Skinny Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe

Classic Chicken Cordon Bleu

Who doesn't love a classic French Cordon Bleu? The breaded chicken with gooey cheese and ham inside, fried to perfection. It's undeniably scrumptious, but unfortunately, it's also loaded with calories and requires a lot of time and effort to prepare, not to mention the cleanup. While I may indulge in a classic version at a good French restaurant, right after I have some Escargot, Amy and I decided a couple of years ago that there has to be a better way to make chicken cordon bleu at home.

We strongly dislike frying food, mainly because of the messy cleanup process, not to mention the hassle of dredging chicken in an egg mixture and bread crumbs. Additionally, I absolutely loathe cleaning up after making something fried. Since we are changing our eating habits and prioritizing flavor over fat, we experimented with several new ways of preparing Chicken Cordon Bleu. After a few attempts, we came up with this amazing recipe.

Best Chicken Cordon Bleu ever!!!

Our healthier version of Chicken Cordon Bleu is a great alternative, saving you about 300 calories compared to the classic recipe. What's more, the serving size is larger! The dish turns out beautifully golden all over and is incredibly juicy, with the same deliciously gooey cheese as the deep-fried version. With this recipe, you can achieve the same great taste (if not better) without the hassle of deep-frying. And it's so much quicker and easier to make. The best part? You can even pair it with a couple of glasses of wine and still consume fewer calories than the breaded version. That's a win-win!

Preparing the Chicken

When making Chicken Cordon Bleu, Swiss or Gruyere cheese are the preferred choices as they melt well and add a delicious flavor to the chicken. The most challenging part of this recipe is pounding the chicken breast, but you can use thin-cut chicken fillets instead if you prefer to skip this step.

I actually like to pound out the chicken.  To do this, I wrap it in Saran Wrap or put in a plastic bag and then start pounding it.   This step can be great therapy and maybe save you some money. . . you don't need a therapist!!!   I mean while you are pounding out the chicken just think about all the things that went wrong during the day.

You know those days when:

1. you get a speeding ticket on the way to work
2. you spill coffee on yourself just before a big meeting
3. someone took your lunch
4. ALL of the above!!!!!

Or if you want your kids to have fun let them pound out the chicken.    

Seasoning the Chicken

• It takes about two minutes to pound out the Chicken.  Add the seasoning.  If you want a little spice, sprinkle on a little Cumin and Cayenne pepper.
• Depending on how we feel, we use either cayenne pepper or our favorite spicy seasoning to add a major spice. Regardless, they're delicious.
• We heard that Cumin and Cayenne peppers are supposed to help with inflammation, and I hear even help with weight loss.  Unfortunately, I have also heard exercising helps with weight loss too!!!

Seasoning Tip:

If you don't like spicy food, omit the cayenne pepper. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of salt, cumin, and black pepper on. each chicken breast.

Another trick to this recipe is if you want creamy cheese, mix a Tablespoon of Whipped Cream Cheese with the Swiss Cheese.  You will notice we use cream cheese in many of our recipes to stretch the cheese.  Cream Cheese is lower in calories, and it enhances the flavors and really adds that creamy texture.  You don't taste the cream cheese. It just makes the cheese creamier and gooey.

After you season the chicken, layer each breast with 99% fat-free ham.

Add the Swiss cheese Cream Cheese mixture or sliced Cheese. Roll up the chicken; you can tie each breast with string, or you can seal them using toothpicks.

I prefer to use toothpicks, but its important to ALWAYS REMEMBER how many toothpicks you put in each breast to make sure you remove them when serving AND tell everyone there are toothpicks!!!  Not that I've had any problems with this. haha

Season the outside of the Chicken Breast.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, place the chicken breast in the pan and let it brown for about 2-3 minutes on each side until it's golden brown. This will help to lock in the flavor and juices. 

If you prefer a less oily pan, you can always use less oil, but keep in mind that it may affect the chicken's browning and flavor. Also, if you're concerned about your calorie intake, less oil will be a healthier option. 

After browning the chicken, transfer the pan to a preheated 375-degree oven and cook for 15 minutes. NOTE: Make sure to use a meat thermometer to ensure that the chicken's internal temperature has reached at least 165°F (74°C) to ensure it's fully cooked. With this method, you'll have perfectly cooked chicken that's juicy, flavorful, and crispy on the outside.

The final step is to EAT and ENJOY!!!!

This picture is when we added Philadelphia Cream Cheese to the Swiss Cheese.

Either way, you make this Chicken will be very Moist and delicious.

Remember to use a meat thermometer to really be sure the Chicken is done.

For another great way to enjoy Chicken Cordon Bleu check out our Pizza recipe