Easy Recipe for Chicken Cordon Bleu

You have eaten it at restaurants and baked it as a pre-made frozen entrée, but have you ever tried making a recipe for chicken cordon bleu at home? At first sight the dish seems difficult to assemble. In reality, a simple process results in a main dish that has better flavor than the frozen concoctions you can purchase.

• 4 boneless chicken breasts with skin removed
• 4 slices Swiss cheese
• 4 slices smoked ham
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 egg
• 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup whipping cream

1. Make chicken cordon bleu by pounding the chicken breasts to a thickness of 1/4 inch with a meat mallet. Place the chicken between layers of plastic wrap and pound with a rolling pin if you do not have a meat mallet.
2. Season the chicken by sprinkling salt and pepper on both sides. Lay one slice of Swiss cheese and one slice of thinly sliced ham on each chicken breast. Roll the breast into a tube so the ham and cheese is on the inside. Secure the roll with a toothpick if needed.
3. Measure 1/4 cup flour and one-cup bread crumbs and place them in separate shallow bowls. Beat one egg in a shallow bowl and set aside. Lightly roll each chicken cordon bleu rollup in flour and shake off any excess. Dip the rollup into the beaten egg and immediately in breadcrumbs to coat the chicken cordon bleu rollup.
4. Place the coated chicken cordon bleu rollups on a greased baking sheet. Place one tablespoon of butter on each rollup. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the chicken cordon bleu rollups for 35 minutes, until the chicken juices run clear.
5. Prepare the chicken cordon bleu sauce while the rollups are baking. Combine 1/2 cup chicken broth and one cup whipping cream in a saucepan. Add salt, pepper and oregano to taste. Simmer the sauce on low until it thickens to a desired consistency. Stir regularly to prevent it from burning.
   
6. Remove the chicken cordon bleu rollups from the oven and place on serving plates. Pour the sauce over each chicken cordon bleu rollup and serve.