Crispy creamy chicken cordon bleu with panko breading recipe. This chicken pesto roll up is filled with pesto, ham and Swiss cheese.

This gorgeous chicken cordon bleu is really not that hard to prepare. And it’s so worth the effort not only because it’s so beautiful but it is out of this world delicious.

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Make this chicken cordon bleu with panko bread crumbs. And then serve it in slices like Chicken kiev with ham and cheese or as chicken pesto roll ups. So grab your kitchen mallet and turn chicken breasts into this beautiful swirl of totally awesome flavors.

Difference between Cordon Bleu and Chicken Kiev:

Chicken Cordon Bleu means blue ribbon in French and is is a 1st place dish in our book. It’s is a pounded chicken breast rolled up with different fillings such cheese, ham, prosciutto and veggies such as cooked asparagus or broccoli. And rolled into seasoned bread crumbs and baked. But sometimes it’s topped with a creamy sauce but in our case we added a fresh pesto inside with the fillings.

Chicken Kiev is usually a pounded chicken breast wrapped around seasoned butter but you can make chicken kiev with ham and cheese. It’s also rolled into bread crumbs and baked into the oven. If you are using butter it is usually either frozen or very cold so it holds up until the chicken is baked enough to seal it inside.

Crispy Creamy Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 half chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
2 Tablespoons of pesto
4 slices of Swiss cheese
4 slices of deli ham
1/4 cup of flour
4 springs of fresh thyme
1 cup panko crumbs
1 clove of garlic crushed
2 tablespoons of butter
salt
black pepper
1 egg

Equipment Needed:

Kitchen Mallet
Clear Wrap
3 pie tins or paper plates, for breading
Baking sheet

How to make chicken cordon bleu with panko breading

Place each chicken breast between two pieces of clear wrap on chopping block. Pound each breast to about 1/4 inch thick. After the breasts are about 1/4 inch thick, spread about 1 tablespoon of pesto on each chicken breast.

Lay one slice of cheese over the pesto, add two slices of ham and cover with another slice of cheese.

Using the bottom piece of clear wrap, roll up the chicken breast up tight tucking in the ends very securely to keep the cheese from pouring out when cooking. Wrap up and place in fridge for an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Set out three plates or pie tins. Season flour with salt and pepper and place in first plate (or pie tin).

Beat the egg and pour into second plate.

Combine panko crumbs with thyme, garlic, salt and pepper and place in third plate or pie tin, add melted butter to panko mixture and stir to combine.

Remove chicken cordon bleu from the fridge and unwrap. Carefully dredge the chicken cordon bleu in flour mixture.

Then roll in beaten egg and finally roll in the panko mixture until very well coated.

baking chicken cordon bleu with panko breading

Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked and browned.

Cut each Chicken Breast into pinwheels prior to serving to show all the gorgeous flavors. You could enjoy these amazing chicken pesto roll ups as an appetizer also.

Other Chicken Recipes:

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4.87 from 15 votes

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Panko Bread Crumbs

Crispy creamy chicken cordon bleu with panko breading recipe. This chicken pesto roll up is filled with pesto, ham and Swiss cheese.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Chill Time1

Total Time1 40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: chicken cordon bleu with panko bread crumbs, chicken pesto roll ups, Crispy creamy chicken cordon bleu

Servings:

Calories: 764kcal

Author: Evelyn Osborn

Equipment

kitchen mallet
Clear Wrap
parchment paper
Baking Sheet
3 Paper plates or pie tins for dredging the chicken

Ingredients

2 half Chicken breasts skinless boneless
2 Tablespoons Pesto
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 slices deli ham
¼ cup flour
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup panko crumbs
1 clove garlic crushed
2 tablespoons butter
salt
black pepper
1 egg

Instructions

Place each chicken breast between two pieces of clear wrap on chopping block. Pound each breast to about 1/4 inch thick.
After the breasts are about 1/4 inch thick, peel back the top piece of clear wrap and spread about 1 tablespoon of pesto on the chicken breast.
Lay one slice of cheese over the pesto, add two slices of ham and cover with another slice of cheese.
Using the bottom piece of clear wrap, roll up the chicken breast up tight tucking in the ends very securely to keep the cheese from pouring out when cooking. Wrap up and place in fridge for an hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Set out three paper plates or pie tins. Season flour with salt and pepper and place in first plate (or pie tin). Beat egg and pour into second plate. Combine panko crumbs with thyme, garlic, salt and pepper and place in third plate, add melted butter to panko mixture and stir to combine.
Remove chicken from the fridge and unwrap.
Carefully dredge the chicken cordon bleu in flour mixture, then roll in beaten egg and finally roll in the panko mixture until well coated.
Place on greased baking sheet and bake for in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked and browned.
Cut each Chicken Breast into pinwheels prior to serving