Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe | Cook the Book

Updated August 30, 2018

Two chicken cordon bleu in dishes, one with ham and cheese and one with an herb filling. — Christopher Hirsheimer

When was the last time you had Chicken Cordon Bleu? It's probably been too long. Brush away all of those 1970s-era dinner party connotations and you'll find a dish that really does deserve a comeback. Why? Well, because dated or not, it's fried chicken stuffed with ham and cheese.

This version come from Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton, the ladies behind Canal House Cooking Volume No. 6. They've updated the classic ever so slightly by swapping out plain bread crumbs for crunchy panko, but aside from that, the recipe is just as it was when it was the height of chicken dinner fashion.

Even though this is a dish that doesn't take all that much time or effort, there's something just a little bit fancy about it, something that makes it feel like a special occasion chicken, and that same something will have you happily revisiting this recipe time and again.

Recipe Details

Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe | Cook the Book

Active 20 mins

Total 20 mins

Serves 2 servings

Ingredients

2 thin slices boiled ham
2 thin slices melting cheese, such as Munster, Fontina, or Gruyère
1/2 cup flour
1 cup panko
1 large egg, beaten
1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in half to separate it into 2 lobes
Salt and pepper
Canola oil

Directions

Lay each slice of ham on a cutting board, put a slice of cheese on top of each, and fold the ham around the cheese as you would fold up a business letter. Set aside. Put the flour in a wide dish, put the panko in another, beat the egg in a third dish, and set them aside.
Lay each chicken breast half on the cutting board, smooth side facing down. If the breasts are big and fat, you can remove the tenderloin, if you like, and use it for another meal, but if the breasts are smaller and thinner, leave the tenderloins in place. They’ll cover up any accidental nicks that may happen when cutting out the pocket in each breast. Using a narrow sharp knife with a pointed tip, make an incision in the side of the breast, then carefully cut out a long deep pocket without puncturing the rest of the breast. Repeat with the other breast. Tuck the ham and cheese into each pocket and gently press the breast to close up the pocket. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Add enough oil to a medium skillet to reach a depth of 1–2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until it is hot but not smoking, ideally to a temperature of 350°F (use a candy thermometer to check the temperature).
Dredge one piece of chicken at a time in the flour, tapping off the excess, then dip it in the egg, then dredge it in the panko. Fry the chicken in the hot oil until golden brown all over and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the breasts. Transfer the chicken to a wire rack set over paper towels to drain. Season with salt while still hot.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
934	Calories
51g	Fat
33g	Carbs
84g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories	934
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 51g	65%
Saturated Fat 10g	49%
Cholesterol 311mg	104%
Sodium 2670mg	116%
Total Carbohydrate 33g	12%
Dietary Fiber 2g	6%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 84g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 305mg	23%
Iron 5mg	28%
Potassium 929mg	20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.