Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

We had this at our wedding reception, and it's definitely one of my favorite things.  I love chicken and  I love cheese (especially swiss cheese).  I've never made it before, mainly because it seemed so tedious to make.  But this recipe proved me wrong.  It's easy, and delicious.  And my husband had fun stabbing the chicken with the toothpicks (yes, he helped me cook!).  This was given a two-thumbs up by my husband, so into the recipe box it goes..

Chicken Cordon Bleu
recipe from Omnomicon

• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts, if you like)
• 4 slices deli ham or prosciutto
• 4 slices deli swiss cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• several plain toothpicks

Tenderize if you need to.

Cut the swiss cheese into eight rectangles and stack.  Slice the ham in half lengthwise, stack both pieces, then roll around the stack of cheese.  Now create a little “meat purse” out of your chicken around the ham and cheese, and tack it up with toothpicks.  The chicken will be cooked leaky-side up so that the cheese has less of an opportunity of gushing out of your creation all over the pan.

Set up three bowls for breading the chicken. The first holds flour for dusting the chicken balls; the second will have a beaten egg and 1/4 c water whisked together for an egg wash. The last will have some seasoned bread crumbs. After your done wrapping and tacking it up with toothpicks, dip the chickens in the flour, the egg wash, then the bread crumbs. Place, toothpick side up, on lightly greased cookie sheet (I like to use aluminum foil for easy clean up).

Bake about 25 minutes in a 350^o oven.  Serves 4.

About to go in the oven!