Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu
This baked chicken cordon bleu recipe is an easy, no-fuss version of the classic French dish. Made with juicy, perfectly-cooked chicken stuffed with ham and swiss cheese, this 40-minute dinner is sure to be a hit with the whole family.
What makes this recipe so easy? I don’t use a meat mallet to pound the chicken.
That means, you needn’t flatten the chicken just so you can roll the ham and cheese in it. So, what is different with this recipe over others? I fold the chicken over the filling and instead of deep frying the breaded chicken cordon bleu like most recipes require, I bake it to perfection and drizzle it with a delicious mustard sauce.
I find this cordon bleu more satisfying than the rolled kind because the chicken is meatier and has more substance. It definitely is a family favorite.
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Helpful tips
- I like using boneless chicken thighs instead of chicken breast meat. But you can use it if you prefer.
- There are many different sliced hams out there but I prefer to use Black Forest ham in this recipe.
- Swiss cheese is perfect in this recipe but I’ve also made it with muenster and with provolone.
- I prefer and recommend thigh meat over breast meat because it is more moist. I recommend you buy boneless and skinless.
- Trim off as much of the excess fat from the chicken.
- Take out ahead of time as many toothpicks as you think you’ll need and place them on a little plate. That way you aren’t contaminating the box.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Boneless and skinless chicken thighs – they are more moist than breast meat, but you can use that if you prefer.
- Black forest ham – nitrate free and organic if you can get it. I prefer this ham because it’s not overly sweet. But you can use any deli ham you prefer.
- Swiss cheese – sliced. You can use any milder cheese if you prefer. I’ve also made this with muenster and provolone and they are all delicious.
- Salt
- Pepper
- Panko breadcrumbs – I like how chunky Panko crumbs are but you can use regular bread crumbs if you prefer.
- Flour – for the chicken and for thickening the mustard sauce.
- Parmesan cheese – grated. You will use this in the mustard sauce too.
- Egg
- Thyme – dried. I also have used tarragon which goes nicely with chicken.
- Butter – I prefer butter because I trust the ingredients, but if you prefer to use margarine, have at it.
- Mustard – dijon. You could use other types of mustard but don’t use one that is overly sweet.
- Milk – I use almond milk since hubby can’t consume cow’s milk. Use what you like.
- Worcestershire sauce – Gives it a nice flavor kick, but you can omit if you like.
Mustard sauce tips
- Don’t let the butter brown when starting the mustard sauce.
- When you are whisking in the flour, make sure to cook it for 2 minutes.
- When you add the rest of the ingredients, whisk until the sauce is thickened.
How to make baked chicken cordon bleu
Pre-step
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and get your baking dish.
Step one
Gather the ingredients – ham, Swiss cheese, boneless chicken thighs, salt, pepper and as many toothpicks as pieces of chicken. (A)
Step two
Trim chicken thighs and lay them on the plate, inside facing up. Salt and pepper them. (A)
Step three
Either cut or rip each ham slice in half and lay each half on the chicken. (B) I did it both ways so you could see what it would look like.
Step four
Cut the cheese in half and lay both pieces on the ham. (C)
Step five
Fold the chicken in half and secure with a toothpick.
Step six
Gather the eggs and breadcrumb mixture – panko, parmesan cheese, flour, dried thyme, salt and pepper. (D)
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Step seven
Combine the crumbs, flour, cheese and thyme in one shallow bowl and whisk the eggs in another.
Step eight
Dribble olive oil in the bottom of a baking dish, then dip each chicken thigh first in the egg, then the crumb mixture and place each thigh in the dish. (E)
Step nine
Bake for 35 minutes. (F)
Step ten
As the chicken is baking, gather the ingredients for the mustard sauce – butter, flour, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and almond milk. (G)
Step eleven
Melt butter in a small sauce pan on low to medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add milk, parmesan cheese, mustard and Worcestershire sauce and whisk until creamy. (H)
Step twelve
Plate the chicken cordon bleu and either eat it plain. (I)
Or with sauce. (J)
I plate it with a baked potato, vegetable or a side dish like rice.
I choose sauce.
Yum, it is so good!
I hope you enjoyed this baked chicken cordon bleu recipe.
Other popular chicken recipes
And as always, may all your dishes be delish!
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Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs (organic, boneless and skinless)
- 4 pieces ham (cut in half)
- 8 pieces Swiss cheese (cut in half, though a full piece will go on the chicken)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/16 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Coating
- 1 egg (or 2 eggs)
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/8 cup flour
- 1/8 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Dijon Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
- 1 cup almond milk or milk of choice
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Extras
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Lay chicken thighs on a plate with the inside facing and sprinkle with salt and pepper.8 chicken thighs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/16 teaspoon black pepper
- Lay half a piece of ham on each piece of chicken.4 pieces ham
- Lay two pieces (so a full piece) of Swiss cheese on the ham.8 pieces Swiss cheese
- Fold the chicken in half and stick a toothpick in each piece of chicken, securing it.toothpicks
- Dribble some olive oil in a medium baking dish, set aside1 tablespoon olive oil
Coating
- Get two shallow bowls and crack an egg in one and whisk it until combined.1 egg
- Also place the bread crumbs, flour, parmesan cheese and thyme in the other bowl and mix it until combined1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1/8 cup flour, 1/8 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- Dip each piece of chicken in the egg first and then in the bread crumb mixture and place in the baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes.
- Remove toothpicks from each piece before serving.
Dijon Sauce
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter and melt it. Add the flour and whisk it until combined, and cook for 2 minutes.2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour
- Add the milk, parmesan cheese, mustard and Worcestershire sauce and whisk until creamy, taste and adjust to your liking.2 tablespoons grated parmesan, 1 cup almond milk, 2 tablespoons dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- Plate chicken and pour dijon sauce over it.
- Eat, smile, and enjoy
Equipment
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Helpful tips
- Set out the toothpicks you’ll need ahead of time and place them on a small plate. It keeps things tidy and avoids digging into the box with raw chicken hands.
- This recipe works with either chicken thighs or chicken breasts. I prefer boneless, skinless thighs because they stay juicier, but breasts are a fine substitute if that’s what you have.
- When it comes to ham, any good-quality sliced ham will work. Black Forest ham is my favorite for its deeper, slightly smoky flavor.
- Swiss cheese is classic in chicken cordon bleu, though Muenster or provolone make excellent alternatives if you want to switch things up.
- If you’re using thighs, look for boneless and skinless pieces and trim away any excess fat before assembling the dish.
Mustard sauce tips
- Don’t let the butter brown when starting the mustard sauce.
- When you are whisking in the flour, make sure to cook it for 2 minutes.
- When you add the remaining ingredients, whisk until the sauce thickens.
Nutrition
First published in November of 2106.
Great recipe and post! Thanks. 🙂
Thanks Christopher!
🙂
I forgot about it being raw, my memory is the twigs of rosemary all over it. Or was that another dining experience of ours, because I seem to remember it being in a dimly lit restaurant in Maine. I still have to take a deep breath before eating anything with rosemary in it, it was so overpowering.
I’m glad you’ve recovered from the experience. I love Chicken Cordon Bleu and look forward to trying this.
Dev,
I know. Glurg. Yup. Raw. So gross.
I love that you didn’t deep fry this and it was super easy to make!!
Thank you Joyce! I appreciate it.
This looks perfect! Love that I don’t need white wine in the sauce. I have everything in the house! Going to make this tomorrow. BTW You forgot to mention egg in the ingredients list.
Thanks, Irena. I hope you enjoy it when you try it. And thanks for pointing out that I didn’t mention the egg. I fixed the recipe and the recipe card. No matter how much I read the post as I’m writing it, and then having my husband edit it, we miss things and I’m always thankful when someone tells me.
1/4 dried thyme? Did you mean 1/4 teaspoon of tried thyme?
Sorry for the confusion Kazy. Yes, it’s 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme! I’ll change the recipe card, thank you for pointing that out!
Love that this is so easy to make and that it was delicious! It makes for a great dinner on a busy weeknight!
Thanks so much Taylor. I love the ease of this recipe too!
I love how comforting this dinner was, perfect for this time of year!
Thank you Amy. It’s a fabulous dinner!
OH I love your no-fuss approach to chicken cordon bleu! This made it way more attractive for me to try. I have a little one right now and every minute I can take off dinner prep time is a major win! Thanks!
Thanks! I don’t have kiddos but I’m all for no fuss with cooking! Thank you for the comment Marie-Charlotte!
If you were to ask me what was my favorite chicken recipe, cordon blue would be one of my top picks, that’s for sure. This recipe is excellent and absolutely delicious. And great tip on thigh meat – thank you!
Thank you Danielle! It’s one of my favorites, the second being saltimbocca. 🙂
I love that this is not deep fried, it was perfect! That mustard sauce was incredible to top it off with!
Thanks so much Denise. I appreciate it.
I love that this chicken cordon bleu is not fried and that you used thighs. This meal was enjoyed by the whole family and I’m sure they’ll be asking me to make time and time again.
Thank you Kelly! Yes, all of my siblings and their kids now make this dish. It’s so easy.
It’s been too long since I’ve had chicken cordon bleu. This was delicious and I love that cheese oozing out! Yum!
Thank you Tammy. The cheese is one of my favorite things about this dish. That and the mustard sauce!
I love how you prepared it. So much easier baking the chicken cordon bleu. This is one recipe I’m making tomorrow night. I loved the original cordon bleu but it seemed a bit fussy for me. Once I saw how easy this is to make I knew that it was a winner.
Thanks Marisa! I actually prefer chicken cordon bleu made this way instead of it being fried. 🙂 I hope you enjoy it when you try it.
Chicken cordon bleu came out great but was still a little rae after 35 minutes. Had to put it on for a little longer.
Thanks for your comment Kevin. I’m curious if the thighs you used were extra big. But that’s good to know.
Easy and delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Jennifer! Thank you for taking the time to let me know!
I absolutely love how you repeat the ingredients after the steps. Made it so much easier for me to cook without scrolling up and down to see the ingredient list. Especially since in was covered in chicken juices lol. Thank you!!
Thanks so much, Andraya! It’s a great addition to the recipe card. So, I’ll thank the developer for you!! I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe and let me know by returning to the site! I appreciate you!
This was FANTASTIC!! My husband loved it as well and said it was like eating at a restaurant 🙂 I was looking for an alternate Cordon Bleu recipe that used thighs instead of breasts and I found your recipe. So simple to assemble (folding the thigh instead of trying to wrap a breast into a ball). The sauce was incredible and so easy to put together while the chicken cooked. My sauce was done well in advance and kept warm on the stove without issue. One thing that slowed me down was that I still had 3 pieces of chicken left when the coating ran out. I would recommend increasing the coating ingredients by about 1/3. I also put the toothpick in after I dipped the chicken in the coating so that I could get a good coat. This is a keeper!
Yay, Jeannine! I’m so glad you liked it. I make this regurally and we enjoy it every time! Thanks for taking the time to come back and rate it!! 🙂 You made my day!
So good! This will definitely go on the make again soon list.
I had some chicken thighs that I had already trimmed and cut in half so this recipe was perfect. I just stacked it up.
I used Canadian bacon instead of ham and Italian bread crumbs instead of Panko because I already had those ingredients and I cooked it in my air fryer. (360 for about 35 minutes I believe, I used a thermometer and cooked to 165 degrees.)
The sauce was a perfect compliment.
I served it with a blue cheese wedge salad with red onion and bacon because it was quick. It went really well together.
I’m so happy to hear that, Megan. I also appreciate it that you came back to tell me and rate the recipe. And thanks for the air fryer directions. Next time I make it, I’ll be doing it your way!
Looks delicious and I’m going to try it tonight. How can I resist a recipe from the future, lol? (Notation says this was first published in 2106) 😁
Haha, Carol!! Yeah, I made it for the blog for the first time in 2016, and have since remade it with different photos. 🙂 I hope you enjoy it. It’s a fan favorite!