Chicken Cordon Bleu

As with many great standards in cuisine, Chicken Cordon Bleu is another dish that has many variants out there.  This one so far is my favorite.  The trick, as far as I'm concerned, is to get a really cheap cut of deli ham - lots of salt and flavor - and a strong Swiss cheese.  But maybe that's just me...

In my experience, it took longer to cook the chicken than the recipe originally called for, so I've changed it here.  The original recipe says to bake for 20 mins., but I usually need to bake for 30-35.

Other recipes have a sauce associated with them.  You certainly can make one and add it to this recipe, but this one is so tasty it's not really necessary.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients

4 double chicken breasts (about 7-ounces each), skinless and boneless
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 thin slices deli ham
16 thin slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup flour
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lay the chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, gently pound the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. Take care not to pound too hard because the meat may tear or create holes. Lay 2 slices of cheese on each breast, followed by 2 slices of ham, and 2 more of cheese; leaving a 1/2-inch margin on all sides to help seal the roll. Tuck in the sides of the breast and roll up tight like a jellyroll. Squeeze the log gently to seal.  (Use toothpicks as necessary.)

Season the flour with salt and pepper; spread out on waxed paper or in a flat dish. Mix the breadcrumbs with thyme, kosher salt, pepper, and oil. The oil will help the crust brown. Beat together the eggs and water, the mixture should be fluid. Lightly dust the chicken with flour, then dip in the egg mixture. Gently coat in the bread crumbs. Carefully transfer the roulades to a baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until browned and cooked through. Cut into pinwheels before serving.

Original link:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/chicken-cordon-bleu-recipe.html