kitchenelf
Chef Extraordinaire
Chicken Cordon Bleu
A Classic French Dish - Serves 6
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (About 2 pounds)
1/4 pound thinly sliced ham (6 pieces)
6 thin slices of swiss cheese
1-1/2 cups dry breadcrumbs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 eggs
1 Tbls water
1/2 cup flour
2 Tbls olive oil
2 Tbls butter
Place one chicken breast at a time between two sheets of wax paper and gently pound with a mallet untill about 1/4 inch thick.
Place one slice of ham and one slice of cheese on the chicken breast more in the middle. Roll up jelly roll fashion - rolling the longer end rather than the shorter end, which would make the chicken roll larger and in turn making it harder to cook the middle of the chicken.
Combine the bread crumbs, salt and pepper in a bowl.
In a second bowl mix the eggs and water together.
In a third bowl place the flour.
Take your rolled chicken breast and dip it into the flour, then the egg mixture then roll it in the bread crumbs.
Repeat the procedure with the 5 remaining chicken breasts.
Heat your oil and butter in a large (cast iron if possible) skillet over a medium burner.
Add chicken and cook for about 15 minutes turning every 3 minutes or so to prevent burning. When you place the chicken in the pan curve it slightly into a "smile". It will fit the place nicely like this and if you decide to slice before putting on the plate wait about 5 minutes so cheese doesn't run out. The slices can then be fanned out and shaped like the smile also.
When you remove the roll from the pan place on a folded tea towel to drain the oil or just pat dry the oil from the breasts and serve piping hot.
OK - MY NOTES AFTER COOKING - This was VERY good but next time I will pound out much, much thinner (I never made to 1/4" like the recipe called for) and I will put 2 or 3 slices of ham and 2 or 3 slices of cheese on each piece. Probably 2. I salted and peppered the breadcrumbs really, really well and didn't even salt the chicken breast before I loaded everthing on and it was perfect. I kept the cheese towards the middle more and away from the edges. Some started to seep out but didn't completely. I kept the skillet at a saute temperature never reducing it and kept turning to all sides. 4 natural sides developed as I turned the pieces with tongs. I didn't make any kind of sauce this time and probably won't - I felt like it was rich enough the way it was. I will definately make again.
A Classic French Dish - Serves 6
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (About 2 pounds)
1/4 pound thinly sliced ham (6 pieces)
6 thin slices of swiss cheese
1-1/2 cups dry breadcrumbs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 eggs
1 Tbls water
1/2 cup flour
2 Tbls olive oil
2 Tbls butter
Place one chicken breast at a time between two sheets of wax paper and gently pound with a mallet untill about 1/4 inch thick.
Place one slice of ham and one slice of cheese on the chicken breast more in the middle. Roll up jelly roll fashion - rolling the longer end rather than the shorter end, which would make the chicken roll larger and in turn making it harder to cook the middle of the chicken.
Combine the bread crumbs, salt and pepper in a bowl.
In a second bowl mix the eggs and water together.
In a third bowl place the flour.
Take your rolled chicken breast and dip it into the flour, then the egg mixture then roll it in the bread crumbs.
Repeat the procedure with the 5 remaining chicken breasts.
Heat your oil and butter in a large (cast iron if possible) skillet over a medium burner.
Add chicken and cook for about 15 minutes turning every 3 minutes or so to prevent burning. When you place the chicken in the pan curve it slightly into a "smile". It will fit the place nicely like this and if you decide to slice before putting on the plate wait about 5 minutes so cheese doesn't run out. The slices can then be fanned out and shaped like the smile also.
When you remove the roll from the pan place on a folded tea towel to drain the oil or just pat dry the oil from the breasts and serve piping hot.
OK - MY NOTES AFTER COOKING - This was VERY good but next time I will pound out much, much thinner (I never made to 1/4" like the recipe called for) and I will put 2 or 3 slices of ham and 2 or 3 slices of cheese on each piece. Probably 2. I salted and peppered the breadcrumbs really, really well and didn't even salt the chicken breast before I loaded everthing on and it was perfect. I kept the cheese towards the middle more and away from the edges. Some started to seep out but didn't completely. I kept the skillet at a saute temperature never reducing it and kept turning to all sides. 4 natural sides developed as I turned the pieces with tongs. I didn't make any kind of sauce this time and probably won't - I felt like it was rich enough the way it was. I will definately make again.