How to cook chicken cordon blue?

Chicken cordon bleu or cordon blue is a popular chicken dish which first appeared in the 1960s. The title can be pronounced in either way, blue or bleu, and is translated from French meaning blue ribbon. To make this easy but delicious recipe, follow the instructions in the guide below.

Chicken cordon bleu

A simple chicken cordon bleu recipe
This simple to make dish should only require ten minutes of preparation and then an additional 35 or 40 minutes to cook. The quantities given are sufficient for four servings. You simply have to adjust accordingly for the number of servings you require. Ingredients
-4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
-Salt and pepper to season
-Flour
-1 egg
-4 slices of cheese
-4 slices of cooked ham
-4oz (110g) breadcrumbs. Equipment required
-Meat tenderiser
-Chopping board and sharp knife
-Wooden toothpicks
-Baking dish Directions for preparation
-Preheat your oven to 175C or 350F. -Place your chicken breasts onto the chopping board and with the knife, butterfly each piece of meat -Using the meat tenderiser, carefully beat the chicken breasts until they are of an even thickness of around ¼ inch or about 6 to 8 mm.
Make an envelope
-Place a slice of ham and cheese inside each chicken breast and fold the top over to form an envelope. -Secure with a toothpick. Flour, egg and breadcrumb
-Season a little flour and roll each piece of chicken until fully coated in flour. -Break an egg into a bowl and combine the white and yolk together. -Place each chicken breast into the egg mixture and coat evenly. -The next stage of this simple procedure is to create a layer of breadcrumbs over the entire surface of the prepared chicken and the egg will help the breadcrumbs to stick. Cooking
-Place the chicken breasts into the baking dish and bake until cooked. -Remove the toothpicks and serve immediately.

Alternatives to this recipe

Tastier addition
The introduction of a little paprika into the flour will provide an extra little flavour to this recipe. White wine sauce
-Another alternative is to brown the breaded chicken on both sides in a skillet in some butter. -Add some white wine and a little chicken bouillon and allow to simmer for 30 minutes over a medium heat. -Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove from the skillet and thicken the sauce with a little cornflour. -Add some whipping cream to complete the sauce and pour it over the chicken when serving.