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Filled with nutty cheese and salty slices of ham, this Chicken Cordon Blue recipe with creamy Parmesan sauce is completely irresistible. This is an easy chicken cordon bleu recipe you can prepare a day ahead.
Jump to:
- What is chicken cordon bleu?
- Chicken Cordon Bleu Ingredients
- Chicken Cordon Bleu Sauce
- How to Prepare Chicken Cordon Bleu
- How to Make Chicken Cordon Bleu Sauce
- Tips from Isabel
- Make Ahead Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Storing Leftover Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Reheating Cordon Bleu Sauce
- FAQ for Making Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Also try...
- What to Serve with Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe with Sauce
- Reviews
Let me start off by saying I love, love, love chicken cordon bleu and sauce. It’s an elegant dish that’s delicious, but it’s surprisingly easy to make, so it’s perfect for a special meal.
There are plenty of cordon bleu recipes out there with a Dijon mustard sauce, and I know they’re tasty. But my cordon bleu sauce is a creamy Parmesan sauce I promise you’re going to love. It’s unique and so flavorful, you might want to make a little extra to serve with other dinners!
My favorite thing about this chicken cordon bleu dish is that you can prep it the day before, so if you need a special holiday dinner (it’s perfect for Valentine’s Day!) then you can have it ready to cook beforehand.
Give it a try and let me know what you think. I'm excited to share this recipe with you!
Definitely one of the best recipes I ever made. It was perfect. Thank you for a great recipe!
Lucille on Pinterest
What is chicken cordon bleu?
Chicken cordon bleu is a classic chicken dinner that consists of thin chicken breast stuffed and rolled with cheese and ham. After stuffing the chicken, you coat it in breading and bake or fry it. Generally, cordon bleu is served with a sauce of some kind. In this case, my chicken cordon bleu recipe is served with a Parmesan sauce.
The name is French, meaning "blue ribbon", but this dish is actually a schnitzel recipe from Switzerland. You may even hear it referred to as schnitzel cordon bleu!
Pork Chop Sauces
Cordon bleu sauce is one of my favorite sauces for pork chops, too. Try my other favorites!
Chicken Cordon Bleu Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts: You will need your chicken breasts to be fairly thin for cordon bleu, which means either pounding them out wiht a meat mallet or butterflying them (cutting them in half). I find the mallet method easiest, personally!
- Swiss Cheese: Sliced Swiss cheese is the way to go with this chicken cordon bleu recipe.
- Ham: You want your ham to be thinly sliced, but if you can, I recommend using leftover ham. It is so delicious with leftovers.
- Kosher Salt: Either use kosher salt or Maldon sea salt flakes. I highly advise against using table salt as it can add a metallic flavor to food when cooked.
- Black Pepper: Freshly cracked black pepper is best.
- Eggs, Flour, and Breadcrumbs: This makes up the breading mixture for the chicken cordon bleu. You dust the chicken in flour, dip it in eggs, then roll it in breadcrumbs to bread it. I'm using regular dry breadcrumbs, but you can also use panko breadcrumbs if you prefer.
Tip from Isabel
You can use chicken thighs if they're what you have on hand, as long as they are boneless and skinless. Make sure to pound them out thinly like you would with chicken breasts.
Chicken Cordon Bleu Sauce
- Butter: I recommend using a high quality butter like Kerrygold, but really, use whatever you have. Unsalted butter is best here, because the Parmesan is salty on its own.
- Flour: I'm using all-purpose flour, but for a roux like this one, you can use a gluten-free flour 1:1 if you prefer. The same goes for the breading mixture above.
- Milk: 2% milk works best for this sauce. You can also use half and half or heavy cream, but keep in mind this will make the sauce richer and heavier. I prefer milk.
- Parmesan: Use freshly grated Parmesan for the best flavor and texture. I advise against using any Parmesan that comes in a shaker bottle.
Tip from Isabel
Freshly grated cheese will always make a better sauce than cheese that has already been shredded or grated. If you can, I highly recommend using freshly grated Parmesan. Trust me, it does make a difference! This is my favorite cheese grater to use every time.
How to Prepare Chicken Cordon Bleu
1: Roast Breadcrumbs
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Tip dry breadcrumbs onto a baking tray and spread them out evenly. Once the oven is preheated, bake the breadcrumbs for 10 minutes or until they are golden-brown. Check at 5 minutes and stir.
2: Flatten Chicken Breasts
Pat dry boneless skinless chicken breasts with a paper towel. Place plastic wrap over top chicken breasts and flatten them using a meat mallet or a rolling pin. You can also butterfly them by cutting them in half horizontally, but I find it easiest to tenderize them with a mallet. Once flat, season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
3: Layer with Cheese and Ham
Lay the flat chicken breasts side-by-side on top of plastic wrap. Top each one with a slices of Swiss cheese, then a layer of ham.
4: Roll into Pinwheels
Roll the chicken breasts into pinwheels with the cheese and ham on the inside.
5: Dredge in Flour
Get out 3 large, shallow bowls. Fill one with flour, one with two beaten eggs, and the third with toasted breadcrumbs. Dredge the chicken breasts in flour.
6: Dip into Egg
Dip the floured chicken breasts into egg to coat completely. Let any excess drip off.
7: Coat in Breadcrumbs
After dipping the floured chicken breasts in eggs, roll them in breadcrumbs to coat them completely.
8: Roll and Refrigerate
Place each chicken breast onto its own sheet of plastic wrap. Use the wrap to roll the chicken breast tightly and seal off each end. Once sealed, roll it into a nice, round, cylinder shape and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before cooking so it holds its shape.
9: Bake
Preheat the oven to 350°F. After refrigerating the chicken cordon bleu for at least 30 minutes, unwrap it and add it to a baking sheet. Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the chicken is piping hot and cooked through. I recommend using an instant-read thermometer and my Chicken Temperature Chart.
How to Make Chicken Cordon Bleu Sauce
1: Heat Butter and Flour
While your chicken bakes, you can start preparing your sauce. Place a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add butter and allow it to melt. Add flour to the melted butter and stir into a paste. This will be your roux, which forms the sauce base.
2: Mix in Milk
Slowly and gradually add milk to the roux. Please make sure to do this slowly, or the dairy may curdle and form lumps. While gradually pouring the milk into the pan, stir, stir, stir! This helps prevent lumps from forming, too.
3: Add Cheese
Continue to stir after adding the milk until the sauce thickens. When it begins to simmer, remove it from the heat and add Parmesan cheese. Stir it until it melts and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
4: Serve with Cordon Bleu
To serve, drizzle the Parmesan cream sauce over the chicken cordon bleu, and enjoy!
This was sooo delicious! My husband raved about it. I found the instructions easy to understand. The sauce for on top made them so decadent.
Darlene on Pinterest
Tips from Isabel
- Roll out one chicken breast at a time. This saves space and is just easier.
- Wash your hands. This might seem obvious, but make sure to wash the egg off your hands before trying to coat the chicken with breadcrumbs. This keeps things cleaner and stops the crumbs from sticking to your hands instead of the chicken.
- What to do if lumps form: If your sauce starts to get lumpy, remove it from the heat immediately. Stir until smooth, then return it to the heat and continue to add milk. If it's too lumpy, you can run it through a sieve and reheat it.
These were amazing!
Carrie from Pinterest
Make Ahead Chicken Cordon Bleu
Once the raw chicken has been prepared and wrapped, it can either be chilled in the refrigerator for up to one day, or frozen for up to one month before cooking. If chilled, unwrap and place in the oven immediately for 35 minutes, or until cooked through. If frozen, defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then cook according to recipe instructions.
These were great! I rolled and breaded them the day before.
Janell
Storing Leftover Chicken Cordon Bleu
Store leftover chicken cordon bleu in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I recommend gently reheating in the oven or even in the air fryer to keep the texture of the breading crisp.
Reheating Cordon Bleu Sauce
Creamy Parmesan sauce thickens as it cools. However, once you return it to the heat, it loosens up again. Add a bit more milk to smooth out the consistency when reheating, if necessary.
I tried it! It came out great and will be added to our dinner rotation.
Sandra
FAQ for Making Chicken Cordon Bleu
With the technique of rolling the chicken cordon bleu and refrigerating it to help it keep its shape, you shouldn't have any issues with the cheese leaking out of it. However, if necessary, you can secure the cordon bleu with toothpicks before baking.
To keep the Parmesan cheese sauce creamy, be sure to add all dairy gradually and stir when adding it, or else lumps may form. Add additional milk when reheating to bring it back to the original creamy texture.
Yes, you can cook cordon bleu in an air fryer from fresh or straight out of the freezer from frozen! For non-frozen cordon chicken bleu, preheat your air fryer to 350°F. Cook the chicken cordon bleu in the air fryer for 10 minutes, then flip and cook for another 8 minutes. Check with a meat thermometer. For frozen chicken cordon bleu, preheat air fryer to 380°F, then air fry for 18-20 minutes. Make sure to check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer and use my Chicken Temperature Chart as a guide.
What to Serve with Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Instant Pot Green Beans: This is an easy recipe that makes a great side of greens for chicken cordon bleu.
- Creamy Mushroom Risotto: A truly delicious combo! I highly recommend trying cordon bleu with risotto.
- Blistered Tomatoes: I love serving cordon bleu with a side of fresh blistered tomatoes.
- Scalloped Potatoes: Cheesy scalloped potatoes make a great side dish for cordon bleu.
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup: For Fall and Winter, you won't find a better side dish for chicken cordon bleu than butternut squash soup.
I made this for my husband and me and it was amazing!!!
Erica
Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe with Sauce
Ingredients
For the chicken cordon bleu:
- 4 chicken breasts
- 8 slices Swiss cheese
- 4 slices thinly sliced ham
- salt and pepper
- 2 beaten eggs
- ¾ cup of flour
- ¾ dry breadcrumbs
For the cordon bleu sauce:
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 1½ cups 2% milk
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
Instructions
Baking Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Tip ¾ dry breadcrumbs onto a baking sheet, and spread them out evenly. Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. At the 5 minute mark, stir the breadcrumbs.
- Pat 4 chicken breasts dry, then place them on a sheet of plastic wrap and cover them with another sheet of plastic wrap on top. Use a meat mallet or a rolling pin to pound the chicken breasts flat. You can also butterfly them by cutting them in half horizontally if you prefer. Once flat, season on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Lay out the flat chicken breasts side by side, and top each one with a layer of 2 slices of Swiss cheese, then a layer of 1 slice of ham. You will need a total of 8 slices Swiss cheese and 4 slices thinly sliced ham.
- Roll up each breast into a pinwheel with the cheese and ham on the inside.
- You need 3 large shallow bowls. Place ¾ cup of flour in the first dish, 2 beaten eggs in the second dish, and toasted breadcrumbs in the third dish. Carefully take each chicken breast and, one at a time, roll in the flour until fully coated.
- Roll the floured chicken in the whisked egg.
- Finally, place into the breadcrumbs and fully coat all over.
- Next, place each chicken breast onto its own piece of plastic wrap. Use the wrap to roll up tightly and seal off each end. Once sealed, roll the chicken into a nice round cylinder shape. Chill the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes so the shape will set and hold while cooking. If you are preparing the recipe in advance, you can leave it in the fridge all day before cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F when ready to bake. Unwrap the chicken and place on a baking tray. Bake for 35 minutes, or until chicken is piping hot and cooked through.
Creating the Cordon Bleu Sauce
- While the chicken bakes, place a small pan on medium-low heat. Add 4 Tbsp. butter and allow to melt. Once it melts, add ¼ cup flour and stir into a paste.
- Slowly begin adding the 1½ cups 2% milk. Add the milk gradually and continuously stir to prevent lumps from forming. After each addition of milk, stir the sauce well. Allow it to thicken again before adding more milk. Continue to stir after adding milk until the sauce thickens.
- When the sauce simmers, remove from the heat. While the sauce is still hot, add ½ cup grated Parmesan and stir in until it melts and the sauce is smooth.
- Once the chicken is cooked remove from the oven and slice. Plate up and drizzle over the creamy Parmesan sauce. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Roll out one breast at a time: We recommend rolling out just one chicken breast at a time to save space.
- Wash your hands: Wash egg off your hands before trying to coat with the breadcrumbs. This keeps things cleaner and stops the breadcrumbs sticking to you rather than the chicken!
- What to do if lumps form: If your sauce looks like it may form lumps, remove from the heat. Stir until smooth, then return to the heat and continue to add milk. If your sauce gets too lumpy, you can run it through a sieve and reheat it.
- Reheating Cordon bleu sauce: Creamy parmesan sauce will get thicker as it cools; however, once returned to the heat, it will loosen up again. Add a bit more milk to smooth out the consistency when reheating, if necessary.
- Chilling and freezing: Once the raw chicken has been prepared and wrapped it can either be chilled in the fridge for up to one day or frozen for up to 1 month before cooking. If chilled, unwrap and place in the oven immediately for 35 minutes or until cooked through, If frozen, defrost throughly in the fridge for 24 hours then cook as above.
Katie says
Could I substitute Panko instead of bread crumbs?
Isabel Laessig says
Hi Katie! You could definitely use panko instead of breadcrumbs if you prefer. It should work 1:1 for this recipe as a breading. Enjoy!
Rick Nicolls says
Love the idea of the almost Alfredo sauce; it would add something special to a the dish. BTW, this is the first time I've seen sliced ham or cheese measured by the cup.
Isabel Laessig says
Thanks so much, Rick! The sauce for this cordon bleu is one of my favorites, it really does add a lot of flavor. I greatly appreciate your review!
Judy Peters says
Add Dry Sherry to sauce a great upgrade!
Isabel Laessig says
That sounds awesome, Judy. Thank you for the suggestion!
Carole says
This was delicious - family loved it! I used Panko instead of breadcrumbs - added pepper, parsley flakes and a touch of salt to the sauce which I made using cornstarch instead of flour (used 1/2 as much cornstarch since it thickens faster than flour)
Isabel Laessig says
Wonderful! I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Carole!