This Chicken Recipe Adds Flavor To Any Holiday

Give your menu a twist and serve this meaty main to your dinner guests this season.
Cheryl De Leon,
2 Chicken Recipe

 

A holiday feast featuring baked ham or roasted turkey is a marvelous tradition. A few favorite dishes from a Chinese or an Italian restaurant can be just as delightful. Whatever you serve to family and friends this time of year is certainly special, but that doesn’t mean you can’t vary your menu—or add to it—from time to time.

BERGEN has a recipe for chicken cordon bleu that’s easy to prep in the kitchen, a pleasure to serve in your dining room and, most important, a sure-fire hit with everyone who tries it. Check it out below!

Pro tip: If you want to put healthful spin to the recipe (start those New Year’s resolutions early!), choose reduced- or low-fat Swiss cheese and milk, low-sodium deli ham and whole wheat flour and panko breadcrumbs, says Stephanie Sass, a registered dietitian at ShopRite of Wallington. “Additionally, bulk up the fiber and nutrient content by roasting veggies with olive oil, such as broccoli or cauliflower, on the same sheet pan,” she adds.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 8 slices Swiss cheese
  • 8 slices deli ham
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
  • 4 Tbs. melted butter
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano

For the sauce:

  • 4 Tbs. butter
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap on a cutting board and flatten to a ¼-inch thickness with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Top chicken with 2 slices of cheese, then 2 slices of ham. Starting at the top of the breast, roll up tightly and secure with toothpicks. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.

Place flour, eggs and panko in three shallow bowls. Season flour with salt and pepper. Add melted butter and oregano to panko and mix until incorporated.

Working with one at a time, roll chicken first in flour, then eggs, then panko mixture, pressing to coat. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden and cooked through, 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add flour and stir until golden, 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk, then add mustard. Let simmer until thickened, 5 minutes. Add Parmesan and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove toothpicks from chicken and serve with sauce.

Prefer beef for your main course? See our recipe for a tenderloin stuffed with mushrooms, spinach and olives, featured in the December issue of BERGEN.

What are your favorite dishes to serve during the holidays? Tell us on Instagram @bergenmagnj.

 

Categories: Bergen Health & Life