Chicken cordon bleu is pretty straightforward to put together, even if you are a novice cook. This tasty dish is also one of the best boneless chicken recipes to make if you like stuffed dishes. The recipe for has been around for centuries longer than the cookery school in France with the same name.
A lot of people think this recipe is French but nobody knows whether it is, or whether it was created by chefs in the United States who were trying to replicate a European style stuffed poultry dish.
The History of Chicken Cordon Bleu
The phrase "cordon bleu" means blue band or Blue Ribbon. King Henry III started up a knightly order to fight for Catholicism.
The knights wore a Maltese cross around their neck, hung on a blue ribbon. Later on, they would gather for big gourmet feasts cooked by the top chefs at the time and this is how blue ribbons became associated with excellent food.
How to Make the Best Chicken Cordon Bleu
This dish is normally made by wrapping the meat around a cheese and ham filling and it normally has a breadcrumb crust. To make this recipe in a very simple way, you can layer the ham and cheese over the meat and bake it.
Another chicken cordon bleu preparation method is to make a hole in the meat, put the cheese inside and wrap it in ham and then breadcrumbs. The most common way of preparing this dish however, is to butterfly the bird, pound it flat and wrap the cheese and ham inside. Finally, dip it in breadcrumbs and grill, fry or bake it.
Authentic cordon bleu has a ham and Swiss cheese filling. You might like to try Provolone, Gruyere, or mozzarella cheese. Use cured ham, bacon, or prosciutto as a filling too, it all depends on what you like or what you have in the refrigerator. Perhaps you would like to add a couple of chopped Sun Dried tomatoes or some fresh basil or spinach to the filling, although this is veering away from the original recipe.
The chicken should be pounded to a quarter inch thickness for the best results and you might like to sprinkle some salt and pepper on it before adding the filling. Roll it up and secure it with toothpicks. To get the breadcrumbs to stick to the meat, you should mix them with a beaten egg and roll the meat through this mixture.
What to Serve with Chicken Cordon Bleu
A creamy sauce or a mustard sauce goes nicely with the flavors in this boneless chicken recipe or you could leave out the sauce if you like.
Rice or potatoes are a nice accompaniment for this boneless chicken recipe and you can serve any vegetables you like on the side. This recipe is a great one for a dinner party because it looks appetizing, is easy to make and there are different variations.
Looking for delicious international chicken recipes how about our butter chicken recipe with a light and delicate taste of India.