#cordon bleu

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus bengalus), male, family Estrildidae, order Passeriformes, Kenya

Skillet Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients 

Chicken

▢ 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 3-4 pounds

▢ 1 large egg

▢ ¼ cup milk

▢ 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

▢ ½ cup all-purpose flour

▢ 1 teaspoon salt

▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder

▢ ½ teaspoon onion powder

▢ ½ teaspoon pepper

▢ ¼ cup olive oil

▢ 4 slices thinly sliced deli ham

▢ 4 slices Swiss cheese

Sauce

▢ ¼ cup unsalted butter

▢ 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

▢ 1 ¼ cup chicken broth

▢ ½ cup heavy cream

▢ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

▢ 1 teaspoon thyme

▢ ½ teaspoon salt

▢ ½ teaspoon pepper

Instructions 

Prepare the chicken. Using a meat tenderizer, pound the chicken breasts until they are uniformly about ½ inch thick.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg and milk; in a separate large bowl, whisk together the breadcrumbs, flour, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.

Dip each prepared breast first in the egg mixture, allowing any excess to drip off, then coat in the flour mixture. Set the breaded breasts aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place 2 chicken breasts into the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until the chicken is cooked through. Repeat with the remaining two tablespoons of oil and battered breasts.

Remove the cooked chicken from the skillet. Melt the butter in the skillet and whisk the flour into the butter, creating a paste.

Slowly add in the chicken broth and heavy cream, whisking continually to keep the sauce from breaking.

Once the cream and broth are incorporated completely and you have a smooth gravy, add in the Dijon mustard, thyme, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine, then reduce the heat to low.

Add the chicken back to the skillet in the sauce, and place one slice of ham and one slice of cheese on each chicken breast.