Gluten-free Chicken Cordon Bleu

Name: Gluten-free Chicken Cordon Bleu
Prep time: 80 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 125 min
Ingredients: 4 Boneless Chicken Breasts; 8-12 Slices Deli Style Ham; 8-12 Slices Swiss Cheese; 2 Large Eggs; 1/2 C Water or Milk; 1 TSP Garlic Powder; 1 TSP Onion Powder; 1 TSP Salt; 1/2 TSP Pepper

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Think this recipe is made only at a restaurant? Think again; you can make Chicken Cordon Bleu at home, it's way easier than you think, and it's totally gluten-free!

Chicken cordon bleu sitting on a plate with fresh mashed potatoes cut open showing the layers of ham and cheese goodness.

Chicken Cordon Bleu is one of my husband's favorite dinners. Not even joking; he usually looks for it first whenever we go out to eat. In fact, we have a ball coming up in a few weeks, and one of the dinner options is Chicken Cordon Bleu, and he plans on getting it that night. I won't because that one won't be gluten-free, but that's okay because I can make it myself, and I know it will be even more delicious.

Easy Stuffed Chicken

Let's be real for a minute because that's what Chicken Cordon Bleu is; it's stuffed chicken that is then breaded before being cooked. But what is it stuffed with? A classic combination of ham and swiss cheese. I mean, who doesn't love ham and swiss cheese together? Stuffed inside some chicken and breaded to perfection is just the bonus in this recipe.

Simple Ingredients

Chicken Cordon Bleu has a simple flavor combination and an even easier list of ingredients to make it.

Chicken Breasts
Deli Style Ham - I use Applegate
Swiss Cheese Slices
Gluten-free Bread Crumbs - I tend to make my own but feel free to use what you like.
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Salt & Pepper
Eggs
Water

Chicken cordon bleu in pieces of ingredients ready to be assembled.

Let's Make Dinner

Making Chicken Cordon Bleu takes a little bit of time and patience, but I promise it's not hard at all.

Gather all your ingredients.
Mix the seasonings into a small bowl and set it aside.
Prepare the breadcrumbs if needed and place them into a shallow dish.
In another shallow dish place the eggs and about a ½ c water (or milk if desired) and whisk until combined and the egg wash is ready.
Place about ¾ of the spice mixture into the breadcrumbs.
Take your chicken breast and place it between pieces of parchment paper. Using the flat side of a meat mallet pound the chicken flat until it is an even thickness. I prefer mine to be about ¼ inch thick for this dish.
Transfer the chicken to a piece of plastic wrap.
Season both sides with some of the spice mix.
Layer the ham slices on top of the chicken.
Then layer the cheese slices on top of the ham.
Carefully (using the plastic wrap to help) fold in the sides of the chicken and then roll it closed creating a chicken log. Wrap the plastic around tight and set them aside to assemble the remaining breasts.
Place the wrapped chicken into the freezer for about an hour.
DO NOT THAW once frozen.
Remove the plastic wrap from the chicken.
Carefully dip the chicken into the egg wash and then into the bread crumbs and set them aside.
In a skillet place a few tablespoons of light cooking oil over medium-high heat and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Place the chicken into the skillet and let it cook about 2-3 minutes per side just until the breading is set.
Transfer the pan-fried chicken to a baking tray with a rack over it and put it into the oven until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Depending on the size of the chicken this can take about 30-45 minutes.
Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes before serving.

Steps for how to make chicken cordon bleu

Tips and Tricks

Breadcrumbs

If you want to keep the breadcrumbs lighter feel free to use something like crushed rice or corn cereal in place of breadcrumbs. You can even use crushed pork rinds if you want to.

Cheese Alternatives

Some people don't like swiss cheese. If you prefer, you can substitute the swiss for something like provolone or even mozzarella. Just know those cheeses are softer and will melt easier, and the cheese might leak out of the chicken more than the swiss would.

Freeze the Chicken

Trust me on this; don't skip this step once they are put together. It's a little thing, but it really does help the chicken hold its shape better when you go to cook it. DO NOT THAW the chicken once it's frozen.

Do you have to pan fry it?

The short answer is no; you don't. I prefer to do a little pan fry before popping them into the oven to get the crust nice and crispy, but it will be just as delicious if you just pop it into the oven.

How to Serve

You can serve chicken cordon bleu however you want, but some of my favorites are simple mashed potatoes and a good vegetable like my lemon and herb asparagus.

Can you make it ahead?

Absolutely you can. In fact, this is one of those dishes that I will prep even days ahead of time because once they are prepped and in the freezer, it's just a few minutes of work to get them into the oven on a busy night. I just stop at the freezing step and bread when I am ready to make them.

Leftovers

If you happen to have leftovers (I usually don't), they are great stored in the fridge for 2-4 days. I tend to pop them into a 375-degree oven to bring them back to life and help the breading crisp up a bit as it tends to soften when stored.