Oven-baked chicken cordon bleu schnitzel: delightfully crispy, oozing with cheese, and incredibly easy to make.
This delicious cordon bleu schnitzel features chicken breast filled with ham and cheese; it’s baked in the oven and served hot with potato wedges and salad. A perfect, effortless meal for the entire family!
Plus, it's a healthier twist on the classic recipe, as the chicken breasts are coated in breadcrumbs and baked, not fried. And if you like schnitzel, check out more of our recipes: Jägerschnitzel, Wiener Schnitzel, or make a Chicken Schnitzel Burger.
Featured comment:
Marie Johson: One of the best recipes I've ever tried. My family loved it. Thanks a lot for sharing.
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What is cordon bleu?
Cordon bleu is a dish of thin veal, pork, or chicken fillets filled with ham and cheese, coated in breadcrumbs, and fried until crispy. It can be deep-fried, pan-fried, or baked for a lighter version.
For a simpler take, use smaller cuts of meat, stuff with ham and cheese, bread them, and pan-fry with a generous amount of oil for a crispy texture.
The dish is known for its tender meat, savory ham, melted cheese, and golden crust, making it a flavorful favorite.
Why do we love this recipe?
Healthier: There is no deep-frying involved; the cordon bleu schnitzels are baked in the oven. Try this Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu next.
Quick and easy: Rather than creating a large, potentially unstable roll, along with the hassle of monitoring frying oil temperature, I take an easier approach. I cut the chicken breast while ensuring it stays intact on one side, give it a quick pound, fill it, coat it in breadcrumbs, and then bake it in the oven. That's all there is to it!
Affordable: The cordon bleu rolls served in restaurants are either delicious and expensive or cheap and really bad: greasy and probably coming directly from the freezer. Making tasty and healthier cordon bleu schnitzel at home is the best idea; I gave up ordering it in restaurants.
Recipe ingredients
Small boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 4.5 - 5.5 oz/ 125 - 150 g each.
Ham: I use cooked ham slices, which add a salty and savory taste to the dish, complementing the chicken and cheese.
The slices I use are thin and large, so I fold the cheese in them. One slice is enough for one schnitzel, but if your slices are very small or thin, you can use 1 ½ or two pieces and fold them to make them fit snuggly into the schnitzel.
Cheese: We like a slice of Cheddar; it tastes a bit stronger and has a nice color. However, other cheese types, such as Swiss or Gruyère, are commonly used in cordon bleu schnitzel, and they taste delicious as well.
You will need one slice per schnitzel.
Breadcrumbs: Dried breadcrumbs are used as a coating for the chicken cordon bleu schnitzel. When coated with a mixture of oil and spices, they become crispy in the oven and add a delightful crunch to the dish.
Paprika: It adds a mild, smoky flavor and a vibrant reddish color to the chicken coating.
All-purpose flour is used to coat the stuffed chicken schnitzel before dipping it into the egg mixture. The flour helps the egg mixture adhere better to the meat.
Eggs: Whisked eggs are used as a binding agent to help the breadcrumbs stick to the breasts and play a crucial role in achieving a crispy texture.
Oil: A cooking oil, such as vegetable oil or canola oil, for brushing the ham and cheese schnitzel before baking.
Other ingredients: Lemon zest, nutmeg, fine sea salt or kosher salt, and ground black pepper.
If you like to combine ham and cheese, try Ham and Cheese Puff Pastry, Stuffed Bread Rolls, or Ham and Cheese Pasta Bake.
How to make cordon bleu schnitzel?
- Butterfly: Lay the breasts flat on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, carefully slice horizontally through the thickest part of the chicken breast, but do not cut all the way through to the other side. Open up like a book, creating a larger, thinner piece of meat (1).
- Pound: To ensure even cooking and a consistent thickness, place the butterflied chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap or in a resealable plastic bag. Gently pound it with a meat mallet, rolling pin, or the flat side of a heavy knife until it is an even thickness throughout (2).
- Season: Season both sides of the breasts with salt and pepper or any other desired seasonings.
- Fill: Slice the cheese into halves or break it into smaller pieces. Take two cheese halves and wrap them together in one piece of ham. Fold the ham to completely enclose the cheese, creating a small pocket that fits snugly into the chicken breast.
- Place this ham and cheese parcel on one side of the butterflied chicken breast. Fold the other side over the filling, creating a "sandwich" with the ham and cheese in the middle (3).
- Secure with toothpicks or kitchen twine to keep the filling in place. Remember to remove the toothpicks or warn the people at the table about them before serving (3).
- Coat the stuffed chicken with flour, dip it in beaten eggs, and then coat it in breadcrumbs (4).
- Brush: Mix the oil and the sweet paprika powder in a small bowl. Place the cordon bleu schnitzel on a lined baking tray and brush them all over with about ⅔ of the oil mixture (5,6). Reserve the rest of the oil for later.
- Bake the cordon bleu chicken schnitzel for about 8 minutes in the preheated oven. Flip, brush with the remaining oil, and bake for another 7-8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- If the chicken pieces are larger, adjust the baking time accordingly.
Good to know!
Even thickness: Whether you butterfly the chicken or pound it flat, aim for an even thickness throughout the breast. This ensures uniform cooking and prevents one part from overcooking while waiting for the thicker areas to cook.
Secure the filling: Properly seal the chicken pocket or fold it to secure the filling. Use toothpicks or kitchen twine to hold it together during cooking, preventing the cheese and ham from leaking out.
Recipe FAQs
Swiss Cheese: Swiss cheese, such as Emmental or Gruyère, is a classic choice for cordon bleu. It has a nutty and slightly sweet flavor, and when melted, it becomes creamy and gooey.
Cheddar: We love its stronger taste and bright color. It also melts very nicely.
Provolone has a mild and slightly smoky flavor and melts beautifully.
Fontina: Fontina cheese is another good-melting cheese, rich and creamy, with a nutty taste.
Cooked ham is the classic choice for cordon bleu and is widely used. Cooked ham is already tender and flavorful, making it easy to work with.
Prosciutto cotto or crudo can add a gourmet touch to the cordon bleu.
Black forest ham: A smoked, dry-cured ham that can add a smoky and slightly sweet taste to the dish.
Virginia ham: A type of country ham that is usually milder in flavor, making it a good option if you prefer a less salty taste.
Ensure that the cheese is enclosed into the pieces of ham and that the breasts are securely sealed with toothpicks or kitchen twine. However, a bit of leaking might always happen.
How to store and reheat?
While it's best to serve them fresh, you can prepare the parcels and stuff them in advance. Refrigerate them and bread them just before cooking.
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze uncooked cordon bleu chicken schnitzels. Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap or foil, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag, and store them in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before cooking.
Reheat in the preheated oven (350°F/175°C) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for about 15-20 minutes or until they are heated through and crispy. Reheating the schnitzels in the oven will help retain their crispy texture better than in the microwave.
Microwave on a microwave-safe plate, covered with a microwave-safe cover on medium power for 1-2 minutes or until it's heated through. Keep an eye on it to avoid overcooking, as microwave power levels can vary.
Cordon Bleu Schnitzel
Ingredients
- 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts about 150 g/ 5.5 oz each
- 4 slices of cheese Note 1
- 2 slices cooked ham large and thin, Note 2
- fine sea salt or kosher
- ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- zest from ½ organic lemon
- a few gratings of nutmeg
- about 1 cup dried breadcrumbs 100 g/ 3.5 oz more if necessary, Note 3
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika powder
Instructions
- Oil mixture: Mix the oil and the sweet paprika powder in a small bowl. 3 tablespoon oil + ½ teaspoon sweet paprika powder
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C. Lightly brush a little of the oil mixture onto the baking paper, but apply it only in the area where you'll be placing the chicken.
- Butterfly the chicken: Lay the chicken breasts flat on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, carefully slice horizontally through their thickest part, but do not cut all the way through to the other side. Open up like a book, creating a larger, thinner piece of meat.4 small chicken breasts
- Pound: Place the butterflied chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap or in a resealable plastic bag. Pound them gently with a meat mallet, rolling pin, or small thick-bottomed saucepan until it is an even thickness throughout.
- Season: Season both sides of the breasts with salt and pepper.
- Fill: Slice the cheese into halves or break it into smaller pieces. Take two cheese halves and wrap them together in one piece of ham. Fold the ham to completely enclose the cheese, creating a small pocket that fits snugly into the chicken breast. 4 cheese slices + 4 ham slices
- Place this ham and cheese parcel on one side of the butterflied chicken breast. Fold the other side over the filling, creating a "sandwich" with the ham and cheese in the middle.
- Secure with toothpicks or kitchen twine to keep the filling in place. Remember to remove the toothpicks or warn the people at the table about them before serving.
- Prepare breading stations: Place the flour on a large plate. Lightly beat the eggs in a shallow bowl. Add the lemon zest and some nutmeg. Place the breadcrumbs on another large plate.2 tablespoon flour + 2 eggs + zest ½ lemon + a few gratings of nutmeg + 1 cup/ 100 g breadcrumbs
- Bread cordon bleu: Coat the chicken pieces in flour and shake carefully to remove the excess. Dip them into the eggs and coat them with the breadcrumbs, pressing slightly to help them adhere to the meat. Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush: Brush the cordon bleu schnitzel all over with about ⅔ of the oil mixture. Reserve the rest of the oil for later.
- Bake for about 8 minutes. Flip, brush with the remaining oil, and bake for another 7-8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. If the chicken pieces are larger, adjust the baking time accordingly.
Notes
- Cheese: I used Cheddar, but Swiss cheese, Gruyere, and Emmentaler are also great. See Recipe FAQ for more ideas.
- Ham: I used thin, large, round slices of cooked ham. If your slices are smaller or thinner, you can use 1 ½ - 2 pieces for each schnitzel.
- Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs are a great alternative.
marie johson says
One of the best recipe i've ever tried. My family loved it. Thanks a lot for sharing <3
J J Goodway says
Just the thing I'm looking for 🙂 Does any of the cheese ooze out when cooking? Im wondering what holds the construction together when flipping it over? THnaks
Adina says
Hi. It oozes a little, you can see it in the picture of the chicken on the baking tray. But it is not like all the cheese oozes out, just a little bit. Make sure that you cut the cheese and ham slices slightly smaller than the meat, so that all fits inside and the breadcrumb coating will hold everything together. I hope you like it. 🙂
Alina @ Delicious Romania says
I was just talking to my husband the other night that I'm really craving some chicken schnitzel. I never tried a baked schnitzel, but this one looks perfect! I'm craving it even more right now, so I'll know what I'll buy the next time I go shopping for groceries. 🙂
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
This Chicken Schnitzel looks incredible, Adina! I just had dinner but looking at these photos are making me hungry again!
Meghan | Fox and Briar says
This looks delicious! Your grandma does sound like quite a character, I'm glad you pushed back and embraced your creativity in cooking.
Adina says
Thank you, Meghan. She tought me to enjoy food and cooking, but her inflexibility in this area also increased my curiosity and desire to try something new all the time.
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
I think most grandparents are sent in their ways... I wouldn't take offense that your grandmother refused to eat your food. Just means more for you! Anyways, loving your schnitzel theme! Stuffed with ham and cheese sounds wonderful! Cheers to a wonderful weekend!
Adina says
I suppose so... but it wasn't so nice at the time, well it's a long time ago, more than 10 years. Have a nice weekend too, Cheyanne.
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says
Wow, your grandma was a piece of work, Adina. I'm glad you try new and different things and share them here with all of us. It's always a pleasure to visit your blog. This dish looks amazing and would disappear fast at my dinner table!
Adina says
Thank you, Allie, that is so nice to hear! 🙂
Jess @ Sweetest Menu says
Wow! What a delicious dinner. I love the ham and cheese idea!!
Adina says
Thank you, Jess. 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
Wow, does that chicken look amazing. I'm glad you didn't stick with only your grandmother's recipes. She sounds like quite a character!
Adina says
Thank you, Chris. Her food was great, but I would find it super-boring to cook the same things all over again my whole life... And yes, she was really a character!
Kathryn @ Family Food on the Table says
Loving this combination of flavors - ham and cheese and crunchy chicken? Yum! Plus, I always prefer baked over fried. Sad though that your grandmother wouldn't try your food. I know for sure she was missing out because you are a great cook! Set in her ways, I suppose, possibly to the extreme. Please though, you keep on experimenting - for all of our sakes 🙂
Adina says
Yeah, my grandma could be very extreme in her ways. But it only enhanced my desire to try everything new ... (+ I think I like eating more than she ever did, so it is easy for me to want to try new things 🙂 )
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
My favorite combination of ingredients...ham, cheese, and chicken all wrapped up in a crispy crunchy coating!
Adina says
It has become one of my favorite ways of eating chicken as well.
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy says
Chicken Schnitzel with Ham and Cheese?! I mean. I just. I can't. I NEEEEEED. 🙂
Adina says
It is indeed a tempting combination. 🙂