Cordon Bleu Recipe

Prepare chicken

Trim any fat from the chicken breasts. Place one breast between two sheets of plastic wrap or in a large zip-top bag and gently pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Repeat with remaining breasts.

Season

Lightly season both sides of each pounded breast with salt and black pepper.

Layer ham and cheese

On each flattened breast, place 2 slices of ham (trim to fit if necessary) and 1 slice of Swiss cheese on top of the ham, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Do not overhang the edges.

Roll and secure

Starting from a short end, tightly roll each breast to enclose the ham and cheese. Secure seams and ends with 2 toothpicks each so rolls hold their shape while cooking.

Set up dredging station

Place the flour in a shallow dish. In a second shallow bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk until smooth. In a third shallow dish, combine the breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan (if using), paprika and garlic powder, stirring to mix.

Coat the rolls

Working with one roll at a time: dredge the roll lightly in flour, shaking off excess. Dip into the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off, then press into the breadcrumb mixture until evenly coated. For a thicker crust, repeat the egg then breadcrumb step once more.

Pan-sear

Preheat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter. When the butter is foaming and oil is shimmering, place the breaded rolls seam-side down in the skillet (do not overcrowd; cook in two batches if needed). Sear until golden brown on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per side, turning gently with tongs.

Bake through

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) while searing. Once rolls are evenly browned, transfer the skillet (or transfer rolls to a baking sheet) to the oven. Bake until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C), about 15–20 minutes depending on size. If you used a thermometer, insert it into the center of a roll avoiding touching the cheese.

Rest and finish

Remove the toothpicks and let the cordon bleu rest 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute and cheese to set slightly. Optionally squeeze a little lemon over each roll before serving.