This easy Julia Child Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe is a deliciously creamy and crispy dish that’s quick to make and perfect for any weeknight meal. With simple ingredients like Swiss cheese and ham, you can easily customize it to suit your tastes, making it a versatile and crowd-pleasing favorite.
Ingredients Needed
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 slices Swiss cheese
- 4 slices cooked ham
- ½ cup seasoned bread crumbs (about 1.5 oz)
How To Make Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Preheat the oven and prepare the dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 7×11-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Pound the chicken: Pound the chicken breasts to about ¼-inch thickness.
- Season the chicken: Sprinkle both sides of each chicken breast with salt and pepper.
- Add cheese and ham: Place 1 slice of Swiss cheese and 1 slice of cooked ham on each chicken breast.
- Roll up the chicken: Roll up each chicken breast and secure with toothpicks.
- Arrange in baking dish: Place the rolled chicken in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle evenly with seasoned bread crumbs.
- Bake the chicken: Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center.
- Add the finishing touch: Remove the dish from the oven, and place ½ slice of Swiss cheese on top of each breast. Return to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese has melted.
- Serve: Remove toothpicks, serve immediately, and enjoy your delicious Chicken Cordon Bleu!

Recipe Tips
- Pound the chicken evenly: Make sure the chicken breasts are pounded to an even ¼-inch thickness. This ensures they cook uniformly and stay tender.
- Use toothpicks to secure: Don’t skip securing the rolled chicken with toothpicks. It keeps the cheese and ham inside, preventing them from spilling out during cooking.
- Customize with different cheeses: While Swiss is traditional, you can try other cheeses like mozzarella or cheddar for a different flavor.
- Avoid over-baking: Bake the chicken just until it’s no longer pink in the center. Over-baking will dry it out and make it less juicy.
- Let the cheese melt properly: When you add the extra cheese on top, let it melt for 3 to 5 minutes to get that perfect gooey texture.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftover chicken cordon bleu in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze leftover chicken cordon bleu by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. It will stay good in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: Reheat leftover chicken cordon bleu in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until heated through.
Nutrition Fact
Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1 piece)
- Calories: 600
- Total Fat: 26.67g
- Saturated Fat: 13.09g
- Cholesterol: 280mg
- Sodium: 1,018mg
- Potassium: 685mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 4.38g
- Dietary Fiber: 0g
- Sugars: 0.64g
- Protein: 81.23g
More Julia Child Recipes:

Julia Child Chicken Cordon Bleu
Description
This easy Julia Child Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe is a deliciously creamy and crispy dish that’s quick to make and perfect for any weeknight meal. With simple ingredients like Swiss cheese and ham, you can easily customize it to suit your tastes, making it a versatile and crowd-pleasing favorite.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare the dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 7×11-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Pound the chicken: Pound the chicken breasts to about ¼-inch thickness.
- Season the chicken: Sprinkle both sides of each chicken breast with salt and pepper.
- Add cheese and ham: Place 1 slice of Swiss cheese and 1 slice of cooked ham on each chicken breast.
- Roll up the chicken: Roll up each chicken breast and secure with toothpicks.
- Arrange in baking dish: Place the rolled chicken in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle evenly with seasoned bread crumbs.
- Bake the chicken: Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center.
- Add the finishing touch: Remove the dish from the oven, and place ½ slice of Swiss cheese on top of each breast. Return to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese has melted.
- Serve: Remove toothpicks, serve immediately, and enjoy your delicious Chicken Cordon Bleu!
Notes
- Pound the chicken evenly: Make sure the chicken breasts are pounded to an even ¼-inch thickness. This ensures they cook uniformly and stay tender.
- Use toothpicks to secure: Don’t skip securing the rolled chicken with toothpicks. It keeps the cheese an ham inside, preventing them from spilling out during cooking.
- Customize with different cheeses: While Swiss is traditional, you can try other cheeses like mozzarella or cheddar for a different flavor.
- Avoid over-baking: Bake the chicken just until it’s no longer pink in the center. Over-baking will dry it out and make it less juicy.
- Let the cheese melt properly: When you add the extra cheese on top, let it melt for 3 to 5 minutes to get that perfect gooey texture.