Parmesan Chicken Cordon Bleu

A fresh twist on a classic favorite.
The parmesan breading is delicious. The fresh lemon wedge gives it a light taste enhancing the wonderful flavors.

Set out three plates and a lightly greased baking sheet.  Put flour in the first plate. 

Beat eggs and dijon in the second plate.

Mix  parmesan, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper in the third plate.

Set the baking sheet aside to use for the breaded chicken.

(1)Slice cheese and ham.

Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. 

Place one or two breasts in a plastic bag.  Pound each 1/4-1/2 inch thick.

Make them an even thickness throughout so they will cook evenly.  Repeat with remaining chicken.

(1)Layer a few slices of ham and cheese on the chicken.

Cover with a few more slices of ham.

Bring all sides together and seal by balling it in your hand. It may seem like it won't hold together but keep working it into a ball, and it will stay.

  Coat completely in flour, shake off any excess. 

Dip in egg mixture and coat thoroughly. 

Dip in parmesan mixture and get as much of the mixture to stay on the chicken as possible. 

Place on a greased baking sheet and continue with the remaining pieces. 

If you are preparing this ahead of time wrap the baking sheet in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to a few hours ahead as long as the chicken is still very cold. 

Bake for 40 minutes or until cooked all the way through.

Serve with a lemon wedge to use on rice, lettuce, and chicken.

To make the chicken without the filling. Follow the same instrucitons but don't fill, and cover both sides with the flour, egg, and parmesan mixtures.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat until hot, but not quite smoking.  (2)Heat an additional skillet over medium heat.  

Place two chicken breasts in the hot oil and sear for 1-2 minutes until golden brown.  Turn each piece and sear another 1-2 minutes. 

Spray the second pan with cooking spray.  Transfer the chicken to this pan and lower heat to low/medium. Place the lid on and finish cooking (about 5 minutes).   Add 3 tablespoons oil to the first skillet.  Sear the second batch of chicken on both sides.  Lower heat to low/medium. Place the lid on and finish cooking.

Serve with a lemon wedge to use on rice, lettuce, and chicken.

As the chicken and rice finish cooking.  Chop, rinse, and dry the lettuce. 
Cut lemon into four long wedges.

Prepare each plate with chicken, 3/4 c rice, and 1 ½ c lettuce.  Place a lemon wedge on each plate to use on the chicken, lettuce, and rice.  Serve with extra parmesan, salt, and pepper to pass around the table.

Problems

-Chicken opening in the oven: Form the chicken into a ball. Work it until it holds a pretty good shape. Continue on with the flour, egg, and breading. By the end of this process it should hold a good shape. If the ham slices aren't sliced and scattered around the middle it can also open the chicken during cooking.
-Oozing cheese: Enclose the cheese in the ham, so it won't ooze out any tears in the chicken.
-Tears in the chicken: It is hard to pound chicken thinly without creating some holes. Be gentle, but if there are holes try to close them when shaping and cover them well with the coating.

Parmesan Chicken Variation
-Overcooked chicken: Pan fried chicken can overcook and become very dry. Sear at a medium/high heat and finish at a low/medium heat. It cooks fast, so don't leave it unattended for long.
-Deep fried taste: You don't want the chicken to taste deep fried. Don't use too much oil, or heat it too high. Use olive oil as is called for in the recipe, for a fresher taste than vegetable oil would give.

-Rice: Refer to perfectly fluffy rice for problems with this.

Parmesan Chicken Cordon Bleu Dinner

Chicken
4 medium chicken breasts thawed
¾ all purpose flour
2 eggs
1 T dijon mustard (omit if you don’t have, don’t substitute yellow mustard)
1 c fresh parmesan shredded
½ c plain bread crumbs
½ t kosher salt
½ t fresh ground black pepper
4 thin slices ham
4-8 slices gruyere or swiss cheese

Rice
2 t butter or olive oil
1 ½ c water
½ t kosher salt
1 c basmati rice (can substitute with white rice)

Accompaniments
1 head romaine lettuce
Parmesan
Salt
Pepper
1 lemon
Alfredo Sauce (recipe below)

Parmesan Chicken
Preheat oven to 350.

Set out three plates and a lightly greased baking sheet.  Put flour in the first plate.  Beat eggs and dijon in the second plate.  Mix  parmesan, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper in the third plate.  Set the baking sheet aside to use for the breaded chicken.

(1)Slice each slice of ham into several smaller pieces. Slice each slice of cheese into several pieces as well. Set aside.

Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels.  Place one or two breasts in a plastic bag.  Pound each 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Make them an even thickness throughout so they will cook evenly. Try not to pound holes into the chicken. It will make them harder to form and the cheese may ooze out.   Repeat with remaining chicken. 

Lay the first chicken breast flat. (1)Layer a few slices of ham on the center. Top with cheese slices. Top with ham to cover the cheese completely.  Bring all sides together and seal by balling it in your hand. It may seem like it won't hold together but keep working it into a ball, and it will stay. Coat completely in flour, shake off any excess.  Dip in egg mixture and coat thoroughly.  Dip in parmesan mixture and get as much of the mixture to stay on the chicken as possible.  Place on a greased baking sheet and continue with the remaining pieces.  If you are preparing this ahead of time wrap the baking sheet in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to a few hours ahead as long as the chicken is still very cold. 

Bake for 40 minutes or until cooked all the way through.

Rice 
When you put the chicken in the oven, start the rice. 

Assemble and measure all of the ingredients. It is a quick process and you don't want to burn anything while you are away measuring.
Heat the butter or olive oil in a medium saucepan over med/high heat. Until it is shimmering, but not smoking. Add the rice, stir well and cook 1-2 minutes. Adding the rice to the oil before adding the water coats each individual grain helping them not stick together. It also speeds the cooking process. Don't cook too long or it will taste a bit fried.
Increase heat to high and add the water and salt. Stir briefly. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to the lowest setting. I have a settings 1-9 on my stove and a low setting below the 1. I use the 1 to cook the rice not the low. Cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 15 more minutes. Do not remove the lid or stir at any point! Stirring makes the rice starchy and sticky. Removing the lid lets out steam that is needed to fully cook the rice.
Fluff the rice gently with a fork. A fork won't smash the rice as easily as a spoon will.
Serve immediately.

Alredo Sauce (optional)
3 T unsalted butter
1 c heavy cream
1 c low sodium chicken broth
1 c fresh parmesan shredded
1/2 t kosher salt
1/4 t fresh ground black pepper (omit if using for blackened chicken alfredo)

In a medium saucepan over medium heat add the butter, cream, and chicken broth. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil and immediately reduce the heat to a (1)simmer. Simmer to reduce the liquid for ten minutes still stirring constantly. Add the parmesan and salt. Stir until parmesan is melted.

Accompaniments
As the chicken and rice finish cooking.  Chop, rinse, and dry the lettuce. 
Cut lemon into four long wedges.

Serving
Prepare each plate with one chicken breast, 3/4 c rice, and 1 ½ c lettuce.  Place a lemon wedge on each plate to use on the rice, lettuce, and chicken.  Serve with extra parmesan, salt, and pepper to pass around the table.

Parmesan Chicken Variation
To make the chicken without the filling. Follow the same instrucitons but don't fill, and cover both sides with the flour, egg, and parmesan mixtures.

Then: Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat until hot, but not quite smoking.  Heat an additional skillet over medium heat.   Place two chicken breasts in the hot oil and sear for 1-2 minutes until golden brown.  Turn each piece and sear another 1-2 minutes.  Spray the second pan with cooking spray.  Transfer the chicken to this pan and lower heat to low/medium. Place the lid on and finish cooking (about 5 minutes).   Add 3 tablespoons oil to the first skillet.  Sear the second batch of chicken on both sides.  Lower heat to low/medium. Place the lid on and finish cooking.

Tips
1. It works best if each slice of ham is cut into smaller pieces. If it is left whole it has a tendency to break open in the oven and leaves an empty space in the chicken. Cutting it up helps it hold together better while still enclosing the cheese so it doesn't ooze out.
2. Use two skillets if making the variation so they can all be cooked and hot at the same time. If you have a very large skillet you can of course just use one.