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Mom’s easy, baked chicken cordon bleu is a delicious combination of stuffed chicken breast, ham, Swiss cheese, and a golden, Parmesan breadcrumb coating. You’ll love the salty, smoky filling, the crispy exterior, and the tender, juicy meat. Serve the classic, old-fashioned dish with a simple green salad, green beans, rice, or a loaf of crusty bread for a satisfying dinner. It’s fancy enough for entertaining, and easy enough for your next busy weeknight!
Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu
If your regular chicken dinners have become boring and uninspiring, then this easy chicken cordon bleu recipe is the perfect way to mix up your routine! With a handful of basic ingredients and a prep-ahead option, this meal works well for busy weeknights or for special occasions. It looks and tastes fancy, but it’s actually quite simple! Pair the crispy, golden brown, ham and cheese chicken roll ups with a salad, broccoli, or green beans and some bread, rice, or pasta on the side.
What is chicken cordon bleu?
The French term cordon bleu translates to “blue ribbon,” and was originally instituted by Henri III of France in 1578 as a wide blue ribbon worn by members of the highest order of knighthood. By extension, the term has since been applied to food prepared to a very high standard by outstanding cooks.
In general, “cordon bleu” is a dish of meat wrapped around cheese (or with cheese filling), then breaded and pan-fried or deep-fried. The earliest reference to chicken cordon bleu dates back to the New York Times in 1967, and includes a slice of ham with melty cheese inside a breaded chicken breast.
It’s a dinner that my mom prepared regularly throughout my childhood, and she passed her recipe along to me when I moved into my first apartment. Mom’s version skips the pan-frying process in favor of a faster, hands-off, oven-baked dish. The roll ups are dipped in egg and coated in a Parmesan breadcrumb mixture. Add rice, pasta, or crusty bread for a delicious dinner that the whole family will love!
Chicken Cordon Bleu vs. Chicken Kiev
You might be familiar with a similar rolled chicken entrée called Chicken Kiev. The primary difference between Chicken Cordon Bleu and Chicken Kiev is the filling. Chicken Kiev is stuffed with chilled butter and herbs, while Chicken Cordon Bleu is stuffed with ham and cheese. Otherwise, the preparation and ingredients for these two recipes is almost identical.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a baked chicken cordon bleu recipe. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Olive oil: to coat the baking dish. By preheating the oil and the dish in the oven, the bottom of the chicken gets crispy and browned (rather than soggy), so it’s similar to pan-frying.
- Chicken: you’ll need two large boneless skinless chicken breasts that you cut in half lengthwise, or four smaller chicken breasts. You can pound them flat into cutlets, or purchase thinly-sliced chicken cutlets at the store for a shortcut.
- Egg and water: helps the breading adhere to the meat — no flour dredge necessary.
- Seasoned breadcrumbs: I like these Italian-style seasoned breadcrumbs, which add extra flavor to the dish.
- Parmesan cheese: finely grated cheese (by hand, or in the can!) adds flavor to the outside of the chicken and browns nicely in the oven.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper: to season the meat and enhance the other flavors in the dish.
- Ham: thinly-sliced deli ham works best in this recipe.
- Swiss cheese: you can substitute with other good melting cheeses if you prefer. Try Cheddar, Gruyere, Monterey Jack, Colby, Colby-Jack, Pepper Jack, or mozzarella. Whatever you love!
- Butter: small pats of 1-2 tablespoons butter helps the tops of the chicken roll ups brown in the oven, while also adding rich flavor.
How to Make Chicken Cordon Bleu
The hardest part of this recipe is just pounding the chicken breast flat! Take out your aggression, or just skip the step entirely and purchase thinly-sliced chicken cutlets at the grocery store.
- Halve the large chicken breasts lengthwise, place between two pieces of plastic wrap, and use a meat mallet to pound to an even ¼-inch thickness.
- Combine the egg and water in a shallow dish.
- Stir together the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a separate dish.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Place a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss cheese in the center of each chicken breast.
- Roll up each chicken breast to enclose the ham and cheese. Pin them together with wooden toothpicks.
- Dip each chicken roll-up in the egg mixture, and then coat in the breadcrumb mixture. Crumbing the chicken adds so much flavor and great texture to the outside of the meat.
- Heat an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking dish with olive oil in a 350°F oven for about 2 minutes.
- Add the breaded chicken, seam-side down, to the hot oil in the dish.
- Bake (uncovered) for about 35 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 165°F.
- Remove the toothpicks, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve warm.
What to Serve with Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu
This baked chicken cordon bleu goes well with a variety of sides. Here are some easy options:
- Mashed Red Potatoes, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, or Garlic and Parmesan Cauliflower Mash
- Rice Pilaf or Charleston Red Rice
- Potato Pancakes
- Roasted Cabbage, Fried Cabbage with Apples and Onions, or Braised Red Cabbage
- Sauteed Zucchini
- Sauteed Asparagus with Lemon, Garlic, and Almonds or Oven Roasted Asparagus
- Homemade Crescent Rolls or Soft Dinner Rolls
- Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Flaky Biscuits, Southern Buttermilk Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits or Drop Biscuits
- Skillet Cornbread, Honey Cornbread, Old-Fashioned Corn Sticks, Sweet Cornbread Muffins, or Corn Muffins
- Cheddar Chive Beer Bread {No Knead, No Yeast!} or Honey Beer Bread
- Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
- Dutch Oven No-Knead Bread or Easy Baguette
- Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Cranberry Muffins or Mom’s Cranberry Orange Bread
- Wedge Salad, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, Classic Caesar Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Homemade Applesauce
- Mac and Cheese or Shells and Cheese
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- Coleslaw or Vinegar Coleslaw
- Southern Collard Greens
- Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon, Southern-Style Green Beans or Roasted Green Beans
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Fried Apples
- Southern Succotash
- Creamed Peas
Make Ahead
You can assemble the chicken rolls (before breading) and keep them wrapped tightly in the refrigerator for up to 1 day or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen chicken rolls in the refrigerator overnight. Bread the meat with the egg and breadcrumbs mixture just before baking.
Storage
This dish is best when served warm, immediately from the oven. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, but the chicken will get soggy as it sits. You can also freeze the baked chicken in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Recipe Variations
- If you don’t have very large chicken breasts to cut in half lengthwise, then use 4 smaller chicken breasts that you pound flat (no halving necessary).
- I use these Italian-style seasoned breadcrumbs, but you can substitute with plain breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs. If using plain breadcrumbs, I recommend seasoning with some herbs, garlic powder, and onion powder to add some flavor to the coating.
- Instead of Swiss cheese, feel free to substitute with other good melting cheeses, such as Cheddar, Gruyere, Monterey Jack, Colby, Colby-Jack, Pepper Jack, or mozzarella. Whatever you love!
- For even more zesty, tangy flavor, spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard on each chicken breast before topping with the ham and cheese.
Tips for the Best Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe
- For a shortcut, look for “thin-sliced chicken breasts” or “chicken cutlets” in the meat section at the grocery store. This will save you the step of pounding your chicken flat.
- Trim any overhanging ham or cheese that doesn’t fit in the chicken roll-up. This will prevent a mess of oozing cheese from coming out the sides of the chicken as it bakes.
- If available, use freshly-grated Parmesan cheese for the best flavor and texture. In a pinch, a can of pre-grated Parmesan will work fine!
- Preheat the oil in the baking dish. Adding the chicken to the hot oil helps the bottoms of the roll-ups get browned and crispy (rather than soggy), simulating pan-frying — without the effort!
- If the tops of your chicken roll-ups are not as brown and crispy as you’d like, place the dish under the broiler for 1-2 minutes at the very end. This will give the top some color without overcooking the meat.
- Garnish the chicken with chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, for a bright, colorful, finishing touch.
More Chicken Recipes to Try
- Easy Baked Chicken Kiev
- Dump-and-Bake Chicken Marsala
- One-Skillet Balsamic Chicken and Mushrooms
- Fried Chicken Cutlets and Country Gravy
- Oven Fried Chicken Breast
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (or 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 cup dry seasoned breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 slices thinly sliced ham
- 4 slices Swiss cheese
- Toothpicks
- 1 tablespoon butter, cut into 4 small pats
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour olive oil into an 8 x 8-inch baking dish; set aside.
- Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise. Place each half of a chicken breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound with a meat mallet to ¼-inch thickness.
- Place egg and water in a shallow dish; beat with a fork until well combined.
- In a separate shallow dish, combine breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Place a slice of ham in the center of each chicken breast. Top with a slice of Swiss cheese. Depending on the size of your ham and cheese slices, you may need to trim them or cut them in half so that they are not hanging over the edges of the chicken.
- Roll up each chicken breast to enclose the ham and cheese. Secure with wooden toothpicks.
- Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture, shaking off any excess. Roll the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing to coat completely.
- Place the baking dish in the oven for 2 minutes, or until the oil gets hot. Place the chicken, seam-side down, in the hot dish. Top each piece of chicken with a pat of butter.
- Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 165°F. Remove the toothpicks before serving; garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- If you don’t have very large chicken breasts to cut in half lengthwise, then use 4 smaller chicken breasts that you pound flat (no halving necessary).
- I use these Italian-style seasoned breadcrumbs, but you can substitute with plain breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs. If using plain breadcrumbs, I recommend seasoning with some herbs, garlic powder, and onion powder to add some flavor to the coating.
- Instead of Swiss cheese, feel free to substitute with other good melting cheeses, such as Cheddar, Gruyere, Monterey Jack, Colby, Colby-Jack, Pepper Jack, or mozzarella. Whatever you love!
- For even more zesty, tangy flavor, spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard on each chicken breast before topping with the ham and cheese.
- For a shortcut, look for “thin-sliced chicken breasts” or “chicken cutlets” in the meat section at the grocery store. This will save you the step of pounding your chicken flat.
- Trim any overhanging ham or cheese that doesn’t fit in the chicken roll-up. This will prevent a mess of oozing cheese from coming out the sides of the meat as it bakes.
- If available, use freshly-grated Parmesan cheese for the best flavor and texture. In a pinch, a can of pre-grated Parmesan will work fine!
- Preheat the oil in the baking dish. Adding the chicken to the hot oil helps the bottoms of the roll-ups get browned and crispy (rather than soggy), simulating pan-frying — without the effort!
- If the tops of your chicken roll-ups are not as brown and crispy as you’d like, place the dish under the broiler for 1-2 minutes at the very end. This will give the top some color without overcooking the meat.
- Garnish the chicken with chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, for a bright, colorful finishing touch.
- The nutritional information provided is merely a automatically-generated estimate. The exact facts will vary depending on the size of your chicken, the amount of breading used, etc.
