Chicken Cordon Bleu with Honey Mustard Sauce

This post was originally published on 1/22/2015. It was updated with new photos and content on 1/28/2019.

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Honey Mustard Sauce  |  Lemon & Mocha

Among my overflowing collection of cookbooks, this chicken cordon bleu recipe from Cook This, Not That! is one of my absolute favorites. There may certainly be recipes I have that I crave more or that are more awe-inducing (cue my large dessert cookbook category), but when you compare those to a delicious, healthy, looks-fancy-but-only-took-me-30-minutes dinner? Game over, chicken cordon bleu for the win.

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Honey Mustard Sauce  |  Lemon & Mocha

Gooey melted cheese, savory ham, moist chicken, crunchy breadcrumb coating and creamy honey mustard sauce all work together to create weeknight meal perfection. When you make this dish your family and friends will think, “Wow, such a fancy meal! Such technique! They really pulled out all the stops for me!” When what you actually did was secretly quite simple.

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Honey Mustard Sauce  |  Lemon & Mocha

First, pound out the boneless skinless chicken breasts until they are about ¼ inch thick. Think about that aggravating e-mail you got at work or that jerk that cut you off right before the stoplight and whack away with your meat mallet! Make sure they are only ¼ inch thick (for reference the chicken in these photos is not pounded thin enough). If you want to save a little bit of time this step could be done the night before. Then layer two slices of ham and one slice of Swiss cheese on the cutlet.

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Honey Mustard Sauce  |  Lemon & Mocha

Completely roll up the chicken starting from one of the short ends. It’s okay if some cheese or ham is poking out. Then dredge the whole rolled chicken in flour, then beaten egg, then panko bread crumbs. This part sounds complicated, but just make sure you hold the chicken roll tight and you’ll be just fine. Bake the breaded chicken roll for 18-22 minutes and you’re done!

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Honey Mustard Sauce  |  Lemon & Mocha

Well, as soon as you smother it in an easy homemade honey mustard sauce, which is a definite do-not-skip part of this recipe! The tangy sweetness of the honey mustard drizzled over the crispy chicken is the perfect combination. Serve alongside some steam-sautéed broccoli or a green salad for a healthy meal worthy enough to become a weekly regular. I’ve been making this dish for about six years and Matt and I still both do a little happy dance every time we eat this meal. I love that the Lemon & Mocha readers love this Chicken Cordon Bleu with Honey Mustard Sauce as much as we do; it’s one of the top ten most popular posts of all time on the blog! If you haven’t made this one yet, it needs to go to the top of your must-make list! Enjoy!

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Honey Mustard Sauce  |  Lemon & Mocha

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Honey Mustard Sauce
 
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
for the chicken cordon bleu
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 8 thin slices deli ham or 4 slices if thicker cut
  • 4 slices Swiss cheese
for the honey mustard
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Directions
for the chicken cordon bleu
  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with nonstick aluminum foil and set aside. Set up a breading station with the flour, egg and panko breadcrumbs each in their own shallow bowl. Add the Italian seasoning and the garlic powder to the panko and stir to combine.
  2. Place 1 chicken breast on a cutting board and cover the chicken with plastic wrap. Pound the chicken until ¼” thick with a meat mallet or heavy skillet. Make sure it's only ¼” thick; if it's thicker than that (which the chicken in my photos is a little too thick) then it will take longer to bake. Repeat for the remaining 3 chicken breasts.
  3. Layer 2 slices of ham and 1 slice of cheese on each chicken cutlet. I usually tear the deli slices so I can place them better on the chicken cutlet. Working one at a time, carefully roll up the cutlet from short end to short end. It’s okay if some of the ham and cheese is sticking out. Holding on tight to the rolled up cutlet, dip it in the flour bowl until completely coated, making sure to get the ends as well. Then dip in the egg mixture to completely coat, make sure the excess egg drips off. Finally, completely coat the rolled chicken in the panko bowl. I usually use my other hand to help coat and press the panko onto the chicken. Place the breaded chicken seam side down on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the cutlets.
  4. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and the breading is golden. Serve hot with the honey mustard sauce.
for the honey mustard
  1. Whisk together the mayonnaise, honey, lemon juice and Dijon mustard then adjust according to personal taste.
Notes
If you want the bottom of your chicken cordon bleu to be crispy as well, you can spray a cooling rack with nonstick spray then place on top of the baking sheet. I normally don’t do this, but I thought I would mention it.

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Recipe slightly adapted from Cook This, Not That! Easy & Awesome 350-Calorie Meals.