Skillet Chicken Cordon Bleu | The Recipe Critic

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Skillet chicken cordon bleu is one of those recipes my whole family loves. You can’t beat the creamy sauce, crispy chicken, and smokey ham, all covered in melty Swiss cheese.

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

Crispy Chicken: This cooking method in a skillet will give you a delicious crispy chicken exterior that perfectly complements the ham and cheese.
Crowd-Pleaser: Everyone loves chicken cordon bleu, and this version will not disappoint!
Versatile: This dish is perfect for special occasions or busy weeknights. It goes well with my wedge salad, mashed potatoes, and creme brûlée for dessert.

Ingredients for Skillet Chicken Cordon Bleu

This simple recipe needs simple ingredients. The final result is anything but simple. The rich, creamy sauce and the crispy chicken are just so flavorful and delicious. For exact measurements, scroll to the bottom of the post.

Chicken

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: Great protein for absorbing flavor that complements the ham and cheese.
Egg: Binds the breading to the chicken for that perfect crisp coating.
Milk: Keeps the egg mixture smooth to help get an even breadcrumb coating.
Panko Breadcrumbs: Keeps the crust light and crunchy.
All Purpose Flour: Adds a soft layer that allows the breadcrumbs to adhere to the chicken and become the perfect crust.
Salt and Pepper: Enhances the flavors.
Garlic and Onion Powder: Adds a savory flavor that goes well with the chicken, ham, and Swiss.
Olive Oil: Allows you to crisp up the chicken by frying it in the skillet.
Deli Ham: Gives the dish a nice salty, meaty texture that goes well with the cheese.
Swiss Cheese: The perfect nutty, creamy, melty cheese to top your chicken.

Sauce

Unsalted Butter: Provides a rich, creamy base for the sauce.
All Purpose Flour: Combines with the butter to form a roux, which will thicken the sauce.
Chicken Broth: Adds flavor and makes the sauce the perfect texture.
Heavy Cream: Makes the sauce super creamy and delicious!
Dijon Mustard: Gives the sauce a nice tangy sharpness that cuts through the creamy sauce.
Thyme: This herb is the perfect balance to all the salty, creamy flavors in the dish.
Salt and Pepper: Always salt and pepper to enhance all the flavors!

How to Make Skillet Chicken Cordon Bleu

Don’t let these ingredient lists and instructions intimidate you. In fact, I’ll walk you through step by step what you need to do and look for. If you have any questions, check out my tips section below.

Tenderize: Prepare the chicken. Using a meat tenderizer, pound the chicken breasts until they are uniformly about ½ inch thick.
Whisk: In a bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Meanwhile, in a separate large bowl, whisk together the breadcrumbs, flour, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.
Coat: Dip each prepared breast in the egg mixture first, allowing any excess to drip off, then coat in the flour mixture, then set the breaded breasts aside.
Cook: Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place 2 chicken breasts into the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until the chicken is cooked through. Repeat with the remaining two tablespoons of oil and battered breasts.
Create Paste: Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet, then melt the butter in the skillet and whisk the flour into the butter, creating a paste.
Whisk Continually: Slowly add the chicken broth and heavy cream, whisking continually to keep the sauce from breaking. (*See tips section)
Combine: Once the cream and broth are incorporated completely and you have a smooth gravy, add in the Dijon mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine and reduce the heat to low.
Melt Cheese: Add the chicken back to the skillet in the sauce, then place one slice of ham and one slice of cheese on each chicken breast. Cover the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove from heat and serve.

Overhead shot of chicken breasts on a cutting board with meat tenderizer next to them.

Angle shot of two glass bowl next to each other. One has breadcrumbs flour and seasoning, while the other has the milk and eggs whisked together.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Tips and Variations

Check out my tips below to ensure your chicken and sauce are perfect. You can change up a few things, but make sure you are following the instructions to get it just right.

*When Making the Sauce: When adding the liquid to the butter and flour paste, I slowly add about ¼ cup at a time, whisking continually until that amount of liquid has been incorporated. Then, I add another ¼ cup until it is all mixed in. Adding liquid in too quickly will break the sauce, which means the paste won’t combine with the liquid.
Batches: If your skillet is large enough to fry all four chicken breasts, you can do that in one step. I like to do it in 2 batches to ensure each breast is evenly cooked.
Breadcrumbs: You can use regular or Italian breadcrumbs instead of the panko.
Cheese: Typically, swiss cheese is used for chicken cordon bleu, but you can use another creamy cheese that melts well, like gouda or provolone

Close up shot of the skillet chicken cordon bleu.

Storing Leftovers

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this dish, but if you want to freeze it, don’t put the chicken in the gravy. Instead, bread and cook the chicken and freeze it separately from the sauce, cheese, and ham. Heat and assemble everything together when you’re ready.

Side shot of plated chicken cordon blue cut in half with a fork sticking out of a bite.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipes

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Prepare the chicken. Using a meat tenderizer, pound the chicken breasts until they are uniformly about ½ inch thick.
In a bowl, whisk together the egg and milk; in a separate large bowl, whisk together the breadcrumbs, flour, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.
Dip each prepared breast first in the egg mixture, allowing any excess to drip off, then coat in the flour mixture. Set the breaded breasts aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place 2 chicken breasts into the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until the chicken is cooked through. Repeat with the remaining two tablespoons of oil and battered breasts.
Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet. Melt the butter in the skillet and whisk the flour into the butter, creating a paste.
Slowly add in the chicken broth and heavy cream, whisking continually to keep the sauce from breaking.
Once the cream and broth are incorporated completely and you have a smooth gravy, add in the Dijon mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine, then reduce the heat to low.
Add the chicken back to the skillet in the sauce, and place one slice of ham and one slice of cheese on each chicken breast.
Cover the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove from heat and serve.

When adding the liquid to the butter and flour paste, I slowly add about ½ cup at a time, whisking continually until that amount of liquid has been incorporated. Adding liquid in too quickly will break the sauce, which means the paste won’t combine with the liquid.
If your skillet is large enough to fry all four chicken breasts at once, you can do that in one step. I like to do it in 2 batches so I can be sure each breast is evenly cooked.

Calories: 759kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 43gFat: 51gSaturated Fat: 22gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 214mgSodium: 1823mgPotassium: 672mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1082IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 249mgIron: 3mg