Chicken Cordon Bleu

Article by Layla Khoury-Hanold

Though especially popular in the 1960’s and 1970’s, chicken cordon blue is a timeless dish that seems fancy but is secretly easy to make at home. Featuring thinly pounded chicken breasts wrapped around ham and cheese, coated in breadcrumbs and baked until golden-crisp, the recipe struck Tyler Florence as truly French when he made it in culinary school. In his easy recipe that follows, Tyler shares tips for pounding chicken breasts into a shape that’s easy to roll, the key ingredient swaps and additions for building extra flavor and the fool-proof technique for rolling tight chicken bundles that hold their shape.

How to Make Chicken Cordon Bleu Like a Pro

Prep the chicken breasts for pounding using two layers of plastic wrap. Lay plastic wrap on top of a plastic cutting board to help keep the chicken in place while pounding. It also acts as a vehicle to wrap and twist chicken breasts to ensure a tight pinwheel once sliced. Place the chicken on the board, then top with another layer of plastic wrap.

Flatten the chicken breasts to twice its size for optimal rolling. Using the flat end of a meat mallet, pound and push the chicken breast to widen the meat to twice its size. This will ensure an ideal, even thickness for rolling the chicken around the filling.

Upgrade your ham and cheese to add more flavor. Tyler opts for prosciutto instead of deli ham and Gruyere instead of Swiss to add a deeper savory flavor to the dish. When you’re shopping for prosciutto, Tyler advises making sure you buy the streaky stuff for the best flavor. Since the prosciutto and Gruyere are salty, there’s no need to season the flattened chicken breasts.

Use plastic wrap as a tool for rolling a tight chicken bundle. Once you layer in the prosciutto and Gruyere, roll the chicken breast slightly forward away from the plastic wrap, like you’re rolling sushi. Lift the plastic wrap up to release the chicken, just enough so the chicken flips over itself. Tuck in the sides of the breast to prevent the cheese from melting out while baking. Roll the bundle up into a tight log inside the plastic wrap and squeeze gently to seal. Take ends of the plastic wrap and twist, going from one end to another to get a perfect cylinder. This method also avoids using toothpicks to secure the chicken roll-ups.

Chill the chicken to ensure the bundles hold their shape. Tyler chills the chicken bundles for a half-hour to ensure that they hold their shape during the dredging and baking process.

Season the dredging ingredients to build a flavorful breadcrumb crust. Season the flour, eggs and panko with salt and freshly ground black pepper to create a base note of flavor. Then, season the breadcrumbs with fresh thyme leaves and fresh garlic—Tyler uses a Microplane to quickly grate a clove of garlic into a pulpy puree. Add melted butter to the breadcrumbs and mix in using your fingers; the melted butter ensures that the breadcrumbs stick to the chicken.

Use a delicate touch to dredge the chicken and ensure even coating. Gently roll the chicken bundles in flour, shake off excess, dip them in the egg mixture so there are no dry spots, then roll in breadcrumbs to evenly coat.

Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to ensure golden perfection. Tyler drizzles olive oil on top of the breadcrumb coating to help it brown in the oven until perfectly golden.

Be careful not to overcook the chicken. Because the meat is pounded so thin, it can easily dry out. It should take 20 to 25 minutes, but you can take the guesswork out by using a digital instant-read thermometer. You’ll know it’s done once the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Slice the chicken into pinwheels for serving. Slicing the chicken cordon bleu bundles into pinwheels reveals the beautiful ham-cheese layers within and makes portioning the chicken easier for serving.

What Is Chicken Cordon Bleu?

Chicken cordon bleu is a classic dish of thinly pounded chicken breasts rolled around ham and cheese, coated in breadcrumbs and pan-fried or baked until golden-crisp. Chicken cordon bleu is sometimes served with a creamy Dijon sauce on top. The origins of chicken cordon bleu can purportedly be traced back to a restaurant in Brigg, Switzerland in the 1940’s, though some history accounts suggest that it originated in Paris in the 1840’s using veal. Julia Child is widely credited for popularizing the recipe for chicken cordon bleu in the U.S.

Side Dishes for Chicken Cordon Bleu

Serve sliced chicken cordon bleu pinwheels with side dishes such as Tyler’s homey Bacon and Brussels Sprout Hash or creamy Mashed Potatoes, vegetable sides like Roasted Asparagus or Sauteed Broccoli Rabe with Garlic and Lemon Zest, and bright accompaniments like Spring Green Salad or Cranberry Chutney to cut some of the richness.