Cordon bleu is simply defined as something that's of the highest class, so it's no wonder that chicken cordon bleu is one of my favorite dishes to make when I'm feeling classy.
Chicken cordon bleu is one of those dishes where simplicity becomes part of the appeal.
What is cordon bleu?
Cordon bleu is nothing more than breaded meat wrapped around cheese and ham and then baked or fried.
It's a snazzy schnitzel and chicken is the most popular cordon bleu. But other meats like veal or pork will yield similar results.
Recipe ingredients
The ingredients for this dish are simple to find and you may already have most of them in your pantry.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast
- Deli ham (I like Black Forest if it's available)
- Deli sliced Swiss cheese
- Bread crumbs
- Oil
Like most schnitzel or breaded cutlet dishes, you need to make a dredge for the meat. When baking, I prefer to first dip the chicken in oil, then dredge the oiled meat in breadcrumbs. The oil does help the breadcrumbs stick to the meat but it also assists with browning the breadcrumbs when cooking.
Expert Tips & Tricks
I've made this dish dozens of times and over the years learned a good trick for stuffing the meat.
A boneless, skinless chicken breast will often have a straight edge and a curved edge. You can use this to your advantage.
Take a sharp paring knife and slowly insert it in the middle, the knife should parallel to the straight edge of the chicken.
You can now cut across the center of the chicken to make a pouch. If you take special care not to poke through on any of the three closed sides, it will make a nice pocket for stuffing with ham and cheese.
What to serve with this chicken Cordon bleu recipe
My absolute favorite things to serve with Chicken Cordon bleu are potatoes and corn. If you have a bit of time and want a special treat, this twice-baked potato is one of my favorites.
I also really love the way this spicy-sweet street corn goes with the dish. Either way, you really can't go wrong.
Although I prefer to make this recipe in the Ninja Foodi Grill, you can use any air fryer or oven and get similar results.
Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Ninja Foodi Grill or Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breast
- 3 slices deli ham
- 3 slices Swiss cheese
- 1.5 cup breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup oil for dredging
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer or oven to 390F.
- Place a slice of ham and cheese together and roll it up like a cigar to help with stuffing. Set aside.
- Lay the chicken breasts on a cutting board. If the chicken is much thicker on one end pound it flat between two pieces of plastic wrap to a more even thickness.
- Trim any cartilage or excess fat from the chicken breast.
- With a sharp pairing knife, cut a slit or pouch in the chicken breast deep enough to hold the ham and cheese.
- Stuff the ham and cheese cigar into the pouch you sliced into the chicken breast.
- Using shallow bowls or paper plates, make a dredging station for breading the chicken with both oil and breadcrumbs in separate vessels.
- Dip and coat the chicken in oil than in breadcrumbs.
- Optional: allow the chicken to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes
- Place the chicken in your air fryer.
- Cook the chicken in the air fryer checking periodically.
- Cook the chicken until it reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165F
- Remove from air fryer and enjoy-
Notes
Most time chicken is breaded people use eggs as a binder. But in this recipe, I dipped the chicken in oil because it helps the bread crumbs brown while cooking in the air fryer or your oven.
Using oil that's lower in saturated fat works well and I like to use shallow bowls or disposable paper plates for my dredging station.
I will sometimes sit the chicken on a baking sheet or tray for up 30 minutes or so at room temperature before cooking so it tempers slightly and cooks a bit more evenly.
I prefer to use an air fryer like the Ninja Foodi Grill for this recipe, but it can be made in the oven, a pellet grill, or any cooking device that bakes or roasts.
Have you ever tried Gruyere cheese ? It was what I learned to use from my Mother in my youth. She wanted all of her childen to not only be able to feed themselves but to really be able to express themselves using a full pallet of flavours. Thanks for having your recipes on the net. Have the best !..
I've never tried Gruyere but it would be wonderful- Thanks for the suggestion!