Chicken Cordon Bleu

Mom's easy, baked chicken cordon bleu is a delicious combination of stuffed chicken breast, ham, Swiss cheese, and a golden, Parmesan breadcrumb coating.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword baked chicken cordon bleu, chicken cordon bleu, easy chicken cordon bleu

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 35

Total Time 1 5

Servings people

Calories 357kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

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.

Nutrition