Chicken Cordon Bleu

Chicken Cordon Bleu

(from 8th Progressive Dinner)

Makes 4-6 Servings

Note:  To make sure the cheese doesn't leak out while baking, use large (at least 8-ounce) chicken breasts and chill the stuffed chicken breasts in the refrigerator before breading.  It can be breaded and refrigerated covered for up to one day.

25 Ritz crackers, regular or whole wheat

4 slices hearty sandwich bread, white or wheat

6 T. butter, melted

8 thin slices deli ham (about 8 oz.)

2 c. shredded Swiss cheese

4 thick boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lb. total)

salt and pepper

3 large eggs

2 T. dijon mustard

1 c. flour

1.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Pulse the crackers and bread in food processor until they are coarsely ground.  Drizzle in the melted butter and pulse until the ingredients are incorporated.  Transfer the crumbs to a rimmed baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the crumbs are lightly browned.  Transfer to a shallow baking dish or leave them on the pan and scoop them together into a low mound.  Reduce the oven temp to 400 degrees.

2.  Top each ham slice with about 1/4 c. shredded cheese.  If your ham slices are too small, shingle two ham slices on top of each other to create a larger slice and roll the cheese up in that.  Roll tightly and set aside.  Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.  Cut a pocket in the thickest part of the chicken (careful not to cut through to the other side or out the ends).  Stuff each pocket with 2 ham/cheese rolls.  Pull the top flap of chicken over the rolls and press to seal. (You can use a piece of spaghetti to secure.  It will cook while baking and you'll never know it's there!) Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate the stuffed chicken, covered, for at least 20 minutes.

3.  In another shallow dish or pie plate, beat the eggs and mustard.  Place the flour in a final shallow dish.  Remove the chicken from the refrigerator.  Working with one stuffed chicken breast at a time, coat the chicken lightly with flour and then dip in the egg mixture, covering both sides.  Dredge the chicken in the toasted bread crumbs, pressing lightly to help the crumbs stick to the chicken. 

4.  Transfer to a lightly greased rimmed baking sheet.  Make sure an oven rack is in the center of the oven.  Bake the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 25-30 minutes.  Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

I used this sauce over the top:

2 T. white wine vinegar

1 T. dijon mustard

1 T. honey

2 T. olive oil

1 T. minced fresh thyme

salt and pepper