This inside out chicken cordon bleu is as delicious as the classic, but a whole lot easier. No fussy stuffing necessary to get the combination of flavors. Topped with a delicious parmesan cream sauce that will make the whole dish shine.
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Why hello there!
How are you, my friends?
With trying to get summer kicked off with all three kids home all day and girl’s camp next week, I am a little on the crazy side of things. But our summer has actually started off pretty good, all things considered.
I’m super excited to share this inside out chicken cordon bleu recipe with you! We love chicken cordon bleu, but sometimes the extra fussy steps make it so it doesn’t get it made – do you know what I mean?
So a few months ago I set about making an easier version. I call it Inside Out Chicken Cordon bleu because rather than the cheese and ham filling being stuffed inside (like traditional cordon bleu), it’s on the outside. And saving a few extra steps (with no sacrifice in flavor) is a really good thing!
The Nitty Gritty Details
So let’s talk about the process here. It’s actually a really similar process to the Chicken Parmesan and Lemon Chicken Parmesan that I’ve shared (and we LOVE).
And don’t worry if it sounds tricky, it absolutely is not. And goes really quick once you get the hang of it.
I use 3 thick chicken breasts sliced through the middle to create 6 thinner cuts. Dredge them in flour, then an egg wash, then a bread crumb mixture. The brown them on both sides in hot oil and bake them in the oven. I usually bake them on a stoneware pan (like this pampered chef one, aff. link) but you can also use a regular half baking sheet (aff. link).
Once they are completely baked, then remove from the oven and add a slice of Swiss or Provolone cheese on top of each one, followed by two slices of deli ham and one more slice of cheese on the very top. Pop the whole pan under the broiler and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
And there you have it. Easy Peasy.
How to make the sauce
And the sauce is no different. It starts out like any white sauce. Melting some butter, whisking in the flour (this is my favorite whisk right now btw, aff. link). and letting it cook for a few minutes to develop the flavor. Then slowly whisk in the milk and cook, whisking continuously, for a few minutes until it’s creamy and smooth. Then add the parmesan cheese and stir until its melted in. And it’s ready to go.
This sauce is so savory and pairs well with the cordon bleu flavors.
For side dishes, I usually do some type of mashed potatoes – these garlic mashed potatoes are delicious – and steamed veggies.
Oh my friends, you will love how easy and delicious this meal is. My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it. It’s got that over-the-top flavor combo of chicken cordon bleu while skipping the fussy steps, making it a lot simpler to make. Pretty awesome, if you ask me.
Inside Out Chicken Cordon Bleu
This inside out chicken cordon bleu is as delicious as the classic, but a whole lot easier. No fussy stuffing necessary to get the combination of flavors. Topped with a delicious parmesan cream sauce that will make the whole dish shine.
Ingredients
- 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts about 3 pounds
- salt and pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup flour
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup water
- 1 ¼ cups bread crumbs see note
- ⅔ cup oil see note
- 10-12 slices Swiss or provolone cheese
- 12 slices deli ham
Parmesan Cream Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 ¼ cup milk
- ¾ teaspoon chicken bouillon see note
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- salt to taste
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray (I use a stone baking pan, but a casserole dish or half sheet pan would also work).
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Carefully slice chicken breasts in half through the thickness to make 6 thinner chicken pieces. Pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of dry chicken as desired.
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Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
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Meanwhile prepare the ingredients for breading. Sprinkle flour on a large plate. In a shallow dish or pie plate whisk together eggs and water. In another shallow dish or pie plate add bread crumbs.
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When oil sizzles with a drop of water, it is ready to cook the chicken. Take each seasoned chicken piece and coat both sides with the flour, dip both sides into egg mixture, and coat both sides with bread crumbs. Then carefully place in hot oil.
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Repeat step 5 with 2 or 3 remaining chicken pieces until the sauté pan is full. Cook chicken in hot oil 2-4 minutes on each side just until the outside is golden brown (chicken will still be raw in the middle at this point). Place chicken in prepared baking pan, trying not to overlap chicken as much as possible.
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Repeat steps 5 and 6 until all the chicken pieces are browned. Bake chicken in preheat 350 oven for 20-25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Watch carefully and check with a baking thermometer so chicken does not get overcooked.
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Remove pan from oven and preheat the broiler. Add a slice of Swiss or Provolone cheese on top of each chicken breast, followed by 2 slices of deli ham and another slice of Swiss or Provolone Cheese. Place pan under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes until cheese starts to melt and becomes bubbly and golden brown.
Parmesan Cream Sauce:
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While chicken is cooking prepare the cream sauce in a medium saucepan. Melt the 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking quickly to avoid lumps.
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Stir in the chicken bouillon. Whisk constantly over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, about 3-5 minutes.
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Once the sauce has bubbled and thickened, remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Keep the sauce warm until the chicken is finished baking. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed.
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Serve each chicken cordon bleu portion with warm sauce.
Recipe Notes
1. For this recipe and many others, I prefer Panko breadcrumbs, but it works just fine with any breadcrumbs.
2. I usually use either avocado oil, olive oil, or canola oil.
3. For the chicken bouillon, I use this chicken bouillon substitute, which is easy to make (GF, no MSG, and VEGAN).
Recipe Source: Heather @ The Cook’s Treat
All images and text ©The Cook’s Treat
Disclaimer: post contains affiliate links for items on Amazon.
