Recipe Background
Simple Chicken Cordon Bleu celebrates a Paris beginning with creamy, toasted delight.
The first time I made Chicken Cordon Bleu, it was the night I celebrated signing the lease on my tiny Paris apartment. Paris isn't a city that lets you hide from your culinary fantasies, especially when your kitchen window opens to the tantalizing smells of the neighborhood bistro. With dreams of classic French dishes dancing in my head, I decided my foray into French cuisine would start not with the complexities of a coq au vin, but with a simpler nod to the classics, dedicating the evening to trying Chicken Cordon Bleu that was as approachable as it was aspirational.
A canister of plain breadcrumbs always found its way into my cabinets, a habit I picked up from countless late-night dinners cobbled together during graduate school. That sprinkle of breadcrumbs over the top gives the dish its signature texture, a crisply toasted crown I couldn't resist. Mustard, of course, needed to be added to the mix. Dijon, naturally, as a tribute to my new French home, perfectly balanced the creamy tang of plain yogurt. Rolling the layers of ham and Swiss cheese in a neat pocket of chicken felt like a badge of honor. A light spray of cooking oil over the top added just the right touch, ensuring the breadcrumbs toasted perfectly as it baked.
Like discovering that secret local spot for the first time, enjoying this dish with a glass of wine and the genteel hum of the city through my open window became a cherished ritual. Letting the chicken rest just a bit afterward always ensures clean slices and a neat plate presentation. Celebrating that little apartment and my first adventure abroad with this recipe felt like a delightful marriage of old comfort and new discovery.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 4 (6-8-ounce) chicken breast cutlets
- 8 slices deli ham
- 6 slices deli Swiss cheese
- 2 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs
- cooking spray to taste
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a mixing bowl combine the yogurt, the mustard, the salt, and the pepper.
- In a 9x13-inch baking dish lay the chicken cutlets down in an even layer.
- Pour the yogurt mixture evenly over the chicken.
- Top the chicken with the ham and then the cheese slices.
- Spoon the breadcrumbs evenly over the tops of the cheese.
- Spray the breadcrumbs with the cooking spray.
- Bake until the chicken reaches 165 degrees F in the thickest part, about 25 minutes.
- Let rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve.
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