Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half (like you’re butterflying, but finish the cut)


• 12 slices deli honey ham


• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs


• 2 tablespoons butter, melted


• 6 slices Swiss or Provolone cheese

Parmesan-Dijon Cream Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons butter


• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour


• 1 cup milk


• ½ cup chicken broth


• ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard {if you like a strong mustard taste, use 1 tablespoon}


• ¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce


• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese


• Parsley, for garnish


• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Coat a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


2. In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs and 2 tablespoons melted butter; set aside.


3. Lay all of the chicken breast halves in a single layer in the bottom of your baking dish – unlike the traditional CCB recipe, there is no second layer of chicken in this dish. Top each breast with two slices of ham and 1 slice of cheese, so that the entire breast is covered. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top of the chicken.


4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (clear juices), the cheese is bubbly and the bread crumbs are golden brown. You may want to broil the chicken for a minute or two to really brown the bread crumbs.


5. While the chicken bakes, melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to form a roux, cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk and chicken broth while whisking constantly, make sure there are no clumps. Whisk constantly until the mixture begins to thicken, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and Parmesan cheese, until the cheese is melted. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Keep the sauce warm.


6. Remove chicken from oven, plate, and top with sauce. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.