Chicken Cordon Bleu is a fancy-sounding dish that’s actually easy to make at home.

It’s made with tender chicken breasts, smoky ham and goey swiss cheese all rolled up and baked in the oven until the chicken is tender and juicy.

To make it extra special, it’s served with a simple creamy dijon sauce.

What is Chicken Cordon Bleu?

Chicken Cordon Bleu is a fancy-sounding French dish that’s surprisingly easy to make at home. “Cordon Bleu” translates from French to blue ribbon.

Traditionally, it’s made with chicken breasts wrapped around ham and swiss cheese. But don’t be afraid to get creative and mix things up!

Ham – I find thin slices of deli ham to roll the easiest but leftover ham works (and it can be diced or thinly sliced). Substitute ham for prosciutto or smoked turkey if you’d like.

Cheese – Swiss cheese is the traditional choice for cordon bleu. Swap out the Swiss for provolone (slightly tangy) or even cheddar cheese!

Breadcrumbs –  I prefer the finer crumb of seasoned breadcrumbs in this recipe. Panko can be substituted.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Sauce

This cordon bleu sauce recipe is an easy homemade dijon cream sauce.

How to Make Seasoned Bread Crumbs

To make bread crumbs, run dry bread through a food processor

If you have regular bread crumbs, they can be seasoned by adding 1/4 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon parsley and a pinch of oregano.

It’s simple to make and packs a big flavor with the additions of Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and parmesan cheese. Not only does this sauce pair well with my chicken cordon bleu recipe, it’s also great on veggies.

If you prefer, you can serve this with an easy cheese sauce or even hollandaise. Or, if you’re short on time, you can skip the sauce altogether.

How to Prepare Chicken for Rolling

You’ll be surprised when you see how easy this chicken cordon bleu recipe is to make! Start by preparing the chicken so it can be rolled up.

  • Place a boneless skinless chicken breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap (this keeps it from splattering juices everywhere).Pound the chicken with the flat side of a meat mallet or tenderizer until it is 1/4″ thick. If the chicken breast is really thick, you can butterfly it open before pounding.Be firm but gentle when pounding so the chicken thins out but doesn’t get damaged or fall apart.

How to Make Chicken Cordon Bleu

If you have time, soak the toothpicks in water before securing the chicken to keep them from burning and make them easy to remove. I always put 2 toothpicks per roll so I can account for all of them when I am serving.

  • Prepare the chicken breasts (above) and layer them with ham and swiss cheese.Roll in the chicken breasts up, jelly roll style. Roll them in melted butter with garlic, and then seasoned breadcrumbs! Place them on a baking sheet or in a dish and bake per the recipe below.While the chicken is baking, prepare the sauce!

Voila! A fancy restaurant meal that really is easy to make at home (but don’t worry, your secret is safe with us)!

Savory Stuffed Chicken

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Cordon bleu is a rich meal with bold flavors, so light and fresh sides make the perfect complement.I would suggest steamed or roasted vegetables like broccoli, green beans, or roasted asparagus.Add in a tossed or Caesar Salad and a side of garlic butter rice for the perfect meal!

This baked chicken cordon bleu recipe can feed as few as four or double the recipe and have a fancy dinner party for 8!Roll and dredge the chicken breasts per the recipe below. Place them on rack on top of a baking sheet and lightly cover with plastic wrap. Prepared cordon bleu can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

Keep leftover chicken cordon bleu in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It can be reheated in the microwave to heat it through and then lightly pan fried, air fried, or broiled to crisp the breadcrumbs.

More Cordon Bleu-Inspired Meals

  • Cordon Bleu Casserole – No cream of anything soup in this!Grilled Chicken Cordon Bleu – Summertime favorite!Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup – Easy, dreamy, creamy!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Nutrition Information

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

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