Prepare to be amazed by our easy deconstructed chicken cordon bleu! This dish features crispy, parmesan-crusted chicken cooked in a skillet, topped with ham and Swiss cheese, and briefly baked to perfection. Finish it off with a homemade creamy Dijon sauce for a delicious, low-carb, gluten-free, and keto-friendly dinner.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- Chicken breast or chicken cutlets: Slice whole chicken breasts into cutlets or use pre-sliced chicken breasts.
- Large eggs: These act as a binder for the crispy crust.
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic salt: You can substitute with a mix of salt and garlic powder.
- Black pepper
- Shredded Parmesan: You’ll use this for both the crust and to sprinkle on top.
- Olive oil
- Chopped ham: Ham lunchmeat, cubed ham, or chopped ham steak works well.
- Swiss cheese slices: Swiss is classic, but you can experiment with other types of white cheese.
Optional creamy Dijon sauce ingredients:
- Butter
- Whipping cream
- Parmesan
- Worcestershire sauce
- Dijon mustard
Kitchen tools
Use a non-stick skillet for this recipe—it’s essential! We’ve tested it with other types of pans and found that the parmesan cheese won’t adhere properly. For baking, you’ll also need a baking pan or sheet pan.
HOW TO MAKE CRISPY CREAMY CHICKEN CORDON BLEU
This recipe may look like it has a lot of steps, but it’s actually quick and straightforward. Check the recipe card for full details.
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Slice two large chicken breasts lengthwise to create cutlets, or use pre-sliced cutlets.
- In a small bowl, beat the eggs and mix in the garlic salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Place the shredded Parmesan in another small bowl.
Sear the Chicken
- Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil.
- Dip each chicken cutlet into the egg wash, allowing excess to drip off, then coat in Parmesan.
- Cook two cutlets at a time for a few minutes per side until golden brown. Add more olive oil as needed.
Assemble & Bake
- Transfer the chicken to a 9×13 baking pan or sheet pan.
- Top with chopped ham and Swiss cheese slices, then sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 375°F, until the cheese is melted and begins to brown, and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. For a crispier top, broil for 1 minute.
Optional Dijon Sauce
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted, which takes about 2-3 minutes.
- Add heavy whipping cream, Worcestershire sauce (or coconut aminos), and Dijon mustard. Mix until well combined.
- Simmer for 1 more minute until heated through. The sauce will thicken as it stands.
What to Serve on the side?
We typically pair this dish with a simple side salad or roasted veggies. Here are some of our favorites:
- Zucchini noodles
- A classic side salad
- Air fryer green beans and mushrooms
- Italian baked zucchini and squash
- Air fryer broccoli with garlic
- Pan-fried asparagus
