Portions: 4 servings Calories: 1103kcal |
Chicken cordon bleu, the famous French "Blue Ribbon" breast chicken rolls stuffed with slices of ham and swiss cheese, coated with crispy golden panko breadcrumbs, is one of the most popular ways to serve chicken breasts. And now you can try a more effortless, non-fried air fryer cordon blue chicken that will pleasantly surprise you.
By - Revised . Original Aug 22, 2004.
Oven or Air Fryer Cordon Bleu Chicken [Video+Recipe].
Why we ❤️ it
- This easy recipe for a lighter cordon bleu chicken breast made in the air fryer or oven will impress you with how simple it is to prepare.
- Cordon bleu chicken is a classic, known worldwide, and this simple recipe without frying will still impress your family.
Oven or Air Fryer Cordon Bleu Chicken [Video+Recipe]
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Utensils and tools
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoon pepper, (freshly-cracked, or ground), (or more, to taste)
- 16 slices pancetta
- 8 slices Emmental cheese
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 2 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 cups breadcrumbs, or homemade breadcrumbs (our recipe)
- 2 eggs, (medium), whisked
- oil spray, (for greasing)
Video
Preparation
1. Preheat oven
Preheat oven to 400 ºF [200 ºC].
2. Flatten chicken
- Butterfly the chicken breasts. Place a breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet until thin. This will break the muscle fibers and tenderize the meat.Repeat with the rest.
3. Make rolls
- Season each breast with salt and pepper. Place two slices of pancetta on the breast, followed by a slice of cheese, then ⅓ cup of spinach.Fold the breast and secure it with a toothpick. Repeat with the rest.
4. Breading
- Mix the garlic with the breadcrumbs. Dredge the breasts with the whisked eggs, followed by the breadcrumb mixture.Place the breasts on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and spray with the oil. If you will use the air fryer, place them in the air fryer basket with as much separation between them as possible.
5. Cooking
- Cook in the oven or air fry for 20-30 minutes or until the rolls turn golden and are cooked through (the internal temperature measured with an instant-read thermometer is 165ºF[74ºF]).
6. Serving
- Remove from the oven or air fryer and serve.
Top tips
- Pancetta: Using pancetta or bacon, which contain more fat, will result in more moist and flavorful chicken breasts, but you can go with the classic choice: slices of deli York ham.
- Gluten free version: If you are looking for a wheat flour-free, gluten-free choice, try your preferred panko substitute. In my case, I would use grated parmesan cheese for this purpose.
- Garlic powder: You can use garlic powder instead of onion powder or a combination of both.
- Storing leftovers: If you have any leftover chicken cordon bleu, store the leftovers in the refrigerator, you can use slices in some quick sandwiches.
You can freeze the rolled up chicken, and thaw overnight in the fridge. Dredge in egg and coat with panko right before cooking them. - Reheating: Wrap the chicken cordon bleu rolls in aluminum foil and heat in the air fryer or oven for about 10 minutes.
Serving suggestions
My favorite side dishes to go with chicken cordon bleu are sauteed or steamed vegetables (like carrots and potatoes), mashed potatoes, oven-fried potato fries, or this air fryer broccolini recipe.
I have shared a recipe for a sauce for cordon bleu chicken, so you may want to pair it with this dish. Another option that I enjoy is this roasted red pepper sauce.
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
This is one of the very few dishes with cheese that I eat. I fell in love with this meat dish way back, I was probably six. For me, my brother in law makes the best cordon bleu. Thinking about it, I have to convince him to give me his… Read more »
Thank you for always having these wonderful recipes! It was everything I hoped for.