Foolproof Chicken Cordon Bleu
Ingredients
25 Ritz crackers
4 slices white sandwich bread
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
8 thin slices deli ham
2 cups Swiss cheese, shredded
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup all purpose flour
Instructions
1. Adjust oven racks to lowest and middle positions and heat oven to 450*F. Pulse crackers and bread in food processor until coarsely ground. Drizzle in butter; pulse to incorporate. Bake crumbs on rimmed baking sheet on middle rack, stirring occasionally, until light brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to shallow dish. Leave oven on.
2. Top each ham slice with 1⁄4 cup cheese and roll tightly; set aside. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Cut pocket into thickest part of chicken and stuff each breast with 2 ham and cheese rolls. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Transfer chicken to plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 20 minutes.
3. Beat eggs and mustard in second shallow dish. Place flour in third shallow dish. One at a time, coat stuffed chicken lightly with flour, dip into egg mixture, and dredge in crumbs, pressing to adhere. (Breaded chicken can be refrigerated, covered, for 1 day.) Transfer chicken to clean baking sheet. Bake on lowest rack until bottom of chicken is golden brown, about 10 minutes, and then move baking sheet to middle rack and reduce oven temperature to 400*F. Bake until golden brown and chicken registers 160*F, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Serve.
Comments
This recipe is from the 2010 Cook’s Country Annual and I did not find it foolproof at all. I believe that our chicken breasts must be tiny compared to the ones the test kitchen uses because I was only able to fit 1 bundle of ham and cheese in each breast. I do tend to get the most natural chicken breasts I can and they definitely are smaller than the others the store offers.
The taste was really great, the breasts were tender and juicy, the flavors were lovely. I’m curious to see if I can make this better in the future.
Cook’s Country 2010