Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu (2024)

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4.78 stars (106 ratings)

Sep 28, 2016179

There’s no reason to fuss over finicky chicken cordon bleu recipes when this easy, casserole-style chicken cordon bleu is just as delicious!

I hope you are one of the 100+ people who have made and loved this easy chicken cordon bleu recipe over the years.

Considering it is still a very strong dinner staple in my house, I wanted to give it a moment in the spotlight. Basically, I want to give you a little encouragement to just make it already, and I think you’ll be happy about that.

Don’t get me wrong, I love classic chicken cordon bleu in all its gloriousness. I really do.

But sometimes I want an easier waywith less work andall the samedeliciousflavor and taste.

Enter chicken cordon bleu the easy way. Or the lazy way. Or the slacker way.

I’m good with any or all of those titles. When easy is this delicious, you don’t care about those kinds of things.

Simply put, you take boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cut them in half lengthwise to make two thinner chicken breast cutlets. You can also just use thin pieces of chicken or pound the chicken thin; I’m telling you, this recipe is not fussy.

The chicken istopped with ham, swiss cheese and bread crumbs and baked to golden, bubbly perfection.

Served with a super simple creamy Parmesan-Dijon sauce, this easier chicken cordon bleu is just as satisfying as the original. And you don’t have to mess with all the fuss of pounding, rolling and toothpicking.

My kids go nuts over this meal, and it is often a Sunday dinner staple since it can be made ahead of time. I’ve included make-ahead details below the recipe.

I’ve even included a little note in the recipe about how I make this even more family-friendly by cubing the chicken and making it a bit more casserole-style.

Perfect for those kids that are too little (or too busy) to eat a whole chicken piece themselves.

So yeah, maybe thisversion isn’t quite as pretty as good ol’classic chicken cordon bleu, but when your hungry husband and five kids are devouringdinner like they haven’t eaten in a year, pretty is the last thing they have on their minds.

There’s a time and place for everything. Right now, this easy chicken cordon bleu fits very nicely into our style of weeknight dinnering.

What To Serve With This:

Roasted Asparagusor steamed peas
Simple Rice Pilaf
orStrawberry Spinach Salad

One Year Ago: Ultimate Stuffed Zucchini
Two Years Ago: Chocolate Cream Cheese Truffles
Three Years Ago: Pumpkin Bars

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 40 minutes mins

Total Time: 55 minutes mins

4.78 stars (106 ratings)

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Ingredients

For the Cordon Bleu:

3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half length-wise (to form two thinner chicken breast cutlets)
Salt and pepper
12 slices deli ham
6-8 slices Swiss cheese
1 cup bread crumbs, I prefer panko in this recipe
2 tablespoons butter, melted

For the Parmesan-Dijon Cream Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules, or 1 bouillon cube, crushed
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray set aside.
Lay the cut chicken breasts in a single layer in the 9X13-inch dish. Lightly sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
Layer each chicken breast with two slices of ham and top with 2 slices of swiss cheese, shingling across the chicken breast to make sure the entire piece of chicken is covered with ham and cheese. Toss the bread crumbs with the melted butter and sprinkle the mixture over the top of the chicken.
Bake the chicken for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through completely, the cheese is bubbling and the bread crumbs are golden.
For the sauce, while the chicken bakes, in a medium saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking quickly to avoid lumps.
Stir in the chicken bouillon granules. Whisk constantly over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, about 3-5 minutes.
Once the sauce has bubbled and thickened, remove from heat and stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Keep the sauce warm until the chicken is finished baking. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed.
Serve each chicken cordon bleu portion with warm sauce.

Notes

Bread Crumbs: my preference for bread crumbs in this recipe are fresh bread crumbs (I save the heels of my bread stashed in the freezer for just a recipe like this when I need to grind up fresh bread crumbs quickly in my blender or food processor) or crunchy Panko breadcrumbs. Both will give the best texture.

For the Chicken: the idea is to have six thinner cutlets of chicken (about 1/2-inch thick) so you can either pound chicken breasts thin or cut thick chicken breasts in half to form two thinner cutlets (like the recipe suggests).

Casserole-Style: I’ve also made this more casserole-style and cubed the chicken. When I do it that way, I also chop the ham but do everything else the same. It helps the meal stretch further, especially with kids who are too little to eat a whole chicken breast piece.

Salt: over the years since this recipe has been posted, I’ve made note of your comments; I’ve omitted the salt from the sauce recipe and indicated in the recipe to add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

Make Ahead Instructions: Assemble the chicken, ham and cheese according to the recipe. Store the prepared bread crumb/butter mixture in a resealable plastic bag or other container. Cover the casserole with plastic wrap and store it and the bread crumb mixture in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours. When ready to bake, sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top and bake according to the recipe, adding anywhere from 5-15 extra minutes since it was refrigerated prior to baking. Make the sauce while the casserole bakes or make it ahead of time, let it cool, and store it covered in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, reheating over low heat and whisking to recombine before serving.

Author: Mel

Serving: 1 Serving, Calories: 464kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 114mg, Sodium: 1225mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g

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posted on September 28, 2016 (last updated March 21, 2024)

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179 comments on “Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu”

Cindy — January 10, 2024 @ 5:24 am Reply
Hi Mel! Made this last night for dinner. It was good, quick and easy but I found the ham flavour overpowered the dish. I used black forest deli ham. Should I have used a different ham?
- Mel — January 10, 2024 @ 10:53 pm Reply
  Hi Cindy, you could try a different brand or use a bit less ham.
Shayna Louk — May 1, 2023 @ 7:35 am Reply
So easy and so delicious! This is definitely a keeper!
Diane — December 30, 2022 @ 10:09 pm Reply
Excellent!! This is going on our short list dinner rotation. Thank you Mel for
Another awesome recipe.
Courtney — June 16, 2022 @ 4:09 pm Reply
One of my favorites!
Brenda Moore — May 27, 2022 @ 1:59 pm Reply
I have made this dish for child we all love it
Matt Downing — May 20, 2022 @ 12:18 pm Reply
I scaled up this recipe a few years ago to feed 100 campers — it was a spectacular hit. Quick note, when you scale up the sauce for 100, the times are way longer for it to thicken. Great recipe!
- Jenn Hoff — January 11, 2023 @ 6:55 pm Reply
  100 campers?!?!?! Holy guacamole, you’re a trooper!
Matt Downing — May 20, 2022 @ 12:17 pm Reply
I scaled up this recipe a few years ago to feed 100 campers — it was a spectacular hit. Quick note, when you scale up the sauce for 100, the times are way longer for it to thicken. Great recipe!
Kim — December 28, 2021 @ 5:54 am Reply
I substituted one tablespoon of cornstarch for the 2 of flour, and used 1 cup chicken broth instead of milk. Otherwise no changes. Will make this again.
emily — December 5, 2021 @ 7:36 pm Reply
Holy guacamole, Mel- how have I never made this one before? It was a hit with the whole family! For anyone *like me* who forgot to add bouillon to their grocery list, you might be interested to know that you can use 1/2 c milk + 1/2 c chicken stock instead of the milk and bouillon and it worked beautifully. This recipe is delicious enough for company, but easy enough to be part of our regular Sunday dinner rotation.
Kathy — June 17, 2021 @ 12:12 pm Reply
Just made this last night. It was delicious! We have leftovers for tonight. How should I reheat the chicken? What temp and how long? Thanks!
- Mel — June 17, 2021 @ 1:58 pm Reply
  You could try 300 degrees for 10 minutes or so. We usually reheat in microwave of eat cold from the refrigerator.
KO — April 15, 2021 @ 4:55 pm Reply
Pretty quick and easy!
See Also
Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu
Debbie — February 21, 2021 @ 4:50 pm Reply
Any suggestion for a sauce without mustard?
- Mel — February 23, 2021 @ 1:54 pm Reply
  You can leave the mustard out of the sauce for a more mild version.
Mel — April 26, 2020 @ 7:02 pm Reply
I have a child that can not ingest cow’s milk. Has anyone ever made the sauce with soy or almond milk? Would love to try this recipe.
Kimberly — March 10, 2020 @ 7:30 pm Reply
Excellent! I used leftover baked ham and only used one slice per chicken. The sauce was really good. Used provolone cheese and the last two Swiss cheese slices I had.
Trish — February 17, 2020 @ 5:22 pm Reply
We made this tonight, it was sooo good, that sauce is amazing!! I have about 1/2 cup left hidden in a sour cream container and I’m really hoping no one finds it. Thanks Mel I’ve always wanted to try this and loved that I didn’t have to roll it 🙂
Jennifer Christensen — January 11, 2020 @ 2:21 pm Reply
I LOVE this recipe! It has become one of my favorites and one of my go-to recipes. My kids always forget how much they love this! Thank you for sharing! It’s SO much easier than the traditional wrapped and rolled recipe. I won’t go back!
Kathy Purnell — January 8, 2020 @ 7:39 pm Reply
So simple and oh so good!!! This one will stay in my rotation! Another winner Mel!!!
Laine — May 30, 2019 @ 4:22 pm Reply
We love this recipe. I discovered a magical use for any leftover Parmesan sauce -your skillet Mac recipe is a huge favorite here and I used our remaining sauce from this dinner in it (the only reason we had leftovers of that is because I doubled it) with some handfuls of cheddar and it was unreal. So so heavenly. I wasn’t sure if I should put this hack on this page or on the skillet Mac page but the world needs to know!
- Mel — June 1, 2019 @ 7:52 pm Reply
  Ooooh, great idea!
- MICHELLE — June 12, 2020 @ 11:00 am Reply
  This was excellent and surprisingly easy. My chicken breasts were very large and thick so I placed them between parchment paper and used a mallet to pound them. Then I cut each into 2-3 smaller portions. I also loved the crunch of the panko bread crumbs.
Kara — April 30, 2019 @ 4:53 pm Reply
Made this easy chicken corden bleu, my family loved it!
Melissa — January 21, 2019 @ 7:25 pm Reply
This was awesome!
Sandy — January 11, 2019 @ 7:57 am Reply
I served the Chicken Cordon Bleu for dinner guests. Everyone loved it & wanted the recipe! Thank you
I tried to find the carb count for a friend. Do you know what the carb count is for the recipe as printed?
- Mel — January 11, 2019 @ 4:32 pm Reply
  I don’t – sorry!
- Sherrie Burt — April 5, 2019 @ 2:12 pm Reply
  My son is type 1 diabetic so I figure carb counts for everything we eat. I’m planning on making this for dinner tonight and have figured the carbs for one chicken breast and one tbsp of the sauce is 15 carbohydrates. Hope that helps!
Anna — December 26, 2018 @ 1:18 pm Reply
Mel – I am considering making this for a take in meal. Does the sauce travel and reheat well? I made the same family a take in meal last week and make your Chicken Shawarma, with yellow rice and vegetables and a giant chocolate chip cookie – everything was a hit! They are tired of pasta/mexican, so I thought this might be a good change. Thank you for your help!
- Mel — December 26, 2018 @ 5:44 pm Reply
  Hi Anna! You are so sweet – that is one lucky family! Yes, that sauce reheats super well (sometimes I add a tablespoon or two of milk when reheating but not always)
  - Anna — December 27, 2018 @ 9:06 am Reply
    Thank you for the information and quick reply! I will definitely be making this for them this weekend!
Elisa Grottenthaler — December 16, 2018 @ 2:38 pm Reply
Every time I make this there is an awful lot of water on the bottom, how can I make it with no eater being on the bottom and making it soggy?
- Mel — December 17, 2018 @ 3:05 pm Reply
  Some will depend on the type/brand of chicken you use. I’ve found certain brands definitely give off more water while baking. Having said that, I always have a little water after baking too so I try to serve it as quickly as possible.
Hill — May 6, 2018 @ 1:43 pm Reply
Amazing! So simple yet so delicious! My families favorite!
Andrea — March 29, 2018 @ 9:23 pm Reply
I have made this recipe several times. Always a hit! Tonight I did not have time to make the sauce so I put honey mustard dressing on the chicken breasts before placing the ham and cheese. My family devoured it!! Wanted to share this variation.
Gilliane — March 29, 2018 @ 4:16 pm Reply
I make this recipe so much I have it memorized–my husband and kids go crazy over it every.single.time! It is so delicious!
Saundra Brown — March 8, 2018 @ 2:08 pm Reply
2nd time making. The kids loved it and have been begging for it since. Very tasty and filling
Audrey — February 1, 2018 @ 4:59 pm Reply
I just have to say I’ve been making this for years. Sometimes as a casserole with precooked chicken and sometimes as individual chicken breasts that are raw. The key is, as my family calls it, the parm-dijon sauce. I could put it over almost anything and they’d eat it. I’m not really a recipe follower, so I do my own thing with the actual chicken cordon bleu, (like I don’t always take the time to slice in half, or sometimes I brown the chicken up and then bake the rest), but I am always coming back to your site to remember how to make the parm-dijon sauce. Thank you!!
- Alicia — October 26, 2020 @ 5:24 pm Reply
  How long do you cook it for when you use the pre-cooked chicken?
Marcia B — January 17, 2018 @ 6:37 pm Reply
Made this tonight, it was delicious and easy.
Beth Wadsworth — January 9, 2018 @ 2:45 pm Reply
Hi Mel, Going to convert this into a freezer meal and was wondering if you have ever put the sauce on under the panko? Wondering whether to put the sauce on before freezing, keep it in a freezer bag separately or just leave it off altogether.
- Mel — January 9, 2018 @ 11:04 pm Reply
  I haven’t tried that, Beth. Sorry!
- Anna — August 28, 2019 @ 9:57 am Reply
  Could you also do this as a freezer meal?
  - Mel — August 28, 2019 @ 9:02 pm Reply
    I think so!
- Jenn Hoff — January 11, 2023 @ 6:57 pm Reply
  Hi, Beth! I am wondering the same thing. Do you remember if this worked well as a freezer meal?
Nancy — November 29, 2017 @ 3:57 pm Reply
All of my children LOVE this recipe! The call it “sandwich chicken” and it is one of my go-to recipes. I believe I’ve made this at least ten times. We are not a Swiss cheese family so we use provolone. I also like my meals extra hearty, so I usually use the Oscar Meyer carving board ham, or leftover slices from a ham dinner. Try adding a teaspoon of cayenne to the panko crumbs of you like a subtle kick.
Susan — October 4, 2017 @ 3:50 pm Reply
My husband requested and it came out delicious! Sauce was real tasty and simple to make!
Magie — October 2, 2017 @ 7:33 pm Reply
Great recipe, my son requested for this birthday. Was delicious and easy to assemble.
Julie — August 9, 2017 @ 3:45 pm Reply
Hi Mel! I’m planning to make this for a luncheon I’m catering so will be doing the cubed chicken/ham option. I have one probably dumb question — can you tell me approximately how much chicken breast in pounds that you use? Individual chicken breasts vary so much in size I would rather go by weight than number of pieces!
Many thanks!
- Mel — August 9, 2017 @ 10:01 pm Reply
  For this recipe, it’s probably right around 1 1/2 pounds.
  - Julie — August 11, 2017 @ 1:24 pm Reply
    Thank you so much for responding!
  - Melanie — December 4, 2017 @ 12:06 pm Reply
    Does that mean a total of 1 1/2 lbs or a total of 4 1/2 lbs ( each chicken breast at a pound and a half )?
    - Mel — December 4, 2017 @ 8:29 pm Reply
      I use a total of 1 1/2 pounds.
Caitlin — July 28, 2017 @ 5:53 pm Reply
Made this tonight for my family and they loved it! Another slam dunk from your site!
Teresa — July 11, 2017 @ 4:37 pm Reply
I am the lead cook at a small town diner in SE Nebraska and am planning on making this tomorrow for the special of the day. Can’t wait!
Lindsey — January 13, 2017 @ 9:14 am Reply
Mel, this is another winner!!! You’re my go to for everything. I always check your site first when wanting to try a new recipe. We loved the sauce, but I have a Parmesan and mustard hater in the house, and I knew he wouldn’t go for it. So I slightly adapted your homemade cream of chicken to make it into a gravy and that ended up being yummy on it, too. A few eaters needed the added incentive of crumbled bacon on top (I have super picky eaters here), but add a little bacon and they’ll try just about anything. I have to admit, I tried a bite with the bacon, and it was pretty good. 🙂
Jill — December 26, 2016 @ 11:49 am Reply
Hi! Making this tonite for the first time. Going to try the cubed version…how do you think it would turn out if I made the sauce, poured it on top of the chicken and ham, then layer of cheese and then breadcrumbs…instead of spooning the sauce when serving
- Mel — December 26, 2016 @ 8:54 pm Reply
  Sounds delicious!