Chicken Cordon Bleu
serves 4
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 Ham slices (sliced thinly)
4 Provolone or Gruyere (swiss) cheese slices
1 egg
1 Tablespoon. water
ground oregano
onion powder
pepper
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1 cup flour
1/3 cup. Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 F
Butterfly each chicken breast horizontally so that you may add the fillings and fold them back together later on. If this sounds confusing, just think about how you or someone else would butterfly shrimp.
Sprinkle each with onion powder, pepper, and oregano. Place a piece of ham and cheese on each chicken breast. Fold the chicken breasts back together so that the chicken appears almost as it did before being butterflied. If any of the ham and cheese pokes out, push them back inside as best as you can. Use toothpicks to keep the edges sealed.
Using 3 bowls or plates add the following ingredients:
Note: Be sure to have extra on hand in case you need to replenish the bowls with more.
Bowl one: Flour mixed with a sprinkling of salt and pepper
Bowl two: Beaten egg and water mixture.
Bowl three: Bread crumbs and parmesan mixture.
Dip and coat each breast into the flour mixture first, then the egg, and finally the bread crumbs.
Brush oil liberally onto a baking pan large enough to hold all the chicken breasts yet has extra room so that they do not touch one another. Bake the cordon chicken bleu for about 20 minutes on each side.
Ovens do vary in how they disperse heat, check on occasion to make sure the breading does not burn before chicken is cooked.
As with all poultry dishes, make sure the meat is fully-cooked before serving.
Deamer 3/05