Chicken Cordon Bleu is a dish that was created in Switzerland in the mid 1900’s. The story of its origin tells of a restaurant in Brig, Switzerland who booked two large parties and didn’t have the meat to cook for both groups. A cook in the kitchen came up with the idea to thinly slice the meat they did have and stuff it with ham and cheese then pan fry the concoction. The dish went over very well and prevented any issues for the over booked restaurant. The owner of the restaurant was so pleased with the cook that he had offered her the “cordon bleu” or blue ribbon, a term given to exceptional cooks. From there the recipe caught on with different types of meat, most commonly veal. Chicken Cordon Bleu didn’t come around until around 1970 in the United States. The dish may seem difficult to make, but is actually quite easy. Let’s dive right in.
Ingredients
- 4 medium chicken breasts
- 8 slices swiss cheese (sliced thin)
- 8 slices ham (sliced thin)
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 5 whole eggs
- 2 cups seasoned bread crumbs, or panko
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- salt and pepper to taste
The first step in this traditional dish is to pound your chicken breasts out into a thin layer. To do this you will need to use a mallet or heavy pan. You will want to put a 2 foot piece down on a flat surface. Place one chicken breast in the middle of the right half of the plastic, then fold the plastic over to cover the chicken completely. Lightly pound the chicken until about 1/2 inch thick. Remove and set aside. Repeat with the rest of the chicken. Place a new piece of plastic down and lay out one piece of chicken. Lightly season your chicken with salt and pepper. Layer 2 slices of cheese and 2 slices of ham onto the chicken. Then carefully roll the chicken up, using the plastic to assist in rolling. The plastic will then be rolled around the chicken firmly to help the roll hold its shape. Once you have an even looking, tightly wrapped log, set aside and repeat with the rest of the chicken. Now is a step that many people skip, you need to let the meat rest. Put the logs in the fridge for 20-30 minutes, this will help the meat hold its shape when you bread and fry it. While the meat is resting, you can set up your standard breading station and preheat your oven to 350 F.
Standard breading station will consist of the flour, eggs (whisked), and bread crumbs. You will need a plate to hold each item separately. When the 30 minutes is up, remove one chicken roll from the fridge and take the plastic off. Carefully dredge or roll the chicken in the pile of flour until thoroughly coated. Gently, shake off any excess flour then roll in the eggs. Make sure the chicken is coated then place it in the seasoned bread crumbs. Carefully roll the chicken around until completely coated. Set aside and repeat the breading process with the rest of the chicken. Once done with all the chicken, you can preheat a saute pan over high heat until hot. Add your oil, the pan should be hot enough to make the oil shimmer, not smoke. If your oil is smoking your pan is too hot. Add one or two of the breaded chicken rolls to the shimmering oil and pan fry until golden brown. You will need to turn the chicken until each side is browned evenly. Repeat with all the chicken. For ease of use, and less clean up I chose to use a deep fryer. You can use a preheated deep fryer to do the same thing but be sure to not completely submerge the chicken, if you submerge there is a chance your roll will fall apart. Submerge about 1/2 inch in the oil and turn when golden brown, then continue on with the recipe. When all the chicken is browned, put in the oven for 7-10 minutes depending the size of the chicken. When done you will begin to see the cheese ooze out. Make sure you cook the chicken to 165 F. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes, slice, and enjoy.
Many “fancy” dishes may seem to be too complicated for the typical home chef, most of the time that’s not the case. Your favorite dishes just take a little explanation and some preparation. If you have anything that you would like to see please feel free to reach out in the comments or through social media. Until the next time, enjoy the craft and Ramble On!