Chicken cordon bleu has a delicious layer of ham and cheese wrapped inside succulent crumb-coated chicken breast. Drizzled with a mustard cream sauce, this oven-baked chicken is a classic French recipe your family will love!
Place 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, on a cutting board, then cover with plastic wrap. Pound to about 1/4 inch thickness with the flat side of a meat mallet.
Place a slice of 4 slices deli ham, and a slice of 4 slices Swiss cheese in the center of each pounded chicken breast, leaving space from the edges to fold. Carefully fold in the edges and roll in a log as tight as you can.
Wrap the chicken tightly in the plastic wrap, then set aside. Repeat with the other 3 chicken breasts.
Freeze for 30-45 minutes or just until a little firm, not frozen.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Bread the Chicken
In a medium bowl, combine ½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper. Melt ½ cup butter, in a second bowl. To a third bowl, add 1 ½ cups Italian bread crumbs and 3 tablespoons olive oil, then mix well so the crumbs are evenly coated.
Unwrap the chicken, then roll in the flour mixture, making sure it's well coated. Next, coat the chicken in the melted butter, then finally in the breadcrumb mixture. Repeat with the remaining chicken, and place them all in the prepared pan.
Bake for around 30-45 minutes, or until cooked through. Cover with foil if the breadcrumbs start to darken too much.
Sauce
While the chicken bakes, heat 1 cup low sodium chicken broth and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half.
Add ⅔ cup heavy cream and 2 tablespoons dijon mustard and stir to combine. Bring the mixture back to a simmer.
Combine 4 teaspoons cornstarch and 4 teaspoons water, then pour half into the sauce while constantly whisking. Add more until it reaches the desired consistency. If it gets too thick, just add a little water or chicken broth.
Season with salt and pepper and serve warm drizzled over the chicken.
Notes
Originally Posted on April 9, 2021Updated on September 29, 2023