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Pistachio Gruyere Chicken Cordon Bleu with Creamy Honey Dijon Sauce

Chicken Cordon Bleu to rival any restaurant made at home! This Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe sounds and tastes fancy but is actually easy to prepare! Tender chicken breasts are stuffed with smokey ham, Gruyere or Swiss Cheese, rolled and breaded in lemon panko pistachio breading and then baked to nutty, smoky, cheesy golden perfection. If you like pistachios even just a little, you are going to go crazy for this spectacular breading! The Chicken Cordon Bleu is then smothered in creamy Honey Dijon Sauce for a bite after bite of flavor/texture heaven.
Course Main Course
Cuisine French
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken breasts fillets (6-8 oz. each) pounded thin
  • 4 slices Black Forest ham
  • 1 1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

Pistachio Breading

Honey Dijon Cream Sauce

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp EACH salt, paprika, garlic pwdr, onion pwdr,
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • Hot sauce to taste

Instructions

  • Top a baking tray with a baking rack and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Finely grind pistachios in food processor. Transfer to a bowl and mix with Panko, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder. In a separate bowl, mix 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons honey, and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
  • Lay 1 slice of ham over each chicken breast then sprinkle evenly with cheese. Fold in the edges of the ham over the cheese as you roll the chicken up (to keep the cheese from oozing out). Secure chicken roll with toothpicks.
  • Coat chicken in prepared honey/Dijon/olive oil then dredge in Pistachio breading, turning and pressing crumbs firmly into chicken. Place chicken on prepared baking rack evenly spaced apart then spray with cooking spray.
  • Bake chicken at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until cooked through, checking chicken the last 10 minutes and topping with foil if necessary to prevent excess browning. If not browned by end of baking, broil until golden.
  • Meanwhile, whisk together all of the Honey Dijon Cream Sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until slightly thickened.
  • To serve, spoon sauce over chicken. Season with freshly cracked salt and pepper to taste (optional).

Notes

*You can purchase pistachios pre-shelled to save time **Panko breadcrumbs are Japanese breadcrumbs can be found by the Italian bread crumbs. If you can't find lemon pepper panko, then you can use regular Panko with a dash of lemon pepper seasoning.

MAKE AHEAD 

Chicken Cordon Bleu Chicken is best if completely assembled right before baking (so the breading doesn't get mushy), but you can still prep most of the recipe.
To prep ahead:
  • Breading: make the breading mixture up to one week ahead of time and store in an airtight container.
  • Chicken: roll up the chicken and brush with honey/dijon/olive oil and cover with foil/plastic wrap and refrigerate.
  • Assemble: When it's time to bake the cordon bleu, all you have to do is dredge the chicken and pop it in the oven!

STORAGE

Chicken Cordon Bleu should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  When properly stored, it is good for 3 to 5 days.   When storing, don’t stack your chicken for best results as this will make it more soggy.  Instead, place a piece of parchment paper in between the layers. Reheated chicken will still be flavorful but not as crunchy as freshly baked.

HOW TO FREEZE 

You you can freeze the Chicken Cordon Bleu before or after baking:
  • Leave/place crusted chicken on the lightly greased baking rack (so they aren’t touching) and place in the freezer for 2-3 hours or until solid.
  • Transfer to a large ziploc bag and squeeze out any excess air.
  • Freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Bake straight from frozen (so they don’t get as soggy) at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until chicken reaches 165 degrees F.