Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu

By request, here's our family's quick and easy version of chicken cordon bleu.  It's not nearly as fancy as the traditional version, but just as satisfying.

Apologies for the semi-unappetizing photograph...  it is a great challenge to take good pictures of food that's been cooked for hours in a slow cooker.  For this photo, I cut my serving in half to show the gooey ham and cheese center.

The original recipe calls for a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup.  I'm not a huge fan of condensed soups and their long lists of unpronounceable ingredients, but as I do have a stockpile in my basement's food storage, that's what I'm working with until it's gone.  If you're like me and would like a substitute for that particular ingredient, here's a recipe I discovered on Pinterest that I'm looking forward to trying. 

I usually serve this on top of a blend of brown and wild rice.  It sets off the dish nicely and allows you to enjoy all of the yummy sauce.  I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine does!

Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu

6 boneless-skinless chicken breasts
6 thin slices cooked ham (either leftover ham sliced really thinly, or a couple of slices of deli ham per chicken)
6 slices Swiss cheese
10 3/4 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 c. milk
sea salt
pepper
herbes de Provence
dried parsley

1.  Place each chicken breast in a plastic ziplock bag, or between two sheets of plastic wrap.  Pound to flatten.
2.  Top each with sliced ham and Swiss cheese; roll up so ham and cheese is enclosed within the chicken.  Secure with two toothpicks.
3.  Arrange chicken portions in a slow cooker, sprinkle salt, pepper and other herbs to taste.
4.  Mix soup and milk; pour over chicken.
5.  Cover and cook on low setting for 4 to 6 hours, until chicken is cooked through.
6.  To serve, remove toothpicks and arrange potions on plates; spoon sauce over the top.

Yield:  6 servings
Recipe adapted from Gooseberry Patch.

Pan-Fried Balsamic Chicken

The secret to really yummy pan-fried chicken is to leave it alone in the pan. If you keep fussing with it and checking the coloration on the bottom it will never crisp up for you and you'll just be left with a mushy flour-oat coating on your chicken. Nobody wants that. Once you get it in the pan, resist the urge to check it. Just turn it after 4 minutes. If your pan was heated to the right temperature it should be just fine. Adding oats to the flour coating was something I just threw in on a whim... and it turned out really great. It adds to the crunch, so you don't miss that unhealthy skin so much. If your kids are particular about food (like Taylor), try serving to them without the balsamic sauce. The chicken itself is really good without it... but adding the balsamic takes it over the top.

I like serving this with orzo and steamed broccoli.

Buon appetito!


Pan-Fried Balsamic Chicken

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 skinless chicken breast portions
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons rolled oats
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat.
2. Sprinkle chicken with salt & pepper to taste. Combine flour & oats in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour mixture; gently pat off excess.
3. Add chicken to pan; cook four minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Add onion, and sauté 1-2 minutes. Add stock, vinegar, & honey to pan, scraping bottom to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil, and cook until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Serve sauce over chicken & garnish with parsley.

Serves 4