FAMILY HUDIN
As mentioned before, we once again partnered with Tina and Franc from family Hudin for this ahhhhhmzing Chicken Cordon Bleu. They are a lovely family from Miklavž na Dravskem polju, Slovenia. If you are ever staying in Slovenia and crave a good chicken, you can buy their free-range chickens in Ljubljana (market), BTC (market) and in Maribor (market). Why did we decide to use their free-range chicken breasts for this recipe? Because their chickens live longer which results in a firm chicken breast texture and that makes it perfect for all kinds of chicken roulades and this chicken cordon bleu too. Plus their chickens are completely GMO-free, which is of course, incredibly important too.
How to make Chicken Cordon Bleu?
Chicken breasts - Use quality free-range chicken breasts and make sure to cook them long enough (check the temperature in the recipe) - depends on the size.
Ham - Ham is great, in Slovenia, where prosciutto is common, we like to use prosciutto cotto.
Cheese - We used Gauda, but you can use any cheese that melts well.
Flour - You can use all-purpose flour, plain flour, whole wheat flour, spelt flour, gluten-free flour or any other flour you want in this recipe - it all depends on your wishes. We always use all-purpose.
Eggs and heavy cream - You can't substitute eggs with anything and the heavy cream will only make the exterior crunchier.
Breadcrumbs - You can use whole wheat flour breadcrumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs too.
Sesame seeds and chia seeds - Add a lovely crunchiness and texture.
Paprika and Turmeric - Yes, you can leave both out, but they do add an amazing flavor.
Vegetable oil - Use canola or sunflower oil.
Tightly wrap the chicken breasts into a roll, so that the flavors will combine, mmm. It’s going to be delicious.
Freezing Cordon Bleu
When the chicken cordon bleu is tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, you can freeze it for up to three weeks or store in a fridge for two days. That’s especially great for celebrations and holiday gatherings.
Coat the chicken cordon bleu evenly in each layer - especially in the egg mixture to get the best possible crunchy, golden exterior. If you feel like the “roulade” just isn’t tight enough, you can use toothpicks to close the roulade. Just make sure to discard them before serving.
Chicken Cordon Bleu - frying temperature
The center of the chicken meat must be 68°C / 160°F. If this can’t be achieved by frying alone (if the chicken breasts are big), then cook in the oven until the meat reaches 68°C / 160°F.
What to serve with Chicken Cordon Bleu?
So many delicious side dishes go very well with Chicken Cordon Bleu. Rice, cooked vegetables, mashed potatoes, parsnip puree with pear, braised carrots and kale salad.
METHOD
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Prepare the chicken breasts
Pat dry the chicken breasts. Using a sharp knife, cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally nearly all the way through. Open each breast wide. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of a cutting board, place each opened chicken breast on top of the paper, then cover the breast with another sheet of parchment paper and flatten the chicken breast with a meat mallet or rolling pin to a thickness of 1 cm / 1/2 inch. Remove the paper. Spread dijon mustard over each breast and season with salt and pepper.
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Roll into a roulade
Place a slice of ham and two slices of cheese onto each chicken breast. Evenly and tightly roll the chicken. Place on plastic wrap. Wrap the chicken roulade in the plastic wrap tightly and use the excess plastic on the sides to twist. Tie the excess plastic. Repeat with the remaining chicken breast. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to chill.
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Coating
Pour the vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot. Make sure it covers about 5 cm / 2 inches of the pot. Place over medium heat and heat to 170°C / 325°F. Prepare three plates. Add flour, pinch of salt and pepper to one plate. Beat the eggs and heavy cream in a second plate and combine breadcrumbs, sesame seeds, paprika, turmeric and chia seeds (optionally) in a third plate. Dredge the chicken first in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, and then in the breadcrumbs mixture. Make sure you get each layer of coating evenly. Transfer to a plate.
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Fry and bake
Using a skimmer, gently place each chicken cordon bleu into hot oil (170°C / 325°F). Fry for about 7 - 8 minutes on each side or until the exterior is nice, golden brown and crunchy. Check the interior of the chicken breast. If the center of the meat is not 68°C / 160°F place the Chicken Cordon Bleu on a baking sheet and cook until the temperature is reached, for about 5 - 10 minutes at 175°C / 350°F. If the temperature was already reached when frying, then place the chicken cordon bleu on a plate covered with kitchen towels to drain the excess fat.
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Serve
Serve Chicken Cordon Bleu as soon as possible with your favorite side dish. We recommend mashed potatoes, parsnip puree with pear, braised carrots or kale salad.
