Chicken Cordon Bleu
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Looking for an easy weeknight meal? Make Chicken Cordon Bleu! It’s easier than you think and can be ready in less than an hour. Pound the chicken breasts, then roll Castle Wood Reserve Honey Cured Ham and Swiss Cheese into them. Sear the chicken in a skillet until browned, then bake. Serve this family-friendly entree with a favorite veggie and watch as the whole family falls in love with this combination of flavors.

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Last March, I gave birth to our first child, a beautiful baby girl. While my husband and I were at the hospital, my mother stayed at our home.
She offered to take care of our dog, as well as make some freezer meals for us because she knew those would come in handy as we settled into our new normal.
The day we came home, a bright Wednesday afternoon, my mom was making a huge batch of Chicken Cordon Bleu, which is one of my all-time favorite meals. When we walked in, she was rolling chicken breast after chicken breast with ham and cheese and explained to us that she was going to freeze a lot of the ones she was making, then she’d cook the others for dinner.
We wholeheartedly agreed.
Those first few days of our daughter’s life are a blur now, but I remember that Chicken Cordon Bleu being perfect. Something about the combination of chicken, honey ham and Swiss cheese is super comforting to me. Also? The cheese and ham that ooze out of the rolled chicken as it bakes to form burnt bits in the bottom of the pan just add another layer of crunchy deliciousness.

I’ve made Chicken Cordon Bleu several times since our daughter arrived eighteen months ago, and every time, I think of my mom.
I used to think this entrée was really challenging to make. To this day, I’m unsure why because I’ve watched my mom make it time and again.
It turns out, all you need is an hour, four ingredients, salt and pepper… and toothpicks.
That’s it.
Who doesn’t like making an easy, delicious homemade meal that the whole family will adore? It tastes oh-so-fancy, but it’s oh-so-simple.
Lemme tell you how.

Recently, I wanted to recreate this dish, so I swung by my local Walmart and picked up some chicken breasts, a package of Castle Wood Reserve® Natural Baby Swiss Cheese and a package of Castle Wood Reserve® Natural Honey Cured Ham.
I spotted the Castle Wood Reserve® products in Walmart’s Deli section. Castle Wood Reserve® offers a full line of quality deli meets and cheeses! These products versatile enough to play part in a charcuterie board, a school lunch, or even dinner.

With my supplies in hand, I got to work.
And I’ve gotta say… The best thing you can do for yourself while prepping this recipe is set your workspace for success.
You’re going to be rolling chicken, so you want to place the slices of Castle Wood Reserve® Natural Baby Swiss Cheese, the slices of Castle Wood Reserve® Natural Honey Cured Ham, and the toothpicks on plates so you aren’t digging through their packaging when you should be rolling them.
I like to pound the chicken in a gallon-sized plastic bag, then I set the prepped chicken breasts on another plate.
And I like to roll them on a dishwasher-friendly cutting board.
I also like to set aside another clean plate for the rolled Chicken Cordon Bleu.
Make it easy on yourself, y’all. Trust me. Nobody wants to be scrubbing their countertops because raw chicken was prepped on it. (Been there, done that, and never again.)

So now that you’ve got your mise en place, let’s do this thing.
Set out the chicken. Make sure it’s flat.
Place three slices of Castle Wood Reserve® Natural Honey Cured Ham in it.
Place two slices of Castle Wood Reserve® Natural Baby Swiss Cheese on top of the ham.
Starting at the side closest to you, roll the chicken and its filling slowly until it the chicken overlaps itself. Try not to let too much of the cheese peek out, or it’ll ooze out when you sear the chicken. Then secure the chicken and its filling with 2-3 toothpicks, and set aside on the clean plate.
Repeat the process until all of the Chicken Cordon Bleu are rolled.

Wash your hands thoroughly. (Please don’t forget this step.)
Then you’ll season the chicken with salt and pepper before you sear it on all sides. Once the chicken is browned, it goes in the oven to finish cooking.
And that’s it!
So while that chicken bakes for 30 minutes, you can hang out. Prep whatever side you’re making. (We’re partial to steam green beans or broccoli with this dish!) Help the kids with their homework. Have a quality conversation with someone you love.
… You get the idea.
And then when the Chicken Cordon Bleu is done, let it cool for 5-10 minutes, remove the toothpicks, then serve.

Here’s how you can do it…


Chicken Cordon Bleu
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts (about 6-8 oz. each)
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 4 slices honey ham (about ½ lb.)
- 6-8 slices swiss cheese (depending on how thick they are)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Equipment
- Gallon-sized plastic bag
- Kitchen mallet
- 12 toothpicks
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Instructions
Prepare the Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Flatted the chicken breasts. Place a chicken breast into a gallon-sized plastic bag, and seal, removing as much air as you can from the bag.
- Use a kitchen mallet to pound the chicken until it is about ½” thin.
- Remove the chicken from the plastic bag. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Stack on a plate. Do this for each piece of chicken individually before proceeding.
- On another plate, arrange the Swiss cheese slices and the sliced ham. Place the toothpicks on or around the same plate, too. (This step makes this process SO MUCH EASIER, and it makes it to where you don’t have to dig in packaging while you have raw chicken fingers.)
- Stuff the chicken. Transfer the first chicken breast onto a flat surface, like a cutting board that can go in the dishwasher or another large plate. The chicken needs to lie flat for this to work. Make sure the widest part of the breast is closest to you.
- Place a slice of honey ham on top of the chicken. (If the ham is thicker, you'll only need one slice. If it is thinner, you might need two to three. This is also a personal preference thing.)
- Place one and a half slices of the Swiss cheese on top of the ham. (If the cheese is thick, you might want to use less. If it's very thinly sliced, you might want to add more.)
- Starting at the side closest to you, roll the chicken and its filling slowly until it the chicken overlaps itself. It is important to start rolling at the widest end of the chicken so that less fill peeks out of it. Try not to let too much of the cheese peek out here, or it’ll ooze before it really cooks through. Use 3-4 toothpicks to secure the chicken and its filling. Set aside on a clean plate.
- Repeat this process until all the chicken breasts are rolled.
Sear and Bake the Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, and set aside.
- Melt the unsalted butter in a large nonstick skillet.
- When the butter is melted, place the chicken in the skillet, the unsealed side down.
- Rotate the chicken to brown all sides. This should take around 2-3 minutes per side.
- When the chicken is completely browned, transfer to the prepared baking dish. Transfer into the oven uncovered.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken breast reads 165℉.
- When the timer goes off, remove the baking dish from the oven. Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove all the toothpicks. (These are unpleasant to bite into!)
- Serve warm, and enjoy with your favorite side dishes.
Nutrition
Have you tried Castle Wood Reserve®?
What kinds of easy weeknight meals do you make for your family?
Have you tried this recipe? Leave us a comment and star rating below!

About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
Oh my gosh, Erin. This looks UH-MAZING. Like I told you the other day, I have to make this ASAP. Thanks for the encouragement that this is super easy!
Yes please, for dinner tonight! I’ll have to look for that brand.
I haven’t made this since the kids came along, and after seeing your recipe, I know I have to make it again soon!
Oh yum! This looks perfect! And don’t you just love those dishes that remind you of mom & home? The best comfort food! 🙂
Chicken Cordon Bleu is one of my all time favorites! Can’t wait to try this!
You are making me so hungry! These look delicious!
I would LOVE this for dinner! Looks perfect!