Description
Cordon Bleu Chicken is a classic dish featuring tender chicken breasts stuffed with savory Black Forest ham and melted Swiss Gruyere cheese, coated in a flavorful panko breadcrumb crust, baked to golden perfection, and served with a creamy Dijon mustard sauce. This elegant and comforting meal is perfect for a special dinner or entertaining guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Rolls
- 4 medium chicken breasts (6-7 oz. each)
- 8 slices (12 ounces) deli cut Black Forest ham (like Boars Head)
- 1 1/4 cups freshly shredded Swiss Gruyere cheese
- Toothpicks
- Fresh parsley for garnish if desired
Breading
- 1 1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dijon Wash
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Dijon Cream Sauce
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup heavy cream (or evaporated milk or half and half mixed with 1 tablespoon cornstarch)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange a rimmed baking sheet with a baking rack and lightly spray it with cooking spray; set this aside for later.
- Flatten Chicken: Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet or a heavy can, pound the chicken evenly until it is about 1/4-inch thick. The chicken will spread out significantly.
- Layer: Place two slices of Black Forest ham over each flattened chicken breast. In the center of the ham, spread a heaping 1/4 cup of shredded Swiss Gruyere cheese, leaving about a 1/2-inch border around the edges.
- Roll Chicken: Starting at the narrow end of the chicken breast, tightly roll it up, carefully folding the ham over the cheese to keep the filling inside. Secure each roll with toothpicks to hold its shape.
- Prepare Panko Breading: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter in the olive oil. Add the panko breadcrumbs and stir continually until they turn golden brown. Immediately transfer the toasted breadcrumbs to a shallow dish and let cool. Once cooled, mix in the grated Parmesan cheese and all the breading spices (dried basil, parsley, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper).
- Dijon Wash: In a separate shallow dish, whisk together Dijon mustard, honey, and olive oil. Dip each chicken roll into this mixture, brushing evenly to coat all sides.
- Bread Chicken: After coating with the Dijon wash, transfer each roll to the breadcrumb mixture, pressing to cover all sides thoroughly. Place the coated chicken rolls on the prepared baking rack spaced a few inches apart.
- Bake: Bake the chicken rolls in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Monitor the rolls in the last 10 minutes of baking and cover with foil if they start to brown too much. Once done, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Make Dijon Cream Sauce: While the chicken bakes in the last few minutes, whisk together the chicken broth, cornstarch, heavy cream, Dijon mustard, dried parsley, dried basil, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens slightly. The sauce will be somewhat thin but will thicken more when removed from heat.
- Serve: Slice the rested chicken rolls and spoon the warm Dijon cream sauce over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
- To ensure even cooking, pound the chicken breasts to the same thickness carefully.
- If you don’t have Swiss Gruyere, good substitutes include Swiss cheese or mozzarella for a milder flavor.
- You can substitute evaporated milk or half and half mixed with cornstarch for heavy cream to reduce fat content.
- Make sure to secure the chicken rolls well with toothpicks to prevent filling from leaking during baking.
- Use low sodium chicken broth in the sauce to control salt levels, and adjust seasoning to taste.
- Cover the chicken with foil if it browns too quickly to avoid burning the breadcrumb crust.
- Resting the chicken before slicing helps keep the juices inside for more tender bites.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
