Main dishes
Oven-baked chicken cordon bleu
Chicken cordon bleu for 4, filled with ham and cheese, breadcrumb-coated and oven-baked, with a temperature check at the centre.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Cuisine
- European
Ingredients
Chicken and filling
Seasoning
Breading
Oven finish
Method
Flatten the chicken and prepare the work area
Do not wash raw chicken. Butterfly each of the 4 pieces of about 200 g, leaving the halves joined, and place between two sheets of baking paper. Flatten with a mallet or rolling pin to an even 4–5 mm without tearing. Divide the 3 g salt and 0.5 g pepper among the pieces. Keep the board and utensils separate from ready-to-eat food, and clean everything that touches raw chicken.
Fill, roll and close
Place 25 g ham and 25 g cheese on each piece, leaving about 2 cm clear at the edges. Fold in the sides and roll from the short end to enclose the filling. Secure with plain unpainted wooden toothpicks, counting them for removal later. Cover any tear by adjusting the chicken; leave no cheese exposed at the edges.
Bread all four rolls
Set out three dishes containing 60 g flour, 100 g beaten egg and 100 g breadcrumbs. Coat each roll in flour, shake off excess, dip in egg, then press gently into breadcrumbs to cover the surface and seams. Do not pour egg into the breadcrumbs. Discard any leftover coating that has touched raw chicken; do not keep it.
Chill and preheat
Put the breaded rolls on a clean tray, cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes at 4 °C or below to set the coating. Meanwhile preheat a conventional oven, top and bottom heat without fan, to 200 °C. Line another tray with baking paper. Chilling is included in the 80 minutes overall; do not leave rolls waiting on the counter.
Brush with oil and bake
Brush the four rolls with the 30 g oil using a clean brush. Arrange seam-side down at least 3 cm apart. Bake on the middle shelf for about 25–30 minutes, rotating the tray at 15 minutes if browning unevenly. Do not cut a roll to judge doneness; proceed to the temperature check. Loosely cover with foil if the crumbs darken before the centre is ready.
Check the centre with a thermometer
Insert the probe through the side into the centre, through the chicken and beside the filling, without touching the tray. Check every roll in more than one spot: both chicken and centre must reach at least 74 °C. If a roll is cooler, bake for another 3–5 minutes and check again with a clean probe. Melted cheese or a golden crust does not prove safety; cooking may exceed the estimate.
Rest, remove toothpicks and serve
Rest for 5 minutes on a heatproof surface. Remove and count every toothpick before serving. If one is missing, identify the affected piece and do not serve it until found. Serve one roll per person; use a clean knife to reveal the filling if desired. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers at 4 °C or below within 2 hours, or 1 hour if the room exceeds 32 °C. Eat within 2 days; reheat only once to 74 °C at the centre.
The step photos are illustrative.
Notes
Nutrition facts
1 of 4 rolls
- Protein
- 64 g
- Carbohydrates
- 31 g
- Fat
- 26.5 g
- Saturated fat
- 7.9 g
- Fiber
- 1.9 g
- Sugars
- 1.9 g
- Sodium
- 850 mg
Nutrition information estimated from the ingredients (USDA FoodData Central). Brands may vary.
Reference source: USDA FoodData Central — SR Legacy, April 2018 JSON
For general information only; it does not replace advice from a qualified health or nutrition professional.
About this recipe
Thin chicken breasts are rolled around cooked ham and Swiss-style cheese, then breadcrumb-coated and baked with a measured amount of oil. The yield is 4 rolls, one per person: 30 minutes preparation, 15 chilling, about 30 cooking and 5 resting, or 80 minutes overall. Thickness, roll diameter and the oven can increase cooking time. Check safety with a thermometer, rather than the crust colour.
Frequently asked questions
How can I stop the cheese leaking?
Flatten without tearing, leave a 2 cm border, fold in the sides, close firmly and put the seam underneath. Cheese exposed at an edge leaks more easily; 15 minutes of chilling helps the coating set.
Does a golden crust mean the chicken is cooked?
No. Check every roll at several points with a thermometer: chicken and the area beside the filling must reach at least 74 °C. The crumbs can brown before the centre is ready.
Can I prepare the rolls ahead?
This recipe includes only 15 minutes of chilling before baking. Longer storage and freezing the raw rolls are not recommended. Refrigerate cooked leftovers and use within 2 days.
