This easy variation of a classic entree is sure to impress at a party or quiet dinner at home.
Chicken Cordon Bleu
serves 2-4
2 chicken breasts, with or without skin
3 slices of deli ham, chopped
1/2 cup Swiss cheese, grate. I like Gruyere.
2 Tblsp white wine
1 clove garlic, minced
1 egg
flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
bread-crumbs
butter or oil for frying
wooden skewers or toothpicks
Mix the ham, cheese, garlic and wine. Lay the chicken breast flat, skin side down. With a very sharp knife, cut into the breast to make a pocket. You can do this from the side to make one big space, or make a slit down the middle, then open up smaller pockets to the right and left.
Stuff the pocket with the ham and cheese mixture. Close the pocket with a skewer or toothpicks and refrigerate the stuffed chicken for 30 minutes.
When the chicken is chilled, create a 3-pan “breading station”. The shallow pan or bowl closest to your frying pan will have the crumbs, the middle pan will contain a beaten egg, and the pan farthest away contains the seasoned flour. Sit the chicken next to the flour.
Heat your frying pan to medium-hot and add 2 tablespoons of butter or oil.
To keep your hands from getting breaded as you work, you’ll use the right hand to flour and crumb and the left hand to handle the chicken and dip into the egg wash.
Remove the skewer or toothpicks, and roll the chicken in the flour—use your right hand to dust the flour over the chicken. Next dip the chicken in the egg wash to coat thoroughly, and finally roll the egged chicken in the bread-crumbs. From there it goes straight into the pan. If you are doing a lot of breasts, you might want to sit them aside and add them to the pan at the same time.
Fry the chicken until done, turning frequently, for about 15-20 minutes. If the outside is getting too brown but the inside isn’t cooked through, lower the heat and drop a lid on the pan.
To serve, you can place the chicken on the plate as is, or if you want to share one breast between two people, cut the breast into 1” slices to reveal the ham and cheese inside.
Posted by kuri at September 11, 2003 01:05 PM>With a very sharp knife, cut into the breast to
>make a pocket. You can do this from the side to
>make one big space, or make a slit down the middle
>then open up smaller pockets to the right and
>left.
[other method]
If you use chicken fillets, roll them out with a rollerpin and (after filling) fold them up using egg to ‘glue the ends’. Dip in plain flour, then dip in beaten egg and then dip in (spiced) breadcrumbs. Let rest for half hour in freezer. Then dip again in beaten egg and once again in breadcrumbs. Let rest in fridge.
(two times dipping makes it a bit more crunchier, I have seen people using ‘baking powder’ too. But that’s a different technique).
HTH.
Posted by: Arthur on September 12, 2003 12:30 AMI’m trying to figure out where the minced garlic fits into this recipe
Posted by: on September 15, 2003 05:11 PMIt’s part of the filling: “Mix the ham, cheese, garlic and wine.”
Posted by: Kristen on September 15, 2003 05:21 PMOK, I get the garlic. What about the ham?
Posted by: on September 15, 2003 09:35 PM