This easy Skillet Chicken Cordon Bleu has all the flavors of the classic dish but is ready in under 30 minutes. Pair it with some veggies and dinner is a cinch with this stovetop cordon bleu recipe.
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One of my family's favorite meals is my Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole. If I have pre-cooked chicken it is a snap to put it together for an easy dinner. But yesterday when I was staring at a pack of raw chicken breasts in the refrigerator I decided to skip the pre-cooking, skip the baking, and make it into an easy skillet meal.
The second reason I decided to make this was that I had about half of a leftover spiral sliced ham in the fridge. We had a family party on Sunday and while we were at church I left it in my Instant Pot. I guess I miscalculated the cooking time because it was very well done when we returned. It was edible but too well done for my liking. When I put pieces of it in this meal my kids thought it was bacon.
Anything covered with cheese is normally a hit in my house. How can you go wrong with rich and creamy cheesy gooeyness?
I love this creamy dijon sauce. I could eat it on anything. And lick the spoon when I was done. A few readers were aghast that I use an entire stick of butter in it for my Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole so I tried to half the butter. Nope, not the same. I added the other half of the stick and it was perfect. This is rich and is not a meal for every night but when you are craving something decadent and creamy it is perfection.
What You'll Need
- Olive Oil
- Raw Chicken Breasts
- Salt
- Ham
- Salted Butter
- Cream Cheese
- Dijon Mustard
- White Wine
- Lemon Juice
- Swiss Cheese
How To make Easy Skillet Chicken Cordon Bleu
Step 1: Cook the chicken until it is 155 degrees.
Step 2: Spread the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle on the ham.
Step 3: Cover with cheese. Traditionally Chicken Cordon Bleu uses Swiss cheese but you can use another cheese if you prefer. I used a shredded blend of Swiss and Gruyere I found at Trader Joe's.
Step 4: Cover with a lid and cook on low for about 5 minutes until the chicken has reached 160 on a meat thermometer and the cheese has melted. Serve!
Helpful Tips
- Using cream cheese that has been softened is key to making sure that it blends together smoothly. Otherwise, you may end up with lumps, and it's not as appealing. It's best to put it on the counter 30 minutes - 1 hour before you begin cooking.
- You can skip the white wine completely. It's only one tablespoon, so you don't need a lot. Swap it with chicken stock or even water.
- If you don't have time to cook ham, you can easily use leftover ham. You can also buy deli ham if that's easier for you.
What To Serve With Skillet Chicken
Really you can make just about anything with this chicken dish. Here are some of our go-to ideas that we enjoy.
Can I Use Chicken Thighs Instead of Breasts?
Sure! For this dish, I prefer the way the chicken breasts turn out, but chicken thighs would also work. I recommend sticking with a boneless chicken thigh, so you don't have to deal with bones.
What's A Good Alternative For Swiss Cheese?
Really, any white cheese that melts well would be okay. Fontina, white cheddar, or mozzarella would all be some great choices. You could even use a provolone cheese too.
Can Skillet Chicken Be Meal Prepped?
Yep, meal prepping this chicken is really easy. Simply prepare it as directed then put it inside of a single serving food container. Or you can save the entire thing together in a larger container. You can freeze it for up to one month or put it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until it's hot. It's best to cover it with a paper towel because as it heats in the microwave it will make a bit of a mess.
You can also reheat in a casserole dish in the oven. Warm it at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until it's hot.
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 - 2.5 pounds raw chicken breasts or tenderloins
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 10 oz ham cut into bite-size pieces
- 4 oz salted butter melted
- 6 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon white wine optional
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 oz swiss cheese or other white cheese such as mozzarella or provolone
Instructions
- Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Drizzle the olive oil into the pan. Add the chicken and sprinkle with the ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for about 7 minutes until the bottoms are golden. Flip. Cook until the chicken reaches 155 with a meat thermometer.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the melted butter, softened cream cheese, white wine (if using), mustard, lemon juice, and salt. Whisk until a thick sauce forms.
- Top the cooked chicken with the sauce. Sprinkle on the ham and cheese on top of the sauce. Cover with a lid and cook until the cheese is melted and the chicken is 160 degrees when checked with a meat thermometer.
- Alternatively, broil for 2-3 minutes after topping until the cheese is melted and golden.
Beth Ann Borth says
I had some leftover chicken that I had roasted earlier in the week so I used that instead of cooking it fresh for this recipe. I also had some leftover asparagus from another meal that I threw in on top of the ham. My grocery store has a cheddar Gruyere cheese that my son suggested we try in this so I put that on top of the asparagus and then Swiss on top of that. It was absolutely fantastic. Did not need any salt.
Susan says
Absolutely delicious!!! I wouldn’t change a thing... my husband said this was a keeper and I said, I know!!! Yum
Rhonda Donat says
I use unsalted butter, and leave out any extra salt. Super easy, quick week night dinner. I also use le gruyere cheese. It is excellent.
Jamie says
I made this for my in-laws and they loved it! Thank you for this amazing meal!
Sarah says
This was so good!
Thank you for sharing!
Susy Bermudez says
There are alternate ways to making this dish like for instance, low salt ham, less salt and unsalted butter. This was so delicious!
Angela says
Low carb, YES; high in fat, YES; high sodium content, YES. Will I be making this dish, NO.
Taryn says
When asked politely I'm more than happy to give tips to adjust my recipes. To reduce the sodium content in this use unsalted butter and leave out the 1/2 tsp added salt. You don't need to be rude.
Christy says
Angela, People watching their carbs do not care if the recipe is high in fat. We only care about the CARBS!
kristin says
Someone needs a low sodium hug
todd says
I made this recipe and it was delicious. I suggest cutting the ham into small dice, so that it can be distributed better and won't fall off the chicken during prep. I put the sauce into a piping bag in order to apply it evenly. I used mozzarella because shredded swiss isn't readily available for some reason. I used skinless boneless chicken breast that I cut into thinner slices.