Chicken Cordon Bleu with Mushroom Sauce
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Cordon Bleu is one of those dishes that instantly takes me back to my childhood days. My family spent all their vacations up in Northern Wisconsin at my grandparents cottage on Rest Lake. We enjoyed summers frolicking in the water and digging never-ending holes to China, and winters planting our tip-ups on the iced over lake in the hopes of catching that one lucky fish. I still remember venturing out on the boat one warm summer morning with my grandfather on a hunt for muskies; one of the biggest and baddest lake fish there is, and the exact moment that one actually started to follow my line towards the boat. I began to reel faster and faster; there was no way I was going to let that fish actually catch my line!
When we arrived home from our fishing expedition, my grandmother had put together a lunch for us of cordon bleu with mushroom sauce. She was a big fan of the Schwan man (still is) and would always have a pack of their cordon bleu on hand. Oh how I loved those chicken filled treats. I used to look forward to visiting my grandma Mimi just so I could get my hands on one of them.
Today my grandmother lives in Arizona and we don’t get out to visit her and my grandfather nearly as much as we’d like. My grandfather’s 87th birthday was a few weeks back and it reminded me of those younger times up at the cottage. This dish is a way to bring back those cherished moments and to say thank you to my grandparents for all the wonderful memories and love they continue to pour over me to this day.
Begin by slicing a pocket into your chicken breasts. You want it to be big enough to hold the fillings, but not so big that you pop out on the other end. Load it up with some ham and cheese.
Now you’ll close it up using either toothpicks or kitchen twine.
In a bowl, mix together a some panko bread crumbs and a spoonful of tarragon. Can I just say that tarragon is one of my all time favorite herbs? So, so good.
Once it’s mixed up, go ahead and roll your chicken around in it.
In a large pan, heat up a little oil on medium high heat and pop your breasts in, letting them cook for a minute or two on each side. Remove them from the pan and place them in an oven heated to 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the juices run clear.
While the chicken is cooking, grab up a clean pan and melt a little butter over medium heat. Add in a few mushrooms, onions, garlic and herbs and saute them up.
Once they’re good and cooked, stir in a little flour to coat the mixture. Then add in some broth and some white wine.
Let the sauce heat back up and thicken. Remove it from the heat and swirl in a little half and half and parsley (use fresh if you’ve got it).
Pull your cooked chicken out of the oven, ladle some of your mushroom sauce over the top and celebrate a childhood memory of your own.
What food reminds you of a treasured moment from your childhood?
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Total Time: 1 Hour
Ingredients:
For the Chicken:
4 Chicken Breasts
1/4 Pound Gruyere Cheese, Sliced
4 Ounces Ham (I used Pancetta)
3/4 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1 tsp Tarragon
2 Tbsp Cooking OilFor the Mushroom Sauce:
2 Tbsp Butter
5 Ounces Mushrooms, Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1/2 Onion, Chopped
1/2 tsp Tarragon
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Flour
1/4 Cup White Wine
1/2 Cup Chicken Broth
1/4 Cup Half & Half
1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, ChoppedDirections:
Slice the chicken breast down the middle to form a pocket in the chicken. Add in your cheese slices and ham.
Close chicken up with either toothpicks or kitchen twine.
Mix together the panko and the tarragon. Roll the breasts in the mixture.
Heat a large pan on medium high heat and add in the oil. When the oil is heated, add in your breasts and cook for a minute or two on each side.
Place breasts in an oven preheated to 350 degrees and cook for 25-30 minutes or until juices run clear.
While chicken is cooking, grab up a large saute pan, add the butter and melt it on medium heat.
Add in the mushrooms and cook for a minute or two.
Add in the garlic, onion, tarragon, and salt and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
Add in the flour and stir to coat.
Add in the wine and chicken broth and allow the sauce to heat back up and thicken.
Once thickened, remove from heat and stir in the half & half and fresh parsley. Add additional salt if needed.
Pour over cordon bleu and serve.
Anna — April 13, 2011 @ 6:34 am
So good, mushroom and chicken, oh how they just taste so amazingly together. And I can just taste it. So good!
Claire @ Claire K Creations — April 13, 2011 @ 7:08 am
That looks mouth-wateringly good. I’m obsessed with mushrooms at the moment and who can go past that filling, yum!
Maranda — April 13, 2011 @ 8:29 am
That looks amazing Julie! Great job!! And way to tempt me with the mushrooms this early in the morning!
Suzanne — April 13, 2011 @ 9:01 am
MMmm… this looks really good, I like that you stuffed it instead of rolling it up much more do-able.
Rita — April 13, 2011 @ 11:02 am
Looks and tastes wonderful; I often made this,but it has been ages. Love this recipe and happy to find it again.
Rita
Ali — April 13, 2011 @ 12:19 pm
I think I could easily eat the mushroom sauce all on its own. haha. This looks fantastic. I’d love for you to add this to the Hump Day Hoorah link party. I hope to see you there!
Jenna — April 13, 2011 @ 1:01 pm
This looks awesome. And I love the North woods of Wisconsin–that’s where we’ve been vacationing the past 2 summers.
By the way, is it totally immature that I’m laughing at “heat up a little oil on medium high heat and pop your breasts in”?
I think it is. =) But thanks for the laugh anyway.
Tanvi@SinfullySpicy — April 13, 2011 @ 1:01 pm
This looks comfort food Julie.Love it.I like the goodies stuffed inside the chicken and the thick mushroom gravy.Just my kind of food for weekends.Thanks for sharing this childhood fav with us.
Laura in Cancun — April 13, 2011 @ 1:03 pm
I’m not a fan of Cordon Bleu, but damn I love mushrooms!
Peggy — April 13, 2011 @ 3:30 pm
This recipe looks wonderful. Just wondering if there is a way to print just the recipe. When I tried to print this it printed everything-about 10 pages. Thanks!
Mari's Cakes — April 13, 2011 @ 5:28 pm
Julie, I love cordon blue, and you made it even more special with that incredible mushroom sauce. I love you step by step photos, it is very well explained. I think I will make it better than my brother in-law next time.
Thanks
Big Boys Oven — April 13, 2011 @ 9:10 pm
OMG! I am drooling with lust over your chicken dish! I must make this dish this weekend, awesome sharing!
Melissa R — April 13, 2011 @ 10:05 pm
This looks way too yummy!!
5 Star Foodie — April 13, 2011 @ 10:18 pm
Sounds absolutely amazing, especially with the rich flavorful mushroom sauce, yum!
christy — April 13, 2011 @ 11:06 pm
this looks amazing! my mom would make chicken cordon bleu..but not with a mushroom sauce…i love your version!
Miel Abeille — April 14, 2011 @ 2:34 am
Julie this is splendid! I admire how you combine food writing with memoir! And I love mushrooms, so this is a great recipe!
Mandy - The Complete Cook Book — April 14, 2011 @ 2:36 am
Oh what a perfect meal – yummy! Throw in some creamy mashed potatoes and my hubby will be in heaven.
Mandy
Mandy - The Complete Cook Book — April 14, 2011 @ 2:38 am
Wanted to vote for you but the Rice Krispies link did not work – said content not found.
Biren @ Roti n Rice — April 14, 2011 @ 2:56 pm
This looks so yummy with the mushroom sauce! Thanks for sharing your cherished memories and this wonderful recipe. The Schwan guy is also a favorite here in MN. I hear they have really good ice cream. Going over right now to vote.
Rach — April 14, 2011 @ 6:13 pm
Fancy smancy! And looks so tasty!
Feast on the Cheap — April 14, 2011 @ 9:30 pm
Just voted for you!
Ayazma — April 15, 2011 @ 4:47 am
It looks great!
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective — April 15, 2011 @ 8:36 am
Oh Julie, That look divine. I’m sitting her eating cottage cheese, wishing it were Cordon Bleu!
saVUryandsweet — April 15, 2011 @ 11:39 am
I love that you used pancetta! Looks delish.
rebecca — April 15, 2011 @ 4:56 pm
this looks wonderful love the tarragon in here too have a fab weekend
Natasha @ Maw Books — April 18, 2011 @ 9:29 pm
New to your blog! I think I found you through foodgawker? Anyways, I made this tonight and it was DELICIOUS!! Husband loved it and both boys, age 3 & 5, ate it up. Thanks!
Sc — May 10, 2011 @ 7:05 am
Hiya,
Tried your recipe but my mushroom sauce is not as “creamy white” as yours. Mine turned out quite brown and not as creamy. I used a mixture of swiss brown and white button mushrooms. Kindly enlighten me. All-in-all, great recipe! Thanks!!
Justin — June 24, 2011 @ 2:24 pm
We’re making this tonight… for a quick fix we may use cream of mushroom soup instead of making the mushroom sauce. : ) Thanks for the yummy recipe. We’ll let ya know how it turns out!
Justin — June 24, 2011 @ 8:48 pm
Was a success!! We used Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Roasted Garlic Soup!
Irish Twins Momma — October 29, 2011 @ 8:21 pm
Googled chicken cordon blue and found your recipe. Making it tonight!