Description
This classic Cordon Bleu Chicken recipe features tender chicken breasts stuffed with Black Forest ham and Swiss Gruyere cheese, coated in a golden panko breadcrumb crust, and baked to perfection. Served with a rich Dijon cream sauce, it’s a delicious and elegant meal perfect for family dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Filling
- 4 medium chicken breasts (6-7 oz. each)
- 8 slices (12 ounces) deli cut Black Forest ham
- 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
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a baking rack and lightly spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- Flatten Chicken: Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness of 1/4-inch using the flat side of a meat mallet or the side of a can. The chicken will spread out significantly.
- Layer Ham and Cheese: Lay 2 slices of Black Forest ham evenly over each flattened chicken breast. Place a heaping 1/4 cup of shredded Swiss Gruyere cheese down the center of the ham, leaving about a 1/2-inch border on all sides.
- Roll Chicken: Starting from the smaller end of the chicken breast, tightly roll up the chicken, folding the ham over the cheese at the end to prevent it from oozing out. Secure rolls with toothpicks.
- Prepare Panko Breading: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the panko breadcrumbs and stir to coat evenly. Continue cooking until the breadcrumbs turn golden brown, then immediately transfer them to a large shallow dish to cool. Once cooled, mix in the Parmesan cheese, dried basil, parsley, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Make Dijon Wash: In a separate large shallow dish, whisk together 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons honey, and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Coat Chicken in Dijon Wash: One at a time, dip each chicken roll into the Dijon wash and brush to ensure an even coating.
- Bread Chicken Rolls: Transfer each coated chicken roll to the panko breading and press the crumbs into all sides, turning as needed to coat thoroughly. Place the breaded chicken rolls on the prepared baking rack, spacing them a few inches apart.
- Bake Chicken: Bake in the preheated oven at 350 degrees F until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F on an instant read thermometer, about 35 minutes. Check the chicken during the last 10 minutes and cover loosely with foil if excess browning occurs. Once baked, transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Prepare Dijon Cream Sauce: While the chicken is baking during 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 large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer until the sauce thickens. The sauce may be slightly thin but will thicken further once taken off the heat.
- Serve: Slice the rested chicken rolls and serve topped with the warm Dijon cream sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- To make pounding easier, place chicken between plastic wrap to avoid mess and tearing.
- Use an instant read thermometer to ensure perfect doneness and avoid overcooking.
- Panko breadcrumbs can be toasted ahead of time and stored in an airtight container.
- For a lighter sauce, substitute heavy cream with evaporated milk or half and half mixed with cornstarch as suggested.
- If you do not have Black Forest ham, other smoked ham varieties can be used as a substitute.
- Cover baked chicken with foil if browning too fast during baking to prevent burning.
- Make sure rolls are tightly secured with toothpicks to keep filling inside during baking.
- The Dijon cream sauce can be prepared ahead and gently reheated before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
