Chicken cordon bleu is a dinner-party classic that is much easier than it looks: a chicken breast stuffed with ham and melty Swiss cheese, coated in a crisp golden crust and served with a creamy sauce. This version is made for two, with two small breasts baked on one sheet pan and a quick Dijon sauce that comes together on the stove while the chicken bakes. The crust gets its crunch from panko tossed in a little melted butter, so there is no frying and no big mess. It feels special, but it is realistic for a weeknight.
Why you’ll like it
- Made for two: one stuffed breast each, with a small batch of sauce.
- Baked, not fried: a buttered panko crust crisps in a hot oven.
- Restaurant feel: a gooey center and a crisp crust, with a creamy mustard sauce on the side.
- Easy pantry sauce: butter, flour, milk, Dijon and Parmesan.
- Simple ingredients: nothing you cannot find in a regular supermarket.
What is chicken cordon bleu?
Chicken cordon bleu is a stuffed chicken dish: a boneless breast filled with ham and cheese, coated in breadcrumbs and cooked until golden. The name means blue ribbon in French, which hints at its restaurant-style origins. In most home versions the cheese is Swiss, because it melts well but holds its shape, and the ham is simple deli ham.
The pieces that make it work are the pocket, the seal and the crust. A deep pocket holds the filling, a couple of toothpicks keep it closed so the cheese stays inside, and the crumb coating protects the lean chicken from drying out in the oven. A creamy Dijon sauce, spooned over the top or alongside, adds richness and a little tang.
What makes it work
The coating is a three-step dredge: flour, then egg, then panko. The flour helps the egg cling, the egg glues on the crumbs, and the panko gives the crunch. Tossing the panko with a spoonful of melted butter first is the trick that lets it brown in the oven without frying, so the crust turns golden on all sides.
A hot oven, set to 400°F, browns the crumbs quickly before the chicken has time to dry out. Small breasts help too, since they cook through in about the same time the crust takes to turn golden.
The sauce is a quick roux of butter and flour, thinned with milk and finished off the heat with Dijon and Parmesan. Taking it off the heat before the cheese goes in keeps it smooth, and the mustard keeps it from tasting heavy.
How it is sized for two
Most chicken cordon bleu recipes make six servings. This one is built around two small boneless breasts of 6 to 7 ounces each, with four slices of Swiss and four slices of ham, so each breast gets a generous but not overstuffed filling. The coating uses just a half cup of panko and a single egg.
The sauce is scaled the same way, about two thirds of the amounts in a typical recipe, which gives each plate enough to spoon over the chicken and a little left to mop up with the sides. Everything bakes on one rimmed sheet pan, and the sauce uses one small saucepan, so there is not much to wash.
Ingredients for chicken cordon bleu
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below. Here is how to choose each one.
- Small chicken breasts: boneless and skinless, around 6 to 7 ounces each. If yours are bigger, pound them a little so the pocket is easy to fill.
- Swiss cheese: sliced, because it melts smoothly and does not turn greasy.
- Deli ham: thin slices that fold easily into the pocket.
- Flour, egg and panko: the dredge that builds the crust.
- Unsalted butter: one portion melted into the panko and one for the sauce.
- Milk: whole milk gives the creamiest sauce.
- Dijon mustard and Parmesan: the flavor of the sauce. Grate the Parmesan fresh so it melts smoothly.
How to make chicken cordon bleu
- Heat the oven, then mix the melted butter into the panko.
- Cut a deep pocket into each breast and season it.
- Fill the pockets with cheese and ham and close them with toothpicks.
- Coat the chicken in flour, egg and the buttered panko, then bake until golden.
- Make the Dijon sauce while the chicken bakes.
- Rest the chicken, remove the toothpicks and serve with the sauce.
Step-by-step notes
Cutting the pocket. Lay each breast flat and use a sharp knife to slice into the thick side, parallel to the cutting board, stopping before you cut all the way through. You want a deep pocket with the far edge intact. Season inside and out with the salt and pepper.
Stuffing. Fold the cheese and ham slices into thick pieces that fit the pocket, and tuck half into each breast. Do not overfill, since a bulging pocket is where cheese escapes. Close the opening with a couple of toothpicks, weaving them through the edges.
Coating. Set up three shallow dishes: flour, beaten egg and buttered panko. Coat each breast in flour and shake off the extra, dip it in the egg and let the excess drip off, then press it firmly into the panko on all sides.
Baking. Set the chicken on the lined baking sheet with space between the pieces and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The chicken is done when the crust is golden and a thermometer in the thickest part of the meat reads 165°F.
Making the sauce. While the chicken bakes, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Take it off the heat and whisk in the mustard and Parmesan.
Resting. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes so the cheese settles and the juices stay in the meat. Remove the toothpicks before serving.
Tips and variations
- Make the pocket deep. A deep pocket holds more filling and keeps the edges closed.
- Seal it well. Toothpicks keep the cheese inside, so use enough to close the whole opening.
- Press the panko on. Pressing firmly helps the crust stay put in the oven.
- Use a thermometer. It is the best way to avoid overbaking a lean breast.
- Count the toothpicks. Note how many go in so every one comes out before serving.
- Add flavor. A pinch of garlic powder in the panko or a little extra Dijon in the sauce gives it more punch.
Substitutions
- Gruyere: swap it for the Swiss for a nuttier flavor.
- Turkey or chicken deli slices: use them in place of the ham if you prefer.
- Regular breadcrumbs: work in place of panko, though the crust will be a little denser.
- Half-and-half: use it in place of some of the milk for an even richer sauce.
What to serve with it
Because the chicken is rich and the sauce is creamy, simple sides work best.
- Steamed or roasted green beans or asparagus add a fresh, crisp contrast.
- Buttered egg noodles or rice catches the sauce.
- Roasted or mashed potatoes make it a hearty plate.
- A green salad with a lemony dressing keeps things light.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate leftover chicken and sauce separately in airtight containers within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat the chicken in the oven until it is steaming hot, to 165°F, so the crust stays crisp, and warm the sauce on the stove with a splash of milk.
A golden crust, a gooey center and a spoonful of Dijon sauce: a special dinner for two that is easier than it looks.
Frequently asked questions
What is chicken cordon bleu?
It is a boneless chicken breast stuffed with ham and cheese, coated in breadcrumbs and baked or fried until golden, often served with a creamy sauce.
What cheese works best?
Swiss cheese is the classic choice because it melts well and holds its shape. Gruyere is a good alternative.
How do I keep the cheese inside the chicken?
Cut a deep pocket without overfilling it, fold the cheese so it stays inside the edges and close the opening with toothpicks. A firm coating of panko also helps hold everything in.
Can I make chicken cordon bleu ahead of time?
You can stuff and coat the chicken, cover it and refrigerate it until you are ready to bake. Bake it straight from the refrigerator, adding a few minutes if needed, until a thermometer reads 165°F.
Print
Chicken Cordon Bleu for Two
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
Description
Chicken cordon bleu for two: two small chicken breasts stuffed with ham and Swiss, coated in golden buttered panko and served with a quick Dijon cream sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 7 ounces each)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 slices Swiss cheese
- 4 slices deli ham
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, for dredging
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, for the panko
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for the sauce
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, for the sauce
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir the melted butter into the panko in a shallow dish.
- Use a sharp knife to cut a deep pocket into the thick side of each chicken breast, without cutting all the way through. Season the pockets and outsides with the salt and pepper.
- Fold the cheese and ham slices and tuck half into each pocket. Close each pocket with 2 toothpicks.
- Put the flour in one shallow dish and the beaten egg in another. Coat each breast in the flour, then the egg, then press it into the buttered panko until it is covered on all sides.
- Place the chicken on the baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and a thermometer in the thickest part reads 165°F.
- While the chicken bakes, melt the 1 tablespoon butter for the sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the 1 tablespoon flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- Take the sauce off the heat and whisk in the Dijon mustard and Parmesan. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes, remove the toothpicks and serve with the sauce.
Notes
Equipment: rimmed baking sheet, parchment paper, toothpicks, small saucepan, three shallow dishes, whisk
- Cut the pocket deep but leave the far edge uncut so the filling stays inside.
- Do not overfill the pockets, and seal them with toothpicks so the cheese stays put.
- Press the panko firmly onto the chicken so the crust stays in place while it bakes.
- Use a thermometer to avoid overbaking a lean breast.
- Count the toothpicks going in and coming out so none are left in the chicken.
- Doneness: The chicken is done when the crust is golden brown and a thermometer in the thickest part of the meat reads 165°F; the cheese will be melted and the sauce thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Refrigerate leftover chicken and sauce separately in airtight containers within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days; reheat until steaming hot, to 165°F, in the oven so the crust stays crisp.
- Cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F, refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat leftovers to 165°F (USDA FSIS).
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: French-American
