This lightened up version of Cordon Bleu packs all the flavors of the classic dish but cooks in one-pan, takes less than 30 minutes to make and is under 350 calories a serving…but who’s counting right?
I have done a twist on a classic Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe before, where in instead of flattening a chicken breast and rolling it, I simply created a pocket in a whole chicken breast to stuff it with the ham and cheese. I then seasoned and smothered the chicken with Dijon mustard before coating it in some pre-toasted buttery cracker and breadcrumb crust. It’s pretty ingenious really….no toothpicks, no deep frying, no oozing cheese everywhere. The results are big juicy chicken breasts with a neat little pocket of ham and cheese with a golden crunchy exterior. It’s super delicious for sure…but not very healthy overall.
That was one of my first recipes on this blog back in 2012. I am a little older and (I’d like to think/pretend) a little wiser now, not to mention a slightly better food photographer too as you can see from above 😉 . I lead a slightly healthier lifestyle than I did back then and am a lot more particular of what I am eating. I almost everything, but reduced how much grain, gluten, dairy and fat I eat. In the same sense, I don’t calorie count, but I’m very conscious of eating real food (not processed) for the most part and try to pick foods that offer more nutritional value. I also go for quality of food and good ingredients which makes tasty food rather than just eat anything to fill up. This recipe is one such “Winner Winner Chicken Dinner” for sure!
This lightened up version of Cordon Bleu packs all the flavors of the classic dish with a fraction of the calories and even less effort to make. It’s one-pan, takes less than 30 minutes to make and is under 350 calories a serving…but who’s counting right? That’s a sure shot win in my book. While my Skinny Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe isn’t gluten-free (I use flour to dredge the chicken), you can easily use a substitute to make it Gluten-free. I lighten up the dish by pan frying it chicken in a little olive oil and making a dijon mustard sauce with good chicken stock and no heavy cream. A little corn starch or arrowroot powder thicken the sauce nicely. Top it off with some ham and swiss and you have a no-fuss easy to make Chicken Cordon Bleu….but wait there’s more! A few crushed croutons (optional…but strongly advised to complete the cordon bleu experience) and some fresh parsley completes and brightens up the whole dish. It is delicious!!! Served up with some veggies or potatoes this is an easy weeknight meal you’ll be making over and over again. Just give it a try and let me know in a comment below. Also I would love to see your dishes on Instagram and Facebook so tag me @noreen_picturetherecipe (instagram) and share them on https://www.facebook.com/PictureTheRecipe/ or simple tag them with #picturetherecipe.
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- * 4 Chicken Breast Cutlets (thinly sliced)
- * Salt & pepper, to taste
- * Paprika, to taste
- * 1/4 Cup Flour
- * 1 Tbsp Garlic, minced
- * 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- * 1 1/2- 2 Cups Chicken Stock
- * 1 Tbsp Corn Starch
- * 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- * 4 Slices Ham
- * 4 Slices Swiss Cheese
- * 1/4 Cup Parsley, chopped
- * 1/3 Cup Croutons, crushed
- * 2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- - Season the chicken breast cutlets generously on both sides with salt, black pepper and paprika according to your taste.
- - Lightly coat the seasoned chicken cutlets in a little flour.
- - Pan fry the chicken cutlets in a little olive oil until golden on both sides. (It doesn't have to cook through all the way, just browned). Take them out and set aside.
- - Add a touch more olive oil to the pan if needed.
- - Add the minced garlic and mustard and saute for a minute.
- - Pour in the chicken stock and whisk to dissolve the mustard.
- - Season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil.
- - Mix the corn flour with a little water, stir it well and add it to the boiling sauce. Stir immediately and turn the heat down to a low simmer.
- - Add the chicken back to the pan. Cover and simmer on low for 5-7 minutes.
- - Once the chicken is cooked through. Place a slice of ham & Swiss cheese on each piece of chicken.
- - Cover and let the cheese melt (about 2-3 minutes).
- - Garnish with crushed croutons and fresh chopped parsley.
- - Serve hot with Veggies of your choice or mashed potatoes.
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