Chicken Cordon Bleu

➡️ Please read the entire recipe before proceeding. (This recipe entry is under construction)

Requirements:  Meat Grinder, Pasta Machine, Patience

Directions

Making Chicken Cordon Bleu (C.C.B.) is a fairly extensive process but well worth the effort. You may find the list of tasks overwhelming at first, but once you have done it a couple of times, you will see that it's not so bad.

Here are the steps involved:

• Preparing the Cheese Wraps

• Preparing the Chicken

• Preparing the Ham

• Preparing the Breading Mix

• Making the C.C.B

• Breading the C.C.B

• Deep Frying the C.C.B

• Baking the C.C.B

Optional Step

• Making a Swiss Cheese Sauce

Preparing the Cheese Wrap

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• For this small quantity of pasta, just add the water to the flour a bit at a time and mix it using a fork. Once it forms a lump, you can begin working it by hand.

• Wrap the dough ball in cling-wrap until you are ready for the next step.

• Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

A water to the semolina flour a bit at a time.

Mix with a fork

Work the dough with your hands

Work the dough with your hands

Completed pasta dough ball

Wrap dough in cling wrap

Let the dough rest for 30 minutes

• Cut the cheese into rectangles of approximately 3 ½” long, ¾” wide and ¾” high (~9 cm x 2cm x 2 cm).

  • You can do this by eye, but it is best to use a ruler for precise measurements. The goal is to, as much as possible, have all the Cordon Bleus look the same and have the same characteristics in the end.

  • Your pieces should be about 30-35 grams per each.

Cut cheese rectangles to 3 ½” x ¾” (~9 cm x 2 cm)

Cut cheese rectangles to 3 ½” x ¾” (~9 cm x 2 cm)

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• Run the pasta through the pasta roller up to the 4rth level of thinness.

  • Example: If the widest gap setting on your pasta machine is 1, work your way to 4.

  • The idea is to have a noodle that is similar in thickness to a lasagna noodle.

Pasta Machine

Dusting the countertop with semolina flour

Preparing the dough

Running the dough through the rollers

Running the dough through the rollers

Running the dough through the rollers

Running the dough through the rollers

• Lay the sheet of pasta on a countertop that is lightly dusted with semolina flour.

• Cut the pasta sheet into 4 rectangles of approximately 6” x 3 ½” (15.25 x 8.9 cm) and lay a piece of cheese in the center of each one.

  • You may have to roll more pasta to have 4 pieces of the correct dimensions.

• Wet the contour of the pasta rectangle all around the block of cheese by dipping a finger in warm water and lightly rubbing it over the surface.

Wet the pasta rectangle all around the cheese.

Wet the pasta rectangle all around the cheese.

• Fold the left and right sides of the dough over both short ends and then fold the long edge that is facing you over and roll it into a tube, as depicted below.  Repeat for each cheese wrap.

  • If it looks like you will have an excessive amount of dough, you can trim some off.

Fold the short edges over the cheese

Fold the long edge facing over the cheese

Before rolling, you can trim off excess dough.

Roll into a tube

• Let the pieces air dry, uncovered, for about 15 minutes.

• Bring a medium sized pot of water to a light boil.

• Gently immerse the cheese wraps into the boiling water and let them boil very lightly for 5-6 minutes.

  • Do not let the water come to a vigorous boil or the cheese might leak out of the wraps.

• Scoop out the wraps and immerse them in a bowl of cold water.  After about 2 minutes, drain the water and replace it with more cold water as the initial soaking will have warmed up the water.  Let the wraps cool for another 5 minutes.

• Remove the wraps from the water, pat them dry with a paper towel and lay them on a small plate.

• Cover the plate with cling wrap and refrigerate it for the time being. 

  • The wraps will be used later in the process, after other steps have been completed.

Preparing the Chicken

• Begin by cutting the chicken breasts into strips that will fit in your meat grinder.

• Grind enough chicken to suit your needs (250 grams per C.C.B.).

  • Use a medium to fine grinding wheel.

• Cover the ground chicken with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preparing the Ham

• You will need 240-280 grams for 4 Chicken Cordon Bleus (60-70 grams per CB).

•  If you are using oven roasted ham, you can chop it coarsely as it will break up easily when you mix in the mayo and mustard.  If you are not using oven-roasted ham, you should chop it finely.

• Transfer the chopped ham to a mixing bowl and add the following:

  • 1 teaspoon of whole grain mustard

  • 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise

• Mix it all together using a fork.  Continue until the mayo and mustard are well blended and the ham is broken up into small pieces then cover and set aside.

• Use 1/3 cup per (57 grams) x 4 = ~240 grams required

Preparing the Breading Mix

• In a deep flat pan, like a round cake pan, combine the following ingredients:

  • 3 cups bread crumbs

  • ½ teaspoon thyme

  • 1 teaspoon Mike’s Season All

In the image above, I experimented with adding parmesan cheese to the breading.  However, I noticed that it makes the Cordon Bleu brown too quickly during the frying process so I no longer use parmesan it in this recipe.  Lesson learned:  Parmesan in breading is more fitting for something that cooks very quickly.

• Mix until all the ingredients are well blended.

Making the C.C.B

• Start by laying cling wrap over your countertop.

  • Cut the cling wrap to about 14” long and overlap to sheets by about 5” to make a wide and long surface, as depicted below.

  • Repeat for each setting for each Chicken Cordon Bleu

·         In the example below, I have 4 setting as this recipe is for 4 whole portions, or 8 half servings.

·         Put one cup of ground chicken in the center of each cling-wrap setting.

Continued on next page …

·         Using a pastry scraper, or something else wide and flat, spread the ground chicken to make a rectangle of chicken.  The dimensions of the rectangle should be about 8 ½” x 5 ½”.

o    You may have to work it a bit to get the dimensions just right.

o    Try to make it as smooth and even as you can.

·         On each rectangle of chicken, evenly sprinkle 60-70 grams (~⅓ cup) of the ham mixture, leaving about 1” around all without any ham.

o    Do not press down on the ham so that you not to disturb the chicken layer.

·         Place a cheese wrap in the center of each C.C.B.

·         Lift the cling wrap and fold the left or right edge over the cheese wrap.

o    Hold the cheese wrap down with a finger to keep it in place as you are folding the chicken over the ends.

·         Once you have folded a side over, pull the cling wrap back to its original position.

Continued on next page …

·         Repeat the process for the other end, while holding the cheese wrap in place.

·         Next, fold over the cling wrap on one of the long sides, while holding the cheese wrap in place.

·         If necessary, adjust the fold-over by patting uneven parts down to make it as perfect as you can.

o    The end goal is to have a tube chicken with the cheese wrap in the center.

·         Then, lift the cling wrap on both long sides and put your hands under it.

·         Hold the completed side in place with one hand while folding over the last remaining side.

o    This is a delicate process so it is best to take your time.

·         Pull the cling wrap back to its original position.

The final part is what I call “candy wrapping”.  The idea is to roll the molded loaf in the cling wrap and twist both ends.  This will force the C.C.B. into a perfect shape.

·         Fold the cling wrap forward over and around the chicken.

·         Gently roll the C.C.B. forward until you have rolled all the cling wrap around it, like you were gift-wrapping a bottle of wine.

·         Twist both ends a bit then roll the loaf forward on your countertop.

o    Just roll it tight enough to make a perfect loaf. Do not try to roll it excessively tight.

·         Once you have achieved the ideal shape, fold the loose ends under the C.C.B. and lay it on a tray.

o    The more of them you make, the better you will become at making each C.C.B. look basically the same.

·         Repeat the process the remaining rolls.

·         Put the rolls in the freezer for about 2 ½ hours.  The next step will be breading the rolls but, given that we are using ground chicken, we have to freeze them first.  Otherwise, they will fall apart when you try to bread them.

The perfect state is when the loaf is solidly frozen but the exterior has re-warmed enough to be tacky enough for the breading to stick.

Continued on next page …

Breading the C.C.B

·         Take the loaves out of the freezer.

·         In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine 3 eggs and ⅓ cup of all-purpose flour.

·         Wisk until smooth.

·         Remove the cling wrap from one of the rolls.

o    Pull on both ends and it will unroll quickly.

o    If the chicken is frozen solid, let it stand at room temperature until the outside is tacky to the touch.  It should only take a few minutes to be ready for breading.

·         Dip a roll into the egg wash, making sure to soak it completely.

Continued on next page …

·         Remove the roll from the egg wash, let the excess drip off a bit and then lay it in the bread crumb mixture.

·         Thoroughly bread the entire roll then lay it on a tray or cookie sheet that is lined with waxed or parchment paper.

·         Repeat the process for the remaining rolls.

·         Put the tray rolls back into the freezer, uncovered, for 1 hour or more.

Deep Frying the C.C.B

The bigger the deep frying pot, the better.  In fact, if you have a deep fryer with a basket, it would be ideal.  Otherwise, you can make do with what you have.  When writing this recipe, I simply used a regular saucepot, without a basket, and I used turkey lifting forks to scoop the Cordon Blues out of the oil.

The idea in this step is too simply brown the breaded Cordon Bleu and to cook the outside of it.  The final cooking process will be done in the oven.

·         Pour about 2 or more liters of sunflower or canola oil into a medium sized saucepot, or deep fryer.

o    For best results, you should have enough oil to completely cover the Cordon Bleu.

·         Set the temperature to medium-high.

·         You can use a piece of clumped breading or a small piece bread to serve as a temperature gauge. 

o    Once the test piece is well browned, the oil should be hot enough.

o    Do not let the oil get excessively hot or the chicken will brown too quickly.

·         Once the oil has sufficiently heated, carefully lay one of the breaded Chicken Cordon Blues into the hot oil.

o    The oil should begin to boil vigorously once the chicken is introduced.

·         If your pot is big enough, you can fry two at a time.  This process is quick, especially if you include parmesan cheese in the breading.  It will only take 1 or two minutes per batch.

·         As soon as the Cordon Bleus are lightly browned, remove them and set them on a tray that is lined with paper towel to let the excess oil drip off.

·         Repeat the process for the remaining Cordon Bleus.

·         Let the Cordon Bleus cool in the tray, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.

·         Put the tray in the freezer, uncovered for 3 or more hours, or until they are frozen solid.

·         If you want to serve them at a later date, remove the Cordon Bleus from the freezer and individually wrap them.  Then, put them in a container that will prevent them from getting damaged and return them to the freezer.

I recommend wrapping them in cling wrap and then in aluminum foil.  This will prevent freezer burn.  They can last several months in the freezer.  The great part is, the day you want to serve them, all the hard work will have already be done.

Because the chicken has not completely cooked during the frying stage, the Cordon Bleus will be as juicy and delicious as if they were freshly made, once roasted to completion in the oven.

You may want to make a bunch of them once you have tried the recipe.  I like to make 8 or 12 at a time as they are always a crowd pleaser.

Final roasting instructions on next page …

Roasting the C.C.B

·         Remove the desired number of Chicken Cordon Bleus from the Freezer, unwrap them and set them on an aluminum baking pan that is lined with parchment paper.

·         Let the frozen chicken cordon blue thaw for ½ before roasting.

·         Preheat oven to 350˚ F (176˚ C) Convection Bake.

·         Roast, uncovered for 50-55 minutes.

·         Serve a ½ portion per guest, except for those with a hearty appetite.

·         Serve with or without a sauce (cheese sauce, hollandaise sauce, etc.)