Chicken Cordon Bleu - The Recipe Critic (2024)

Chicken cordon bleuhas a delicious layer of ham and cheese wrapped inside succulent crumb-coated chicken breast. Drizzled with mustard cream sauce, this oven-baked chicken is a classic French recipe your family will love!

Chicken is an easy and favorite dish! For more succulent chicken, try this juicy air fryer chicken. I also love to make this slow cooker chicken recipe or this cashew chicken because it tastes way better than takeout!

What is Chicken Cordon Bleu?

This crunchy breadcrumb-coated chicken cordon bleu has it all. Flavorful juicy chicken stuffed with ham and melty cheese, then topped with a rich and creamy mustard sauce. It’s a classic and comforting French dish your family will love.

Chicken cordon bleu is a perfect weeknight dinner idea or elegant enough to serve for special occasions. We love serving this for Christmas or birthdays! If you need ideas on what to serve with chicken cordon bleu, it’s delicious served with green beans, rolls, and my Dad’s famous potatoes.

Ingredients in Classic Chicken Cordon Bleu

One of the greatest things about this recipe is it uses minimal ingredients and they’re all very common. These simple ingredients make a delicious meal that will become a staple in your home. Follow the recipe card below for exact measurements.

• Chicken breast: Boneless skinless chicken breast pounded thin.
• Deli Ham: Use thinly sliced ham to make rolling a success! You don’t want the center to be too thick or it will make rolling difficult.
• Swiss Cheese: Swiss is wonderful, but gouda or provolone works well too. You want a creamy cheese that melts.
• Flour, salt, onion powder, and pepper: This makes up the first of the first breading station and perfectly seasoning the chicken at the same time.
• Butter: Adds richness and flavor to the breading and helps the breadcrumbs stick.
• Italian Bread Crumbs: I like panko as they’re light and super crispy but other types will work too.
• Olive Oil: Just a touch is mixed with the breadcrumbs, which helps them to get crunchy and get a touch of color too. I just use my hands to mix the oil into the breadcrumbs.

Ingredients for the Sauce

• Chicken Stock or Broth: Use a low sodium, good-quality stock.
• Thyme: I love to use fresh thyme but you can use dried as well. Feel free to use other herbs like sage, basil, and oregano.
• Heavy Cream: Make the sauce rich creamy and so delicious.
• Dijon Mustard: Dijon is definitely best here because it gives a light tang and a good mustard flavor.
• Cornstarch and Water: This simple mix will thicken your sauce without changing the flavor.

How to Make Chicken Cordon Bleu

This cordon bleu recipe comes with it’s own super simple creamy mustard sauce too. You will love this oven-baked recipe that tastes like the chicken is fried because of the golden and crispy outside. Here are the step-by-step details for making chicken cordon blue but make sure to check out my tips below this section for all the tips to make them perfect.

For the Chicken

1. Pound the Chicken: Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board then cover them with plastic wrap. Pound to about 1/4 inch thickness with the flat side of a meat mallet.
2. Add the Ham and Cheese and Roll Into a Log: Place a slice of ham and a slice of 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.
3. Wrap Tightly With Plastic Wrap: Wrap the chicken tightly in the plastic wrap, then set aside. Repeat with the other 3 chicken breasts.
4. Freeze the Chicken: Freeze for 30-45 minutes or just until a little firm, not frozen.
5. Preheat Oven/ Prepare the Baking Dish: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
6. Prepare the Breading Stations: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, onion powder, and pepper. Melt the butter in a second bowl. To a third bowl, add the bread crumbs and oil, then mix well so the crumbs are evenly coated.
7. Roll in Flour Mixture, Butter Mixture, and Breadcrumb Mixture: Unwrap the chicken then roll in the flour mix, 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.
8. Bake: Bake for around 30-45 minutes, or until cooked through. Cover with foil if the breadcrumbs start to darken too much.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Sauce

1. Simmer the Chicken Broth and Thyme: While the chicken bakes, heat the chicken broth and thyme together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half.
2. Add the Cream and Dijon Mustard: Add the cream and Dijon mustard and stir to combine. Bring the mixture back to a simmer.
3. Add the Cornstarch and Water Mixture: Combine the cornstarch and 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.
4. Season to Taste and Serve Warm: Season with salt and pepper and serve warm drizzled over the chicken.