Cordon Bleu Schnitzel

5 from 1 vote

An easier version of a famous dish: chicken cordon bleu schnitzel baked in the oven, still crunchy and oozing with cheese, yet less fussy to make.

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Total Time45

Course: Poultry

Cuisine: International

Servings: people

Calories: 591kcal

Author: Adina

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.

Nutrition