Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu
Try our mouthwatering air fryer chicken cordon bleu - crispy outside, tender and cheesy inside! This easy recipe captures all the classic flavors without the extra oil.
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breast Note 2
- 4 lices deli ham thinly sliced, Note 3, cooked
- 4 lices cheese Note 4
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- zest of ½ lemon
- a few gratings nutmeg
- 2 egg
- 1 cup dried breadcrumbs or Panko breadcrumbs, 100 g/ 3.5 oz, more if necessary
- cooking spray
- salt or kosher salt, fine sea salt
- black pepper ground
Instructions
Slice chicken:
- Slice: Steady the chicken breast with one hand and carefully slice horizontally through the middle of the breast, maintaining the knife parallel to the cutting board and proceeding slowly to ensure two even slices. 2 large chicken breasts
- Lightly pound the chicken slices between two pieces of plastic foil to ensure even thickness.
- Season sliced pieces with salt and pepper on both sides.
Prepare cordon bleu:
- Stuff chicken: Arrange the ham on the sliced chicken breasts. Break the cheese into 2 or 3 pieces and arrange them on top. To prevent cheese from leaking out during cooking, make sure to keep it away from the edges of the chicken.4-8 ham slices + 4 cheese slices
- Fold one side of the cordon bleu over the other to make a pocket. Tuck in the ends and secure them with toothpicks.
Bread the chicken:
- Breading station: Mix flour, lemon zest, and nutmeg in one bowl, whisk the eggs in another bowl, and place the breadcrumbs in a third bowl. 2 tablespoon flour + zest ½ lemon + nutmeg; 2 eggs; 1 cup/100 g breadcrumbs
- Bread cordon bleu: Coat the chicken in flour and shake it carefully to remove the excess. Dip into the eggs and coat with breadcrumbs, pressing slightly to help them adhere to the meat.
- Spray the chicken with cooking spray on both sides.
Air fry cordon bleu:
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F/ 190°C for 3 minutes or per the manufacturer's instructions.
- Air fry the chicken cordon bleu for 18 minutes or until cooked through; the internal temperature should reach 165°F/74°C.
- Rest: Use a spatula to take the pieces out of the air fryer carefully. Be cautious not to damage the breading on the bottom side of the parcels. Rest for 5 minutes on a cooling rack before serving.
Notes
- Toothpicks: Four toothpicks per piece of chicken work well. To make things easier, grab a handful of toothpicks from the container before you begin, so you won't have to touch the container or the other toothpicks with dirty raw chicken hands. This keeps your cooking process smooth and hygienic.
- Chicken breast: You will cut them in half and pound them, thus having enough meat for four portions.
- Ham: Either 4 large slices or 8 smaller ones. Prosciutto cotto, Black Forest ham, and Virginia ham are delicious alternatives.
- Cheese: I used Cheddar, but Swiss cheese, Gruyere, and Emmentaler are also great.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 469
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cordon bleu | |
| Calories | 469kcal | 23% |
| Carbohydrates | 25g | 8% |
| Protein | 44g | 88% |
| Fat | 21g | 32% |
| Saturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Trans Fat | 0.02g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 200mg | 67% |
| Sodium | 879mg | 37% |
| Potassium | 626mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 436IU | 9% |
| Vitamin C | 9mg | 10% |
| Calcium | 272mg | 27% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.