Chicken Cordon Bleu

I love our Weekend Dinners,

We try to make it as special as we can.

This weekend we decided to do Chicken Cordon Bleu.

I don't think we ever made it before.

Started off with some 

Piña Colada

Made our favorite Buffalo Chicken Wontons

RECIPE HERE

Soooo Good!!

Ingredients

CHICKEN ROLLS

• 4 medium chicken breasts (6-7 oz. each) 
• 8 slices (12 ounces) deli cut Black Forest ham 
• 1 1/4 cups freshly shredded Swiss Gruyere cheese
• toothpicks
• Fresh parsley for garnish if desired

BREADING

• 1 1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 tsp EACH dried parsley, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder
• 1/4 tsp EACH salt, pepper

DIJON WASH

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

DIJON CREAM SAUCE

• 1 cup LOW SODIUM chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup heavy cream (or evaporated milk or half and half mixed with 1 TBS cornstarch)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp EACH dried basil, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder
• 1/4 tsp EACH salt, pepper

Instructions

• Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Top a rimmed baking sheet with a baking rack and lightly spray with cooking spray; set aside.
• Flatten Chicken: Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness of 1/4-inch using the flat side of a meat mallet or side of a can (they will spread out a lot). 
• Layer: Lay 2 slices of ham over each chicken breast. Evenly line a heaping 1/4 cup shredded cheese down the center of the ham, leaving about 1/2-inch border on all sides.
• Roll Chicken: Starting on the smaller end of the chicken, tightly roll up, folding the ham over the cheese on the end (to prevent it from oozing out). Secure with toothpicks.
• Panko Breading: In a large skillet, melt 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter in 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the panko and stir to coat. Continue cooking until the crumbs become golden brown, then immediately transfer to a large shallow dish (like a cake pan or pie plate). Once cool, stir in the Parmesan and breading spices. 
• Dijon Wash: In a separate large shallow dish, whisk together 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons honey, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Working with one chicken roll at a time, add chicken to the Dijon Wash and brush to evenly coat.
• Bread Chicken: Transfer to the breading and press the crumbs into all sides, turning as needed. Transfer to the prepared baking rack, leaving a few inches between each roll. 
• Bake: Bake chicken at 350 degrees F until cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer (this one is my favorite), about 30-35 minutes. Check the chicken the last 10 minutes of baking, and top with foil if necessary to prevent excess browning. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. The last few minutes of baking, make the Dijon Cream Sauce (or make early and reheat)
• Dijon Cream Sauce: Whisk all of the ingredients together in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until thickened. The sauce will be on the thin side, but will thicken once removed from the heat. 
• Serve: Serve the Dijon Cream Sauce over the sliced chicken; garnish with parsley if desired.

Perfect Dinner!!

Let me know what you guys think!

xo