Cordon Bleu is a classic French chicken recipe filled with ham and melted cheese, breaded and cooked until golden and crisp. Discover our easy air fryer version for a lighter homemade meal.
Cordon Bleu is a classic dish of breaded chicken filled with ham and cheese. The name cordon bleu means “blue ribbon” in French and has come to be associated with culinary excellence, although the exact origins of the dish are somewhat debated. In everyday French, cordon bleu is also used as an expression to describe someone who is an excellent cook.
Once associated mainly with chic restaurants, cordon bleu became widely popular in the 1970s with the rise of industrial food production and frozen ready-made versions that became a staple of French school canteens and comfort food. Our version shows that making Cordon Bleu from scratch at home is not as difficult as it sounds, especially when using quality ingredients such as French chicken breast, French cooked ham and Comté.
There are plenty of ways to put your own twist on cordon bleu. You can swap the Comté for Raclette de Savoie for an even more indulgent filling or replace the chicken with a thin veal, turkey or pork escalope. Feeling adventurous? For an extra-creamy filling, replace the cheese slice with a cheese béchamel: simply stir grated Comté or Emmental de Savoie into your béchamel sauce until melted and smooth, then spread it over the ham before folding and breading the chicken. Délicieux!
🧑🍳 The traditional cordon bleu is usually pan-fried but an air fryer offers a simple alternative with less oil. The circulating hot air helps create a crisp, golden coating while keeping the chicken tender and the cheese melting inside. No air fryer? You can also cook your cordon bleu in a frying pan with a little butter or oil, bake it in the oven or even deep-fry it for the crispiest possible coating.
Preparation time
15 min
Ingredients For
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For 2 cordon bleu:
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x 2
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-
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2 (beaten)
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as needed
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as needed
Preparation
1
Butterfly each chicken breast by cutting horizontally through the middle, taking care not to cut all the way through. Open it out flat.
2
Place a slice of dry-cured ham and a thick slice of Comté in the centre of each chicken breast.
3
Seal the cordon bleu by holding the chicken back over the filling and pressing the edges firmly together to seal. Make sure the cheese is completely enclosed.
4
Coat each cordon bleu first in flour, then dip it into the beaten eggs, and finally coat generously with breadcrumbs, pressing gently so the breadcrumbs adhere well.
5
Place the cordons bleus in the air fryer basket. Cook at 356°F for 15-18 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and crisp and the chicken is cooked through.
6
Serve the homemade cordon bleu hot with a fresh radish and chive salad with French vinaigrette.
© Myriam Baya
Pair with
Cordon bleu pairs well with a fresh, dry white wine with enough acidity to balance the richness of the dish. Try a Chardonnay Vin de France or a white wine from the Jura. A light, fruity red such as Gamay can also work well.
Contributor
Myriam Baya
Food blogger
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