Chicken Cordon Bleu (30-Minute, One-Pan Recipe)

This is a baked version of Chicken Cordon Bleu with traditional layers of chicken, ham, Swiss cheese, and creamy mustard. Everything is combined in a casserole dish, and then baked in the oven instead of frying on the stovetop. This easy and impressive 30-minute, one-pan meal is perfect for busy family weeknights and for entertaining! Serve it with a mustard cream sauce.

Chicken Cordon Bleu (chicken with layers of ham and Swiss cheese) - sliced on a plate.

What is Chicken Cordon Bleu?

Chicken Cordon Bleu is a classic French chicken dish made with skinless boneless chicken breasts stuffed with sliced ham and Swiss cheese. Then, this roulade of chicken is coated with an egg and breadcrumb mixture and pan-fried (even deep-fried!) until crispy and golden brown.
Cordon Bleu means "blue ribbon" in French. It's a reference to the wide blue ribbon worn as an emblem by Knights of the highest order of knighthood in France under the Bourbon monarchy. Translated into cooking terms, that simply means "cooking of the highest standard".
Turn fancy into simple! But, let's not limit ourselves by high standards and this particular style of preparation. Let's discover how we can turn this old-fashioned, fancy dish into a simple, one-pan recipe made in just 30 minutes!

Chicken Cordon Bleu (chicken with layers of ham and Swiss cheese) - sliced on a plate.

Homemade Chicken Cordon Bleu

To keep home-style preparation of Chicken Cordon Bleu as simple as possible, I basically turned this into a chicken bake made in a casserole dish. No frying chicken on high heat (and no deep frying).
I layered thinly sliced chicken breasts with thinly sliced ham, added some Dijon mustard for flavor, and topped everything with cream cheese and Swiss cheese. Then, I baked it in the oven, even broiling it briefly. That's it. The fancy dish turned into a simple, 30-minute, one-pan meal. Easy enough to make on busy weeknights. And, your family will love the flavors!
This version of Chicken Cordon Bleu is low-carb and gluten-free.
There is no need for a creamy Dijon sauce because the combination of the added cream cheese + mustard makes the chicken creamy. But you can certainly make the creamy sauce if you like.

Chicken Cordon Bleu - in a casserole dish.

Main ingredients

Chicken. Use skinless boneless chicken breasts that are thinly sliced. If your breasts are thick, slice each horizontally into 2 thinner slices.
Ham. Deli-style thinly sliced ham works the best. Or, if you have leftover cooked ham - just slice it thinly for this recipe.
Swiss cheese is a traditional ingredient for Chicken Cordon Bleu. I used pre-cut thin slices. You can also use Gruyere, white cheddar, or provolone instead.
Cream cheese adds you guessed it, creaminess!
Dijon mustard.

How to make an easy homemade version of Chicken Cordon Bleu

Below are step-by-step photos that show just how easy it is to make Chicken Cordon Bleu at home in a casserole dish.

⬇️⬇️ For the complete list of the ingredients and detailed recipe instructions, please scroll all the way down (past the step-by-step photos) to the recipe card. ⬇️⬇️

1) Preheat the oven to 375 F. Add chicken breasts to a high-sided, ovenproof casserole dish. Sprinkle with just a pinch of salt, without adding too much.

four chicken breasts in a casserole dish.

2) Top with torn ham slices.

four chicken breasts with sliced ham in a casserole dish

3) Spread mustard on top.

four chicken breasts with sliced ham and mustard in a casserole dish.
4) Add 4 slices of cream cheese on top of each chicken breast. I know, my photos show 2 slices, but after I did this recipe again, it was much better with more cream cheese. In other words, cream cheese should be all over each chicken breast. This photo below should have double the amount of cream cheese:

four chicken breasts with sliced ham, mustard, cream cheese in a casserole dish.
5) Top with torn Swiss cheese.

four chicken breasts with sliced ham, mustard, cream cheese, Swiss cheese in a casserole dish.

6) Bake for about 20 minutes or more until the chicken is completely cooked through. The total cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts and your oven. Remove from heat. Using a knife and a fork, carefully separate chicken breasts one from another, because cheese would've glued them together. Broil for 2-4 minutes, constantly watching and checking the oven every minute, being careful not to burn, as every broiler is different. Broiling is essential here as it really makes the dish look better. Otherwise, it's just white and dull (very delicious nevertheless).

four cooked chicken breasts with sliced ham, mustard, cream cheese, Swiss cheese in a casserole dish.

7) Serve as is. Or, for a more fancy presentation, after allowing the chicken to cool off a bit, slice each chicken breast into 6 slices with a sharp knife (not to destroy the layers).

Chicken Cordon Bleu (sliced chicken breasts with sliced ham, mustard, cream cheese, Swiss cheese) - on a white plate.

What's in the Classic Cordon Bleu sauce?

The base of the classic Cordon Bleu sauce is traditionally made with milk thickened with a butter and flour roux. Other ingredients include chopped onions, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, and oregano.

This mustard cream sauce makes Chicken Cordon Bleu rich, creamy, and decadent. With this recipe, making the sauce is optional, because there is cream cheese included which adds creaminess. But you can certainly make the sauce if you like!

Variations and substitutions

Chicken. Use skinless boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
Ham. If you don't have thinly sliced ham, use prosciutto instead. Or, cooked bacon.
Cheese. Your options include Swiss cheese, Gruyere, Provolone, and white cheddar.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake (chicken breasts with layers of ham and Swiss cheese) - on a plate.

What to serve with Chicken Cordon Bleu

Vegetables of all styles of preparation: sauteed, roasted, or steamed veggies. I recommend broccoli, asparagus, green beans, or Brussels sprouts. These sides will keep this dish low-carb and gluten-free. Make oven-roasted asparagus with bacon and cheese for a perfect pairing with Chicken Cordon Bleu.
Cooked greens. Sautee your favorite greens (spinach, kale, arugula, or Swiss chard) as a side dish. This option is also low-carb and gluten-free.
Creamy potatoes pair beautifully with Chicken Cordon Bleu. I recommend these easy creamy parmesan mashed potatoes with roasted garlic or simple scalloped potatoes with garlic and thyme.
Rice side dishes - such as this parmesan, basil, and sun-dried tomato rice.
Spaghetti squash. For a healthier side dish, roast spaghetti squash in the oven and then scrape out the spaghetti squash strands with a fork. Or make parmesan spaghetti squash with bacon and spinach.

Storage and reheating tips

Fridge. Store leftover Chicken Cordon Bleu in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the microwave oven. Reheat the refrigerated leftovers in a microwave oven for about 1 minute. Taste and reheat for 30 seconds more, if needed.
Reheat in the oven. Place the leftovers in an oven-proof dish and reheat in the preheated oven at 350 F for about 20 or 30 minutes.

Other recipes that include chicken and ham (or bacon)