Baked chicken cordon bleu is a healthier alternative to the classic French dish. Make this recipe for a low carb meal in 30 minutes!
What is chicken cordon bleu?
Based on a dish from Switzerland, it’s a classic dish in French cuisine where slices of ham and cheese are rolled inside thin pieces of chicken.
Then, the chicken is breaded, pan-fried, and topped with a creamy Dijon sauce.
For a healthier alternative, this keto cordon bleu is baked instead of fried. Also, rather than using a bechamel, the sauce is made with maple syrup and mustard.
INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Note: This is just a partial list of ingredients. For the full ingredient list, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chicken breasts – Use boneless, skinless breasts since they will need to be pounded into thin pieces for easier rolling. Veal or pork can also be used instead.
- Ham slices – Lean meat will have less fat, which means it’s less likely to be greasy or slide out of the chicken.
- Cheese – I like to use fontina or Swiss, but Gouda and Gruyere are great options as well.
- White pepper – While the overall flavor isn’t as spicy as black pepper, the main purpose for using this variety is so the flecks don’t show in the sauce. If you don’t have white pepper, feel free to use ground black pepper.
- Panko breadcrumbs – Even though the chicken isn’t fried, these still add a nice crunch to the dish. They do contain some carbs, so if you’re concerned about going over your limit, use crushed pork rinds or almond meal instead.
How to make baked chicken cordon bleu
It may seem intimidating, but this recipe is actually quite simple to make. Just roll ham and cheese inside pounded chicken breasts, then coat with sauce and breadcrumbs and bake!
Prep the ingredients
- If the chicken breasts are extra large, first slice them in half horizontally. Then, place the chicken between two pieces of plastic and pound with a mallet or rolling pin until thin.
- Next, whisk together the mustard, maple syrup, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Use a basting brush to spread about half of the mixture over the chicken breasts.
Roll up the chicken
- Place a slice of ham and cheese over each piece of chicken breast.
- Roll each breast tightly over the stuffing and push 2-3 toothpicks through the top to hold everything together.
- Brush each roll with the rest of the mustard sauce, then coat in the Panko breadcrumbs.
Bake and serve
- Place the chicken roll ups in a greased baking dish and drizzle them with oil.
- Add a little chicken stock or wine to the bottom of the dish. This helps to keep the chicken moist as it cooks.
- Cover with foil and bake until cooked through. Then, serve with the pan drippings and your preferred sides.
SERVINGÂ SUGGESTIONS
The rich, tangy flavors of this dish pair well with almost anything. Make any of your favorite side dishes, or try one of these ideas:
- Sauteed spinach
- Mashed potatoesÂ
- Roasted green beans
- Side salad
- Zucchini fritters or gratin
Other Baked Chicken Recipes to Make
For something similar to this chicken cordon bleu recipe, try my Cubano Chicken.
Rather than stuffing the ingredients into the chicken, they are melted over the top. As a result, it tastes just like the popular Cuban sandwich! Or, for something a bit simpler, try one of the following:
- Baked Chicken Caprese
- Chicken Mediterranean
- Oven Baked Greek Chicken
- French Onion Soup Baked Chicken
This recipe first appeared on Kevin Is Cooking January 2015 and has been updated with new photos and a video.
Watch how to make keto cordon bleu below!
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Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts (See Note 1)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
- 4 slices lean ham
- 4 slices fontina or swiss cheese
- olive oil
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup chicken stock or dry white wine
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Lay chicken breasts between plastic wrap or in a plastic bag and pound until thin, about 1/2" thick. If large breasts, slice horizontally to make cutlets.
- In a bowl whisk together the mustard, maple syrup and white pepper and brush half of the mixture on each breast. Place a slice of ham and cheese on each chicken breast. Start at the narrowest end of the pounded chicken breast and then roll up. Secure with a toothpicks.
- Brush each chicken roll with remaining maple mustard sauce. Roll in Panko bread crumbs, press the crumbs on chicken to adhere.
- Transfer the chicken rolls to a greased baking dish. Drizzle some more olive oil over each chicken roll. To keep moist, add 1/4 cup of chicken stock or a dry white wine in the baking dish to cook with chicken. Cover with foil.
- Bake for 15 minutes in the middle of the oven. For a browned top I remove foil and continue to cook uncovered for another 5 minutes to brown the crumbs. Chicken is cook when internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Serve immediately with any pan drippings poured over and on a bed of sautéed spinach or other vegetables.
Notes
- Number of chicken breasts will vary due to size and weight, but 4 were used for nutrition values.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
The dish was wonder. It is the best thing I ever tasted in my life.
Now that’s a compliment! Thanks Willow.
love your ideas
Thanks Willow.
LOVE your vivid pictures. And way to bring a fussy-ish classic into the healthy here and now. =) Can’t wait to give this a try.
Thanks so much for the kind words Nichole! Doing my best for 2015.
Holy deliciousness, Kevin! These chicken cordon bleus look delicious. And I love that you baked them in a simple olive oil drizzle…talk about starting the year off right! We kept it pretty low key for New Year’s Eve here, too…and it was awesome. Looking forward to seeing all of your 2015 posts. #WolfpackEats
Thanks Dave! The fontina made it for me and baked IS better. We had a low key NYE as well and it suited me just fine. Looking forward to the New Year for not only what it holds, but what I can bring to it. #WolfpackEats
Nice recipe, I too need to make some healthier food in 2015. No more carbs until summer, like that will work.
Thanks and so true Adam. I think 2015 is going to be a lot more grains, salads and vegetables for us. And with fantastic new cookbooks like Yotam Ottolenghi’s Plenty More – we can do it! Happy New Years to you and yours. 🙂