An easy Chicken Cordon Bleu which is quick to prepare, and baked rather than fried. All the flavour, all the crunch, a beautiful golden crumb, and it’s better for you!
This retro classic is here to stay – always!
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Chicken stuffed with ham and cheese, coated with crunchy golden breadcrumbs. You’d swear it’s fried – but it’s baked.
The classic way to make Chicken Cordon Bleu involves breast pounded until thin, layered with ham and cheese, rolled into a log, chilled, dredged in flour then egg then breadcrumbs then deep fried (and you need a lot of oil to deep fry them). It’s not dissimilar to Chicken Kiev in this respect.
But phew! I got tired just typing that out!! And it’s certainly not something that I’m making tonight. 🙂
BUT – you can definitely make my Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu tonight. Because it’s just that – EASY.
How to make Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu
I stuff my Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu simply by cutting a pocket into chicken breast, then stuffing it with cheese rolled up inside ham (helps stop the cheese melting out, terrific reader tip!) . Secure with toothpicks – and that’s it! The stuffing is done!
Choose your own adventure: Crumbing
Next up is the breadcrumb. I’ve got 2 methods to choose from:
Method 1: Super Easy – Smear mayo and mustard on the chicken, then sprinkle over breadcrumbs. The mayo-mustard mixture acts as glue / flavouring and oil to help make the breadcrumb toasty gold; OR
Method 2: Quick Dredge – Dunk chicken in egg flour mixture (combined in same bowl), then in breadcrumbs.
After coating the chicken with breadcrumbs, just give them a quick spray and voila! Ready for baking!
Super Easy vs Quick Dredge
Here’s a comparison of the 2 methods. There’s no denying the Quick Dredge comes out better looking, and it’s the option I’d use for company. Plus, full coating of crunch.
But the Super Easy version is just so darn quick and easy, and really, the main thing is just the absence of crunch on the underside of the chicken. Small compromise for the convenience, in my humble opinion!
Secret Tip: Oven Toasting Breadcrumbs
If you’ve ever baked something crumbed and been disappointed by how it came out pale and splotchy and/or not as crunchy as you hoped, I think you’re going to love this cheeky tip.
Just spread the breadcrumbs out on a tray, spray with oil, then bake for 3 minutes. This oven toasting gives the breadcrumbs a head start on the colour / crunch factor.
Outcome: Baked crumbed / breaded chicken that is beautifully golden all over and truly crunchy, like it was deep fried! Optional extra step, but truly worth it in my view.
PS Some recipes do this in a skillet – oven is easier. 🙂
And here’s a comparison of the Chicken Cordon Bleu with and without toasting the breadcrumbs. See how splotchy it is without the toasted breadcrumbs compared to the toasted breadcrumbs??
Whichever method you choose, you’ll be greeted with the same glorious sight of molten cheese oozing out of the warm ham stuffing inside the juicy chicken breast, and all that golden crunchy crumb….
And to top it all off, that MUSTARD CREAM SAUCE!!!!
I think you need to change this weeks’ meal plan. Immediately. 😂 – Nagi x
More crunchy crumbed chicken
-
Crunchy Baked Chicken Tenders and also the Parmesan version
-
Oven Fried “KFC” Chicken Tenders (11 secret herbs & spices!)
-
Crispy Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast – LOW CARB marvel!
And more baked crunchy crumbed things
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Watch how to make it
In the video, I demonstrate how to make one breast using each crumbing method: Super Easy and Quick Dredge. The recipe makes 2 chicken breasts using one of these methods.
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Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu
Ingredients
Breadcrumbs
- Panko breadcrumbs - 1/2 cup for Super Easy or 1 cup for Quick Dredge
- Oil spray
Chicken
- 2 small chicken breasts, around 6-7oz/180-210g each
- Salt and pepper
- 4 slices swiss cheese (Note 1)
- 4 to 6 slices of ham, about 2.5oz/75g (Note 2)
Method 1: Super Easy
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
Method 2: Quick Dredge
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp plain flour
Dijon Cream Sauce (makes 1 cup)
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter
- 1 1/2 tbsp flour
- 1 1/4 cups milk (Note 3)
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp parmesan cheese, finely grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C/390F (standard) or 180C/350F (fan).
- Spread panko breadcrumbs on a baking tray and spray with oil. Bake for 3 minutes or until light golden. Remove and scrape into bowl straight away.
- Cut a pocket into each chicken breast, as per the photo below.
- Fold the cheese in half and place 2 pieces inside each pocket. Do the same with the ham. Close the pocket, seal with 2 toothpicks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Super Easy Method
- Mix the mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl. Spread onto the top and sides of the chicken (not underside).
- Sprinkle panko over the chicken, using your other hand to press the breadcrumbs onto the side of the chicken. Spray with oil.
Quick Dredge Method
- Whisk egg and flour. Dip chicken into egg mixture, then into the panko breadcrumbs. Transfer to tray, spray with oil.
Baking
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and just cooked through. Remove toothpicks, serve with the Dijon Cream Sauce.
Dijon Cream Sauce
- Melt butter over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Add half the milk and whisk until the flour mixture is blended in.
- Add remaining milk, mustard and cheese. Cook for 3 minutes, whisking constantly, until thickened. It will thicken as it cools.
- Remove from heat, add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with chicken.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Flashback: before he knew how to swim – looking out longingly at all the ducks teasing him mercilessly, wiggling their tails and flapping their wings…..
mila furman says
Hahaha Nagi! You have some Russian in you 🙂 That’s how my mama used to make ANYTHING stick to chicken! MAYO!!! All the Russians do it and sometimes it makes no sense! But this..oh this…this makes awesome sense 🙂 I sometimes use ranch instead…I find it adds a TON more flavor 🙂 I love the cheating of making the little pocket in the chicken. And I do love those potatoes!!! Perfect recipe Nagi…really 🙂
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Oh wow, really? That’s so cool! I adore picking up all these little cool tips from your about Russian cooking!
Dorothy Dunton says
Hi Nagi! I’ve used the mayo trick before – it’s a keeper. This chicken is my son’s favorite and I will definitely be passing this on to him! Panko is always in my pantry. I picked some up once without looking closely, it was “Italian” panko ?? Panko is Japanese so when did it marry an Italian? 🙂
Nagi | RecipeTin says
I saw that the other day when I was doing the nutrition analysis for this!!! Only in America….. 😉 N x
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
OMG!! Looks fantastic. For some reason I always open your posts when I am starving. Just is not fair!! Frankly I think we should buy stock in Panko crumbs. We use it for everything!! It add just the right amount of crunch. Great recipe Nagi!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Ba ha ha! I have that problem too, I am always reading posts first thing in the morning!
Mira says
This looks perfect! Love that it is baked! The sauce sounds delicious!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thanks SO MUCH Mira!! I knew YOU would approve! 😉 N x
Felesha says
I’m loved that it’s baked and not fried! All the flavor and more nutritious too! Looks deliciously yummy, Nagi!!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thanks Felesha! Honestly, the amount of crunch in this – I am not sure I will ever make a fried version again! N x
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
YES!!!!!
I am loving how simple this is! My boys love Chicken Cordon Bleu. I make it with a thick fondue style cheese sauce in side but like you say it is so time consuming. And even when you egg and crumb twice, you still quite often get a leaker! And you can guess who has to have that one…….
This looks so much easier!!!! And I am loving the idea of the mayo. I made some mayo yesterday for our salt and pepper squid, so I have a bowl of homemade stuff that needs eating up. Enter super simple Chicken Cordon Bleu.
Love it 😀
Nagi | RecipeTin says
The leakage is the best part, don’t you think?? 😉
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Hehe, I have grown to love the leak, but I get very disappointed if it is all leak and no inside goo 😉