Chicken Cordon Blue - the easy way

This recipe will blow you away - if you enjoy Chicken Cordon Blue, that is. The original CCB calls for pounding the breast thin, putting ham, cheese and mustard on it, rolling it up, breading it, frying it and then finishing it in the oven. This is a MUCH simpler alternative to this delicious dish and little bit healthier as well because there is no frying involved.

Ingredients:


3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half (like you’re butterflying, but finish the cut)
12 slices of ham or smoked turkey
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 pounds thinly sliced cheese - I used cheddar but the original recipe calls for swiss cheese

Parmesan-Dijon Cream Sauce

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 chicken bouillon cube, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese


1. Coat a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs and 2 tablespoons melted butter; set aside.

3. Slice the breasts lengthwise so they are thin and lay them in a single layer in the bottom of your baking dish. Top each breast with two slices of ham/turkey and 2 slices of cheese, so that the entire breast is covered. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top of the chicken.

4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (clear juices), the cheese is bubbly and the bread crumbs are golden brown.

5. While the chicken bakes, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to form a roux, cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking constantly, make sure there are no clumps. Stir in the bouillon and salt. Whisk constantly until the mixture begins to thicken, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Keep the sauce warm.

6. Remove chicken from oven, plate, and top with sauce.



Enjoy this finger-licking goodness!