Chicken cordon bleu with sweet potato fries

French / American · Baked · 1 hr · Serves 4

Chicken cordon bleu—that fancy-sounding dish that's actually surprisingly doable at home—brings together tender chicken, melty ham, and Swiss cheese in one impressive-looking dinner. Baking it means no fussy pan-frying, and the sweet potato fries roasting alongside make this a complete, satisfying meal that feels special without keeping you in the kitchen all evening.

Ingredients

• 4boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 8deli ham slices
• 4Swiss cheese slices
• 2sweet potatoes, medium
• 3 tbspolive oil
• ½ cupall-purpose flour
• 2eggs
• ¾ cuppanko breadcrumbs
• 1 tspsalt
• ½ tspblack pepper
• ½ tspgarlic powder

Method

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F / Gas 6). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. 2

   Cut sweet potatoes into thin fries, toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on one baking sheet and roast.

   30 min

3. 3

   Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound gently until about ½ inch thick. Lay 2 ham slices and 1 cheese slice on each breast, then roll tightly and secure with toothpicks.

4. 4

   Set up three shallow bowls: one with flour mixed with salt and pepper, one with beaten eggs, and one with panko mixed with garlic powder. Coat each chicken roll in flour, then egg, then panko.

5. 5

   Place breaded chicken on the second baking sheet, drizzle with remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, and bake alongside the fries until chicken is cooked through and golden, about 25–30 minutes.

   25 min

6. 6

   Remove toothpicks and let rest for 5 minutes before serving with the sweet potato fries.

   5 min