Chicken Cordon Bleu is a classic meal perfect for any day of the week. It looks complicated, but it really not that bad. The combination of the nutty swiss cheese, salty, ham, and crunchy crust will leave you wanting seconds!
Here's how to make Chicken Cordon Bleu:
- Start by butterflying four chicken breasts. How do you butterfly chicken? Simple. Using a sharp knife, carefully slice the chicken breast length wise but not all the way through! Leave about an inch then open the breast up so it lays flat.

2. Next pound the chicken breast until it's 1/4" thick.

3. Add some sliced ham and swiss cheese, and roll it all up.

(You can also fold the chicken in half if it's too small to roll up.)

4. Secure the chicken with some toothpicks.

5. Press some Italian seasoned breadcrumbs all over the chicken.

6. Pan fry in some butter and olive oil for 15-20 minutes, let cool, take out the toothpicks, and serve!

DO NOT forget to take out the toothpicks! That's the last thing you want to bite into. I found it easier to push them out rather than pulling them.
Here are some ingredients you could add or swap out:
- If you want to make it Keto, swap out the breadcrumb for crushed up pork rinds
- Add some frozen spinach (thawed and dried thoroughly) for some green
- Swap out the swiss cheese for cheddar or any other cheese
What are some side dishes for Chicken Cordon Bleu?
I love serving this chicken with a nice green salad, Broccoli Salad, Easy Mac and Cheese, roasted vegetables, or Fettuccine Alfredo with Pancetta and Peas.

If you love this recipe, I would love to know! You can rate this recipe and leave a comment below. If you take a picture tag me on Instagram @hungrywaitress! Here?s the recipe:
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Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Chicken Cordon Bleu is a classic meal perfect for any day of the week. It looks complicated, but it really not that bad. The combination of the nutty swiss cheese, salty, ham, and crunchy crust will leave you wanting seconds!
Ingredients
- 1 cup Italian seasoned Panko breadcrumbs*
- 4 chicken breasts
- 4 slices deli ham, sliced thin
- 4 slices swiss cheese, cut small pieces
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup butter, unsalted
Italian seasoned Panko breadcrumbs:
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup Parmesan
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Mix all of the Italian seasoned Panko breadcrumb ingredients together if you are not using the store bought version.
- Butterfly each chicken breast and pound them until they are a quarter inch thin.
- Place one slice of ham and swiss cheese on each chicken breast.
- Roll the chicken breasts up or fold them in half and secure with 2-3 toothpicks each. (Remember how many you use, so you can remove them all!)
- Toss each chicken breast in the breadcrumbs, pressing the breadcrumbs onto the chicken so they stick.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a 8-9 inch skillet over medium high until the butter is melted and bubbling.
- Carefully place each chicken breast in the hot oil. (It's okay if you need to do two batches, it just depends on how big your chicken is.)
- Cook each side for 4-5 minutes rotating the chicken so all of the surface area gets crispy for a total cooking time of 15-20 minutes (or until the internal temp reaches 165 degrees).
Notes
*You can find these breadcrumbs at your local Kroger in the baking aisle or make you own!
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
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