Chicken Parm Cordon Bleu (Revisited)
The very first TikTok recipe I ever posted was that of an air fried chicken cordon bleu with a crispy and cheesy chicken parmesan twist. The dish was good, but I do feel like it is in need of some improvement, so today I thought I’d take another look at my chicken parm chicken cordon bleu and see if I can make it even better than before!
There really wasn’t anything wrong with the initial dish. What I did was I rolled up prosciutto and fontina cheese inside pounded out chicken breast, then coated that in a breadcrumb and parmesan mixture before air frying that and serving with tomato sauce.
The dish was good, however somehow the breading just ended up sliding off of the chicken while I was eating it, so I wasn’t fully able to enjoy that crunchy coating as I would’ve liked, so I think I’d like to put down the air fryer and stick with more of a pan frying method.
Also, instead of fontina, I’m going to use a blend of sharp provolone and mozzarella to hopefully give me a delicious cheesy delight.
Makes 4 servings
For the Sauce:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
8 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
A pinch of chili flakes
1 (28oz) can of crushed tomatoes
1 small bunch of fresh basil, stems and all
A 4-inch piece of parmesan rind
Salt and pepper, to taste
A pinch of sugar, if needed
For the Chicken:
1/3 cup flour
Salt and pepper
2 eggs, beaten with 2 tbsp of water
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried oregano
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 ounces each)
8oz sharp provolone cheese, shredded
8 thin slices of prosciutto
8 large fresh sage leaves
Vegetable oil
8oz low moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded
To make the sauce, heat up the olive oil with the crushed garlic and chili flakes over medium low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the garlic sizzles and becomes golden, but is certainly not burnt.
Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon, then add the crushed tomatoes, basil, and Parmesan rind. Cover, then let the sauce simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until thickened.
Once the sauce is done, season with salt and pepper to taste, and if it tastes a bit acidic to you, then add a pinch of sugar as well.
(Look, if you don’t want to bother with making homemade tomato sauce and using a store bought kind…I’ll allow it. It’s not like there’s anything I can physically do to stop you)
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Set up your breading station. Lay 3 shallow bowls or plates in front of you. Dump the flour into the first, seasoning with salt and pepper, pour the beaten eggs into the second, and in the third combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic powder, oregano, and a touch of salt and pepper.
Lay each chicken breast skin-side down, and use a knife to make horizontal cuts through the thickest part of the chicken, but don’t cut all the way through. Once all of the chicken is butterflied, sandwich between two sheets of plastic wrap, then use a meat mallet to pound them out to an even thickness.
Sprinkle half of the shredded provolone cheese onto each of the chicken breasts, leaving about an inch of space towards the top, followed by two slices of prosciutto, two sage leaves, and the remaining cheese. Roll up each chicken as tight as you can.
Roll each rolled up piece of chicken into the seasoned flour, being sure to tap off any excess flour, then roll into the eggs, then the breadcrumb mixture, then go back into the eggs, and finish with the breadcrumbs, being sure to keep one hand dry and one hand wet.
Heat a thin layer of vegetable oil in a wide nonstick skillet until the oil starts shimmering. Add the chicken seam-side down, working in batches if necessary, then cook for about 3 minutes per side, until each side is golden brown. Once the chicken is on the last side, transfer to the oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked (165 degree internal temp).
Once cooked, remove from the oven, then top with a touch of the sauce and a scattering of mozzarella, then move back into the oven for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted. Let the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving with more sauce.
