheese. Arrange ham slices over the cheese.
4. Roll up each chicken piece (like a swiss roll) and secure the seam with toothpicks.
5. Place the flour into a shallow dish. Place the eggs into a separate shallow dish. Dredge stuffed chicken breasts, one at a time, in the flour. Make sure to shake off any excess flour. Coat the chicken in the egg mixture.
6. Place the egg-coated chicken into the breadcrumb mixture turning to coat. Arrange the chicken breasts on a wire rack on a baking sheet. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and a food thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the chicken reads 165º F.
7. While the chicken is cooking, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
When the butter is beginning to bubble, whisk in the flour. Cook, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes.
8. Slowly whisk the milk into the saucepan. Once the milk is fully incorporated, vigorously whisk in the Dijon.
9. Reduce the heat to medium-low and whisk constantly until the sauce thickens, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Slowly whisk in cheese until fully incorporated.
10. Serve immediately spooned over the baked chicken.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Use a thermometer to take the guesswork out of whether or not the chicken cordon bleu is cooked through.
- When you flatten the chicken breast, start from the middle and work your way out. This will help you keep the chicken even. Don’t rush the process, as it can cause the chicken to tear.
- Make sure to place a wire rack over the baking sheets. The rack allows for the hot air in the oven to circulate underneath the chicken as it bakes, ensuring crispy chicken all around.
- If the cheese slices are too large, try to tuck them into the ham to avoid the cheese melting out of the chicken as it bakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
While both recipes are similar as they both involve rolling up and coating a chicken breast, the main difference is the filling. Chicken Kiev is stuffed with butter, whereas the filling for chicken cordon bleu is swiss cheese and ham.
In French, cordon bleu translates to “blue ribbon.” The blue ribbon refers to the ribbon worn by members of France’s highest order of knighthood back in 1578. In relation to the recipe, it implies that the chicken is of the highest standards.
Store leftover chicken and sauce in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Try not to combine the chicken and the sauce if you do not plan on eating it immediately, as the exterior will get soggy.
You can freeze this recipe before cooking it. After you’ve filled and rolled the chicken breasts, wrap them individually in plastic wrap. Then transfer them to a container, and freeze them. When ready to make, thaw them overnight in the fridge before dredging, coating, and cooking them.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Equipment
- 1 Large skillet
- 3 shallow bowls
Ingredients
For the Stuffed Chicken:
- 1¼ cups panko bread crumbs (70g)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 8 slices swiss cheese
- 8 ounces sliced ham (225g)
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (40g)
- 2 large eggs beaten
For the Cream Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk (240mL)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (20g)
Instructions
For the Stuffed Chicken:
- Preheat the oven to 375º. Place a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet.
- In a shallow dish, combine the panko, melted butter, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Using a sharp paring or fillet knife, butterfly each chicken breast, leaving one long side attached. Open each chicken piece like a book with the cut side facing up. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on top and pound to an even ¼-inch thickness with a rolling pin or meat mallet.
- With the cut-side facing up, cover with an even layer of swiss cheese. Arrange ham slices over the cheese. Roll up each chicken piece (like a swiss roll) and secure the seam with toothpicks. (If your chicken pieces are different sizes, you may end up using different amounts of ham and cheese in each piece to create an even layer.)
- Place the flour into a shallow dish. Place the eggs into a separate shallow dish. Dredge stuffed chicken breasts, one at a time, in the flour, shaking off any excess. Coat the chicken in egg mixture, then place into panko mixture turning to coat. Arrange the chicken breasts on the wire rack.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and a food thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the chicken reads 165º F.
For the Cream Sauce:
- While the chicken is cooking, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- When the butter is beginning to bubble, whisk in the flour. Cook, whisking constantly, for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk. Once the milk is fully incorporated, vigorously whisk in the Dijon.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and whisk constantly until the sauce thickens, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Slowly whisk in cheese until fully incorporated. Serve immediately spooned over the baked chicken.
Video
Notes
- Use a thermometer to take the guesswork out of guessing if the chicken is cooked through.
- When you flatten the chicken breast, start from the middle and work your way out. This will help you keep the chicken even. Don’t rush the process, as it can cause the chicken to tear.
- Make sure to place a wire rack over the baking sheets. The rack allows for the hot air in the oven to circulate underneath the chicken as it bakes, ensuring crispy chicken all around.
- If the cheese slices are too large, try to tuck them into the ham to avoid the cheese melting out of the chicken as it bakes.
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