Chicken Cordon Bleu
Description
The preparation of Chicken Cordon Bleu is much simpler than it might seem at first glance, and it cooks far faster than you might imagine. So if you're looking for a simple and quick dish with an exquisite taste, this recipe is perfect for you! "Cordon Bleu" translates from French as "blue ribbon." There are several theories about the origin of the name. Some sources claim that one of Louis XV's cooks was awarded the Order of the Blue Ribbon, which later humorously came to be given to outstanding dishes and chefs. Others say the dish's creator was inspired by the blue ribbons in the hair of playing girls. Perhaps the cutlet was tied with a blue ribbon before breading. To prepare Cordon Bleu, pork, veal, or chicken breasts are used. In the original recipe, a pocket is cut into the meat, then filled with a slice of cheese and ham, secured with toothpicks, coated in breadcrumbs, and fried in clarified butter.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
1. Place several tablespoons of grated cheese onto the ham slices.
- 2
Step 2
2. Wrap the cheese in ham. You can place two ham-wrapped cheese slices into each chicken pocket, in which case you'll need 12 ham slices instead of 6.
- 3
Step 3
3. With a sharp knife, cut a pocket in each half of the chicken breast.
- 4
Step 4
4. Salt and pepper the slit chicken breast. Insert a roll of ham with cheese into the pocket. If the pocket is large, place two slices of ham with cheese inside.
- 5
Step 5
5. Stuffed chicken breasts can be secured with toothpicks, or you can place them in the freezer for 15–20 minutes. Prepare two wide plates—one with flour and the other with breadcrumbs. Roll the stuffed breasts in flour.
- 6
Step 6
6. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with mustard using a whisk or fork. After coating the chicken breast in flour, dip it into the egg-mustard mixture.
- 7
Step 7
7. Then press the chicken breast into the breadcrumbs. Roll it in them on all sides, gently pressing with your fingers. Then place the breaded chicken breasts back into the freezer for about 7 minutes. We do this to avoid using skewers or toothpicks.
- 8
Step 8
8. Place the breaded chicken breasts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the Chicken Cordon Bleu on the lower rack of a preheated oven at 230 degrees Celsius (450°F) for 10-15 minutes. Then move the baking sheet to the center of the oven, reduce the temperature to 200 degrees Celsius (400°F), and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes. If using a meat thermometer, the internal temperature of the cooked Chicken Cordon Bleu should be around 70 degrees Celsius (160°F).