Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe, a French classic dish in which chicken breast is wrapped with ham and cheese, then breaded and pan fried or deep fried. It is similar to a roulade, but more elegant. Chicken Cordon Bleu, perfect for date night dinners, holiday meals, and special occasions.
Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe
An easy chicken cordon bleu recipe which I have shared with step by step pictures. This recipe for cordon bleu is a classic one, no shortcuts involved, made the right way with easy technique that even a novice cook can make it perfectly.
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About Chicken Cordon Bleu
Chicken cordon bleu is a similar to a French roulade. Thinly pounded chicken breast is layered with some kind of cured meat like ham or bacon, slices of cheese and rolled into a log. This log is then coated in breadcrumbs and fried till perfectly cooked.
Although the name is French, Chicken Cordon Bleu is mostly popular in Switzerland, not France. The original dish is actually veal cordon bleu (not chicken). It is originated in Switzerland where cooks stuffed veal cutlets with cheese, coated in breadcrumbs and fried.
When done properly, the cordon bleu slices beautifully showing off the perfect swirl. You need to follow few simple techniques to achieve this perfect roulade.
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Where did I get the Inspiration for this Recipe?
When I first went searching for a traditional Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe, my instinct as always with French cuisine was to reach for Julia Child’s iconic cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
To my surprise, she did not include a recipe titled “Chicken Cordon Bleu” by that exact name. However, she featured several preparations that closely resemble the dish, including chicken breasts with cheese, escalopes (thin cutlets), chicken roulades.
So I took my inspiration from it and made this fail proof chicken cordon bleu recipe.
What Does “Cordon Bleu” Mean?
The French term “cordon bleu” literally translates to “blue ribbon” Cordon bleu is associated with excellence, especially in cooking. It became synonymous with high culinary standards. This is also where the famous culinary school Le Cordon Bleu gets its name.
The name “cordon bleu”doesn’t refer to cheese, it means excellence.
Fail Proof Chicken Cordon bleu
To make perfect cordon bleu, Boneless chicken breast is butterflied and pounded thin. This pounded chicken is stuffed with ham, cheese and rolled into a roulade. Wrap the roulade tightly with plastic wrap and sit in fridge for 30 minutes. Check my breaded chicken cutlets and chicken katsu.
Meanwhile Set up a breading station with plain flour, egg, breadcrumbs. I seaon each ingredient with salt, pepper and favourite seasonings. I prefer using garlic powder, Italian seasonings and chilli flakes.
Take the roulade, roll them in flour, then in egg and in breadcrumbs. It goes straight into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. It will take around 4 to 5 minutes. You have to keep rotating the chicken in the oil for even colouring.
Once fried, place it on a wire rack and pop it straight into the oven to finish cooking. Allow it to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.
Chicken cordon bleu is traditionally served with a dijon cream sauce. The sauce is made with mustard, butter, garlic, flour, milk and seasonings. Sometimes it includes Parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
Ingredients
- Chicken – use boneless chicken breast for making the roulade. Medium to large size chicken breast is perfect for the roulade. Since it will give you more surface area.
- Cured meat (Ham) – You can use ham, chicken ham or any cured meat that you prefer. You can totally skip it as well.
- Cheese – traditionally good melting cheese like gruyere, provolone is used. You can even use mozzarella cheese.
- Seasonings – I used salt, pepper, red chilli flakes, Italian seasoning.
- Breading Station – plain flour, egg, breadcrumbs are used to coat the chicken roulade.
- For Sauce – Dijon cream sauce is made with butter, flour, milk, mustard, salt, chilli flakes. Optinally parmesan and cream is used.
Step by Step Pictures
Preparing Chicken
1)Pat chicken breast dry using paper towel. Take your chicken breast on a cutting board, use a sharp knife to slice the breast in the middle so it opens like a book *butterfly*.
2)Now place another sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper over chicken and use a rolling pin of meat mallet to bash the chicken so it is even and thin.
3)Be gently with this step. Now your chicken breast is thin and spread evenly.
Now sprinkle salt, pepper, chilli flakes over the chicken breast to season the chicken.
Roulade Chicken
4)Now place a slice of ham over the chicken, sprinkle ¼ cup of shredded cheese on top of the ham.
5)Start rolling the chicken tight like a log. If there is any hole on the chicken, make sure to seal it and roll like a roulade.
6)Roll it tight. Once it is rolled, season the roulade with salt pepper and chilli flakes.
7)Now use a plastic wrap or parchment paper to roll the chicken tightly. Twist both the ends really well so it is tightly rolled and sealed.
8)Repeat this for remaining chicken as well. Now place the roulade in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Make Dijon cream sauce
9)while the chicken is resting in fridge, make the sauce. Heat butter, garlic in a sauce pan, let it sizzle for a minute.
10)Add in plain flour and roast in the butter for 2 minutes.
11)Let the raw smell from flour gets toasty.
12)Now pour in the cold milk and mix well.
14)Keep mixing and cook until the sauce thickens and coat the back of spoon.
15)Season with salt, red chilli flakes and mustard. Mix well.
16)Cream sauce is ready. Keep it somewhere warm.
Breading Station
17)Set up breading station. Take three trays or platter. Take plain flour + salt + pepper in a tray. Crack open egg, add water, salt, pepper in next tray. Take breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, red chilli flakes, Italian seasoning on another tray and mix well. Set this aside.
Coating Chicken
18)Now take chicken from fridge. Unwrap the roulade, place it on plain flour and coat it on all sides.
19)Now remove the chicken and add it to egg, coat with egg on all sides even on sides.
20)Now add it to breadcrumbs and coat really well so the chicken is well coated with breadcrumbs.
Frying Chicken roulade
21)Preheat oven to 190 degree C (370 degree F). Take a wire rack and keep it ready. Now heat oil on medium heat for deep frying in a deep pot. Add the chicken into the hot oil and fry on medium heat.
22)Gently rotate the chicken so it fries evenly. Let it get golden colour on all sides.
23) It will take 3 to 4 minutes to fry the chicken. R
24)This is the colour you are looking for.
Baking chicken
25)Remove the chicken and place it on a wire rack. Now place the chicken into the preheated oven and bake for 11 to 12 minutes. Once baked, remove the chicken from oven and let it sit for 5 minutes before slicing.
26)once the chicken is rested, take it on a clean cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice the chicken into thick slices.
27)Serve chicken slices with boiled peas and the dijon cream sauce.
Expert Tips
Chicken – choose boneless chicken breast, pound them gently so it is even and thin. This way you get more surface area for rolling. But be gentle, so the chicken don’t tear.
Stuffing – you can skip ham if you don’t prefer it. And don’t over stuff cheese, else it may leak when frying.
Breading properly – the cheese will be sealed into the chicken when it is breaded properly. So make sure you coat them with egg and breadcrumbs well.
Resting is important – It is important to rest the chicken once it is rolled. And also rest the cooked chicken before slicing for clean slices.
Serving – Serve chicken cordon bleu hot with boiled peas, mashed potatoes, salad.
FAQ
Absolutely, you can skip ham if that is not your thing. You can use cheese alone.
The most traditional cheese in this recipe is alpine cheese. Gruyere, provolone is preferred. You can use sliced cheese instead of grated cheese.
Yes you can totally skip the frying part and bake the chicken in a 180 degree C oven or Air fryer for 30 to 35 minutes.
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Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe
Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe, a French classic dish in which chicken breast is wrapped with ham and cheese, then breaded and pan fried or deep fried. It is similar to a roulade, but more elegant. Chicken Cordon Bleu, perfect for date night dinners, holiday meals, and special occasions.
Equipment
Parchment paper or Plastic wrap
Meat mallet or Rolling Pin
Instructions
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Preparing Chicken – Pat chicken breast dry using paper towel. Take your chicken breast on a cutting board, use a sharp knife to slice the breast in the middle so it opens like a book *butterfly*. Now place another sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper over chicken and use a rolling pin of meat mallet to bash the chicken so it is even and thin. Be gently with this step. Now your chicken breast is thin and spread evenly.
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Stuffing chicken – Now sprinkle salt, pepper, chilli flakes over the chicken breast to season the chicken. Now place a slice of ham over the chicken, sprinkle ¼ cup of shredded cheese on top of the ham.
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Roulade Chicken – Start rolling the chicken tight like a log. If there is any hole on the chicken, make sure to seal it and roll like a roulade. Once it is rolled, season the roulade with salt pepper and chilli flakes. Now use a plastic wrap or parchment paper to roll the chicken tightly. Twist both the ends really well so it is tightly rolled and sealed. Repeat this for remaining chicken as well. Now place the roulade in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
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Make sauce – while the chicken is resting in fridge, make the sauce. Heat butter, garlic in a sauce pan, let it sizzle for a minute. Add in plain flour and roast in the butter for 2 minutes. Now pour in the cold milk and mix well. Keep mixing and cook until the sauce thickens and coat the back of spoon. Season with salt, red chilli flakes and mustard. Mix well. Sauce is done.
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Breading Station – Set up breading station. Take three trays or platter. Take plain flour + salt + pepper in a tray. Crack open egg, add water, salt, pepper in next tray. Take breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, red chilli flakes, Italian seasoning on another tray and mix well. Set this aside.
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Coating Chicken – Now take chicken from fridge. Unwrap the roulade, place it on plain flour and coat it on all sides. Now remove the chicken and add it to egg, coat with egg on all sides even on sides. Now add it to breadcrumbs and coat really well so the chicken is well coated with breadcrumbs.
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Frying Chicken roulade – Preheat oven to 190 degree C (370 degree F). Take a wire rack and keep it ready. Now heat oil on medium heat for deep frying in a deep pot. Add the chicken into the hot oil and fry on medium heat. Gently rotate the chicken so it fries evenly. Let it get golden colour on all sides. It will take 3 to 4 minutes to fry the chicken. Remove the chicken and place it on a wire rack.
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Baking Chicken – now place the chicken into the preheated oven and bake for 11 to 12 minutes. Once baked, remove the chicken from oven and let it sit for 5 minutes before slicing.
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Serving – once the chicken is rested, take it on a clean cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice the chicken into thick slices. Serve chicken slices with boiled peas and the dijon cream sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
