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Inside Out Chicken Cordon Bleu

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. 

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Chicken
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 Servings
Author Heather @ thecookstreat.com

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

  1. 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).

  2. 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.

  3. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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:

  1. 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.

  2. Stir in the chicken bouillon. Whisk constantly over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, about 3-5 minutes.

  3. 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.

  4. 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).