Chicken Cordon Bleu is the perfect dinner to use up leftover ham, and with gooey melted cheese it is such a yummy dinner.

What to do with that leftover Christmas Ham? Chicken Cordon Bleu of course! Despite the fancy name (and the renowned cooking school named after this recipe), Chicken Cordon Bleu is a surprisingly easy and simple dinner to put together.
Despite Cordon Bleu meaning "Blue Ribbon", indicating it is a dish for an exceptional cook, I’d actually go so far as saying it’s fool-proof, and the reason I feel qualified to say that, is because I was being a bit of a fool myself when I made this. Trying to make a pocket out of the chicken breast, I sliced through it not once, but twice. I almost gave up and decided I needed to come back another day for this particular recipe. But, despite my poor knifemanship, all was not lost. I simply moulded the chicken around the ham and cheese, covered it with egg and crumb, and I promise, you couldn’t tell the difference! They look and taste perfect (you can see for yourself).
A few things that make this Chicken Cordon Bleu different…
- I added mustard to the egg wash, which will give it a little bit of kick and some lovely flavour. You can skip this if you want for little people.
- We dredge the chicken once only. Instead of dredging in flour then egg wash, I created a thicker egg wash that doesn't need the flour to hold onto the chicken.
- I’ve also used Swiss cheese in this recipe, and that’s because I like the softer taste and its texture when it melts, but you could use whatever cheese you like. If you’re making this after Christmas, use up whatever cheese is leftover after your cheeseboard.
- We bake this Chicken Cordon Bleu instead of frying it. With our crispy panko crumbs this chicken cordon bleu is just as delicious as a fried version, but you have a lot less mess, and it's a lot better for you.
Chicken Cordon Bleu Key Ingredients
- For the egg wash, use Dijon mustard and egg. I do this because Dijon and ham go together so well, but also Dijon adds that extra flavour to the crumb.
- To crumb, use Panko breadcrumbs which are sprayed with olive oil and lightly toasted in the oven while we're preheating it.
- For the stuffing I used leftover Christmas ham (off the bone) with Swiss cheese. Swiss cheese is more forgiving in the oven because it holds its form better when melting and is less oily than other cheeses, but honestly I think this would be delicious with just about any cheese.
- The salad has Lebanese cucumber, mint, radish, avocado and dill, and a simple lemon juice and olive oil dressing.
How do you keep the chicken together around the ham and cheese?
Fold the chicken around the ham and cheese, and then simply place on the baking tray and it will stay in place. If a little cheese escapes, it's not the end of the world (I actually quite like a golden bubble emerging from the chicken), but mine stayed in place on the tray by itself. We're not frying it or placing it in a pan, so there is no reason it should be disturbed on the tray and move.
What's the difference between Chicken Cordon Bleu and Chicken Kiev?
Chicken Cordon Bleu, as you will see below, is made by folding chicken breast around ham and cheese. Chicken Kiev is made by forming a log of herb butter and folding chicken breast around that instead. When you cut into Chicken Kiev a little river of herby butter should pour out. When you cut into Chicken Cordon Bleu you'll get a delicious gooey cheese and ham surprise.
How to make Chicken Cordon Bleu
1. Turn your oven on to 200 C. Add panko breadcrumbs to a baking tray, spray with olive oil, and place in the oven for 3 minutes to brown them. Set aside once done.
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
2. Slice chicken breasts in half through the middle to create a pocket (be careful not to slice all the way through). Don’t worry if it’s not perfect.
- 4 small chicken breasts
3. Roll together a slice of ham and cheese and place in the centre of the chicken breast, then fold over to close the pocket.
- 4 slices ham
- 4 slices swiss cheese
- 4 small chicken breasts
4. Add the golden panko crumbs to one plate. Mix egg and mustard on another (mustard is optional, it will give a little kick). Oil or line the baking tray, ready for the chicken.
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (opt.)
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
5. Dip chicken breasts into egg, coat in panko crumbs and place in the oven for 22 minutes.
TIP: Try to keep one hand clean while doing this - will make it easier to clean up.
6. Pick lettuce leaves. Slice cucumber into moons. Pick mint leaves. Finely slice radish. Slice avocado into eighths. Pick dill fronds.
For kids, serve their portion of cucumber and avocado now. For adults, place everything in a salad bowl or serving dish.
- 1 cos lettuce
- 1 Lebanese cucumber
- ½ bunch mint
- 4 radishes
- 1 avocado
- ⅓ bunch dill
7. Juice lemon and add olive oil, salt and pepper to make a dressing.
- 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
8. For children, slice chicken and serve with avocado and cucumber. For adults, dress salad and serve next to the chicken.
Top tip
Don’t even worry at all if you don’t manage to make perfect cuts in your chicken breast. I certainly didn’t! But the crumb covered it all and they look perfect.
Substitutions
- Alternative proteins - Instead of chicken you could use veal escalopes and roll up the veal, just cook for about 15 minutes.
- Vegetarian - Swap chicken for flat slices of sweet potato (1 cm thick), and skip the ham. Swap egg for mayonnaise.
- Dairy free - Use dairy free parmesan cheese instead of swiss cheese, or swap cheese for sun dried tomato.
- Gluten Free - Swap panko breadcrumbs for almond meal or quinoa flakes.
Kid-Friendly Variations
- Serve slices of cordon bleu with cucumber and avocado.
- Skip the dressing, cos lettuce, radish and dill.
Equipment
You will need an oven, a baking tray.
More Chicken Recipes you might like
- Try our Pollo Al Limone (Lemon Chicken) for a lemony crunchy chicken with serious lemon kick and white beans.
- Or this Stuffed Chicken Breast with Feta and Caramelised Onions for another take on chicken stuffed with cheese.
- Or this Creamy Tuscan Chicken, with sundried tomato creamy sauce.
- Or the most popular recipe on this site, our Chicken Bake with Mint Yogurt and Burnt Paprika Butter which has the best Burnt Butter paprika sauce.
Recipe
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking tray
Ingredients
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Olive oil 2.5 tbsp
- 4 chicken breasts small
- 4 slices ham
- 4 slices swiss cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard opt.
- 1 cos lettuce
- 1 Lebanese cucumber
- ½ bunch mint
- 4 radish
- 1 avocado
- ⅓ bunch dill
- 1 lemon
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Turn your oven on to 200 C. Add panko breadcrumbs to a baking tray, spray with 1 teaspoon olive oil, and place in the oven for 3 minutes to brown them. Set aside once done.1 cup panko breadcrumbs, Olive oil
- Slice chicken breasts in half through the middle to create a pocket (be careful not to slice all the way through). Don’t worry if it’s not perfect.4 chicken breasts
- Roll together a slice of ham and cheese and place in the centre of the chicken breast, then fold over to close the pocket.4 slices ham, 4 slices swiss cheese, 4 chicken breasts
- Add the golden panko crumbs to one plate. Mix egg and mustard on another (mustard is optional, it will give a little kick). Line the baking tray or spray with ½ teaspoon olive oil, ready for the chicken.1 egg, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, Olive oil
- Dip chicken breasts into egg, coat in panko crumbs and place in the oven for 22 minutes.TIP: Try to keep one hand clean while doing this - will make it easier to clean up.
- Pick lettuce leaves. Slice cucumber into moons. Pick mint leaves. Finely slice radish. Slice avocado into eighths. Pick dill fronds.For kids, serve their portion of cucumber and avocado now. For adults, place everything in a salad bowl or serving dish.1 cos lettuce, 1 Lebanese cucumber, ½ bunch mint, 4 radish, 1 avocado, ⅓ bunch dill
- Juice lemon and add 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper to make a dressing.Olive oil, 1 lemon, Salt and pepper
- For children, slice chicken and serve with avocado and cucumber. For adults, dress salad and serve next to the chicken.
Noura
I made this for dinner tonight. It's so easy and delicious, I loved the salad that goes with it.