Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe
Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe! I created this many years ago and it only has 5 ingredients! It’s absolutely crazy delicious! This is a favorite on my Budget Friendly Meals list because you can make ahead, then freeze and it’s still amazing! Frozen Chicken Cordon Bleu can taste just like you made it fresh when you follow the below instructions! So Yum!
It’s a beautiful presentation and makes a perfect elegant dinner for guests! Chicken Cordon Bleu is one of those perfect make ahead dinner recipes for company.
Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe
Ingredients:
- Boneless Skinless Chicken (as many as you like..make more and freeze for later!)
- Ham, thinly sliced (can be deli, Prosciutto, or even just a yummy cooked ham)
- Swiss Cheese
- Ranch Dressing, your favorite (buy 2 bottles to make sure you have enough if doing a large batch)
- Italian Bread Crumbs
Can you freeze Chicken Cordon Bleu?
Yes you can definitely freeze Chicken Cordon Bleu and it freezes beautifully. This is the perfect Chicken Cordon Bleu freezer meal! I actually created this old recipe to be frozen for later. It’s really part of my effort to Make a Flexible Meal Plan. That’s why this recipe is really great for planning for company, because you can make weeks ahead and pull out for the weekend and it turns out wonderful!
Make Ahead Chicken Cordon Bleu Frozen
Directions:
The first thing is that you need to flatten/tenderize your Chicken Breasts. Do not get intimidated by this! Years ago when I bought boneless skinless chicken at the deli, they would tenderize it for nothing. Now they won’t do it at all because they say they don’t want to mix the meats in the tenderizer. HO HUM!
Anyway I didn’t make my yummy Chicken Cordon Bleu for years because of that. It just seemed overwhelming to me to tenderize myself.
How to Flatten Chicken for Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu
Well folks it’s super easy..and if you’re having a bad day… take it out on the chicken!
To save on contamination AND on a little mess I use parchment paper or wax paper and lay it down on a cutting board
Then lay another piece of paper on top of the chicken. Then begin hitting it to flatten/tenderize. I use a rolling pin but there are actually meat tenderizers you can buy that are super easy to use.
After you have tenderized to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, put your Ranch dressing and Bread Crumbs into 2 separate shallow dishes.
Place 1 Ham and Swiss Cheese into the middle of the chicken.
Now Roll up from one end to the other. Use Toothpicks to hold in place. Tuck the ends over and also use toothpicks to hold. No perfectionism aloud here. The chicken will be beautiful..you’ll see. Just use toothpicks to hold together as best as you can.
Then roll chicken in Ranch Dressing to coat. You can remove a little of the Ranch but keep it coated pretty well.
Now roll it in the breadcrumbs.
Set aside on to a baking sheet.
To Cook: preheat oven to 375 degree oven for 45 min – hour. Let rest for about 5 min. after you remove from oven. Then slice about 1 inch thick slices. Oh and don’t forget to take the toothpicks out..Yikes!
How to Flash Freeze Chicken Cordon Bleu for later
All you do to flash freeze Chicken Cordon Bleu is to put the chicken onto the baking sheet and stick into the freezer for about 2 hours. They should not be touching each other. You can cover them or not…just so long as they are not touching each other or other things in the freezer.
After a couple of hours you remove them from the freezer and put them into Gallon Freezer Bags for a later time. They freeze REALLY WELL. So this is the perfect make ahead dinner if you know that you will be having company in the near future.
It’s that easy!!
How to cook frozen Chicken Cordon Bleu
If you are in a pinch and need to cook your Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu while still frozen…Yes you can do that. I would cook low and slow though. This recipe is very thick and you don’t want the outside to burn while the inside stays raw. So I would say 350 degrees for at least an hour then check for doneness. If outside seems to be getting too dark, you can cover with foil.
It’s just so yummy and pretty!
Chicken Cordon Bleu Super Simple 5 Ingredients
Ingredients
- Boneless Skinless Chicken as many as you like..make more and freeze for later!
- Ham thinly sliced (can be deli, Prosciutto, or even just a yummy cooked ham)
- Swiss Cheese
- Ranch Dressing your favorite (buy 2 bottles to make sure you have enough if doing a large batch)
- Italian Bread Crumbs
Instructions
- Flatten/tenderize your Chicken Breasts
- To save on contamination AND on a little mess I use parchment paper or wax paper and lay it down on a cutting board
- Then lay another piece of paper on top of the chicken. Then begin hitting it to flatten/tenderize. I use a rolling pin but there are actually meat tenderizers you can buy that are like a hammer.
- After you have tenderized to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, put your Ranch dressing and Bread Crumbs into 2 separate shallow dishes.
- Place 1 Ham and Swiss Cheese into the middle of the chicken.
- Roll up from one end to the other. Use Toothpicks to hold in place. Tuck the ends over and also use toothpicks to hold.
- roll chicken in Ranch Dressing to coat. You can remove a little of the Ranch but keep it coated pretty well.
- Now roll it in the breadcrumbs.
- Set aside on to a baking sheet.
- Here is the great part. You can either go ahead and cook these now or you can flash freeze and then put into Gallon Bags for a later time. They freeze REALLY WELL
- Cook in a preheated 375 degree oven for 45 min – hour. Let rest for about 5 min. after you remove from oven. Then slice about 1 inch thick slices. Oh and don’t forget to take the toothpicks out..Yikes!
This looks delicious! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
I too would like to know if we bake frozen? Also, at what temperature? I’m thinking some minced up broccoli sounds great in this too. Thank you for taking the time to please all of us with your wonderful site and knowledge.
Thank you.
Ok maybe this will sound stupid but. I plan to make these to freeze, Im curious about the toothpicks and storage and baking… do the toothpicks not burn while cooking? And is it possible to freeze and cook without them? Don’t want them to puncture my ziploc bag… and do you cook straight from freezer or let thaw? And ifstraight what’s the difference in time? Thanks and sorry for all the questions 🙂
I haven’t had CCB in forever! Thanks for the reminder!
I think I’ll give this a whirl next week!
I might have to try this tonight!!!
Happy Friday to you. Wanted to let you know I’m featuring this wonderful recipe as my personal favorite at Weekend Potluck today. C’mon over and check it out. =) Thanks again for sharing. \https://www.thebetterbaker.blogspot.com/2014/02/ooey-gooey-german-chocolate-bars.html
Your chicken looks delicious! I like that you can make it ahead as well! Stopping by from Family Fun Friday to let you know that your yummy chicken will be one of my features this week!
I love simple chicken recipes. I would have never thought to use the ranch as a coating under the breadcrumbs, so smart 🙂 Thanks for sharing with the Mixer last week. Hope to see you again on Thursday.
This is fantastic!
You ROCK for linking up this week to Tip Me Tuesday. {high fives}
Just a heads up, Tip Junkie can help you index your blog more effectively if you upload at least 2 images, 2 steps, and blog post URL into your Tip Junkie craft room!
Simply login and click “add a project” on your profile page to get started. {yep I’ve got your back!}
~ Laurie {a.k.a. the Tip Junkie}
Link ~ https://www.tipjunkie.com/how-to-add-a-craft-room-project-on-tip-junkie
THANK YOU Laurie!! YOU ROCK too!! 😀 I didn’t know that I could upload recipes to the add project page! Yay!!!! I’ll do it! Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and tell me! <3 By the way LOVE your Mom Blog Money Blog!!! Yep I broke down and got it and it's worth a million. Just changed my theme today so it's not too set up..but it will be by the end of the week! Have a blessed week!!
This awesome recipe is screaming!!!!!! my name! Perfect. Love your beautiful tutorial too. Thanks a million for sharing at Weekend Potluck. I am pinning this for now but will be making it soon.
Thanks for linking up to Good Tips Tuesday! This looks so good and I can’t wait to try it. Off to enter your 5 ingredient chicken contest! Sweet. Thanks.
Hi Shari Lynne, found you via Twirl and Take a Bow. That recipe looks yummy! Chicken Cordon Bleu is a long-time favorite in our house. Thank you for sharing your recipe! Val
This is such a pretty and easy dinner. You are right — you can take out any frustrations while you tenderize the chicken, hah. Thank you so much for linking this recipe up at Recipe Sharing Monday. I hope to see you back next Monday. Have a good weekend!
This recipe looks so delicious! I’m pinning it 🙂 And I hope to try it later this month. I need to get more brave and out-of-the-box in my meal planning!
I loooooove that you can freeze these! My kids like the version you can buy in the grocery store, but these are obviously way more healthy. This is going on my must-try list!
That sounds so yummy! My daughter LOVES Ranch, so I’m sure she would love this! Pinning!
Thanks for linking up with Take it on Tuesday! 🙂
My mom made this all the time when I was growing up, I like how you rolled it and then sliced it! This recipe looks great! I am checking it out from All things thursday link party and I pinned this 🙂
Cathy
We love Chicken Cordon Bleu in our family. I can’t wait to try this out!
(Oh, and I’m visiting from the Thrifty Thursday link up.)
Yum thank you for sharing.
You are welcome 🙂 Enjoy!