Delicious Chicken Cordon Bleu Swiss Cheese

Turn basic chicken breasts into a fancy dinner with this Swiss cheese sauce chicken cordon bleu. Your guests won't believe you made it at home! The mix of juicy chicken, tasty turkey, and smooth Swiss cheese gives you comfort food that feels like fine dining.

I whipped this up for my anniversary when our restaurant plans fell apart. What started as Plan B has turned into our go-to special meal. My partner now asks for my version instead of going out to eat!

What You'll Need

• Chicken Breasts: 4 boneless skinless ones that make up the base of our meal. Try to grab ones that are about 6 ounces each so they cook evenly
• Turkey Slices: 8 from the deli counter that add protein with less fat than ham. Get the good stuff without extra water for better taste
• Swiss Cheese: 4 slices that bring that nutty flavor everyone loves. Real Emmental is awesome but any Swiss works fine
• Breadcrumbs: 1 cup with panko being your best bet for that amazing crunch. Those bigger crumbs make a thicker, crispier coating
• Eggs: 2 large that stick everything together. Let them warm up a bit for smoother coating
• Flour: 1 cup that helps everything else stick to the chicken. Swap for rice flour if you need gluten free
• Milk: 1/2 cup that makes both the egg mix and sauce richer. Whole milk tastes best but 2% can work too
• Butter: 4 tablespoons that add flavor to cooking and sauce. The fancy European kind makes everything taste better
• Garlic Powder: 1 teaspoon that gives a nice background flavor to the coating. Newer stuff packs more punch than old
• Salt and Pepper: enough to make everything pop. Go with kosher salt for easier seasoning

How To Make It

Heat Your Oven:

Get it going at 375°F before you start with the chicken. This temp cooks the meat through without drying it out and gives you that nice golden coating.

Thin Out The Chicken:

Sandwich each breast between plastic and gently hammer to 1/2 inch thick. Work slowly from middle to edges with even taps. Making them all the same thickness helps with cooking and rolling.

Put It All Together:

Put two turkey slices and one cheese slice on each chicken breast and roll them up tight. The tighter your roll, the prettier it'll look when done. Stick in toothpicks or tie with string just don't forget to count them for removal later.

Set Up For Breading:

Arrange three shallow bowls with flour, beaten eggs, and seasoned breadcrumbs. Keep one hand dry and one wet while working so you don't end up with goopy fingers.

Coat The Chicken:

Roll each bundle in flour first, then egg mix, then breadcrumbs. Press the crumbs on gently so they stick well. If you've got time, do the egg and crumbs twice for extra crunch.

Brown In A Pan:

Melt some butter in a big skillet over medium heat and cook the chicken rolls for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Look for a nice golden brown that means good flavor is developing. This step locks in the juices before baking.

Bake Until Done:

Move them to a baking dish and cook for 20-25 minutes until they hit 165°F inside. Check the thickest part with a meat thermometer to make sure they're safe but not overcooked and dry.

Make Your Sauce:

Melt the rest of your butter in a pot, stir in flour, then slowly add milk and Swiss cheese. Keep the heat low and stir all the time to avoid lumps. It's ready when it coats your spoon nicely.

Serve It Up:

Let the chicken sit for 5 minutes before you slice and pour sauce over it. This rest time lets the juices settle back into the meat so every bite stays juicy.

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Don't overlook those breadcrumbs! My grandma showed me that if you quickly toast them in a dry pan before using, they taste way better. One time during a blackout, we ate this by candlelight, and now my family calls it our special occasion dinner.

Prep It Early

You can put these chicken rolls together up to a day before you need to cook them. Just fix them up through the breading part, wrap them tight with plastic, and stick them in the fridge. When you're ready to cook, let them sit out for about 15 minutes to take the chill off before you start cooking. This makes entertaining so much easier since you can do the messy stuff well before anyone shows up. The cheese sauce heats up great too just warm it slowly in a small pot and stir now and then until it's hot.

What To Serve With It

This rich chicken dish goes great with tangy sides that cut through the creaminess. Try it with a lemony arugula salad or some steamed asparagus with fresh lemon squeezed on top. For something starchy, garlic mashed potatoes are perfect they soak up that yummy cheese sauce. If you're pouring wine, go with a crisp, light Chardonnay or a gentle Pinot Noir that won't fight with the Swiss cheese and turkey flavors.

Common Problems Fixed

If your chicken starts coming undone while cooking, you probably didn't stick enough toothpicks in it. Try using more picks at different angles or tie it with kitchen string every inch or so. Some cheese might leak out that's normal, but you can limit it by making sure the chicken completely wraps around the filling. When your breading falls off during cooking, it's usually because the chicken was too wet to start with. Pat it really dry before you begin since moisture makes the coating slide right off.

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Recipe FAQs

→ Can I prepare Chicken Cordon Bleu ahead of time?

You bet! You can put the chicken rolls together up to a day early and keep them in your fridge. Just wait to bread them until you're ready to cook so they stay nice and crunchy. The cheese sauce tastes best when you make it right before eating.

→ What can I serve with Chicken Cordon Bleu?

This chicken dish goes great with roasted asparagus, creamy mashed potatoes, buttery noodles, or a simple green salad. Try to include something starchy and some veggies to balance out the rich chicken and cheese sauce for a complete dinner.

→ How do I know when the chicken is fully cooked?

Your chicken is done when it hits 165°F inside. A meat thermometer works best to check this. Don't have one? Just cut into the thickest part and make sure the juices aren't pink anymore.

→ Can I use ham instead of turkey?

For sure! The original Chicken Cordon Bleu actually calls for ham, not turkey. Just swap in the same amount of thin-sliced ham and everything else stays the same.

→ How do I prevent the cheese from leaking out during baking?

To keep that cheese inside, roll your chicken really tight and stick some toothpicks in it or tie it with kitchen string. Also, make sure you pound the chicken to the same thickness everywhere and pinch the edges closed when you roll it up.

→ Is there a way to make this dish lower in calories?

You can trim down the calories by using low-fat Swiss cheese, skipping the pan frying and just baking it with a quick spray of cooking oil, and making the sauce with skim milk. You can also use fewer breadcrumbs or try crushed almonds instead for fewer carbs.