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Chicken Cordon Bleu and Mushroom Rice is pure dinner comfort. Smoky ham, melty cheese and bacon rice make it irresistible.
This Chicken Cordon Bleu and Mushroom Rice brings crispy breadcrumbs, smoky ham and melty cheese together. The savoury mushroom bacon rice makes the plate complete.
Crispy chicken, smoky ham, melty cheese and savoury mushroom bacon rice. Dinner just got seriously interesting. What cheese would you tuck inside yours?
Why You Will Love and Enjoy Chicken Cordon Bleu and Mushroom Rice
- This is the kind of dinner that looks like you made a huge effort, even though most of the work is pretty straightforward. You get crispy chicken, smoky ham, melty cheese and a savoury rice loaded with bacon, mushrooms and peppers all on one plate.
- Crispy breadcrumb coating with tender chicken underneath
- Smoky ham and melty cheese tucked inside every chicken breast
- Mushroom bacon rice makes it a proper complete meal
- Easy cheese substitutions mean you don’t have to hunt everywhere for Gruyère
- Great for a family dinner when you want something a little more special
Chicken Cordon Bleu and Mushroom Rice
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Refrigerate: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner Recipes
- Method: Easy Cooking
- Cuisine: Swiss
Description
Tender chicken stuffed with smoky ham and melty cheese gets coated in crispy breadcrumbs, then served with savoury mushroom bacon rice. It’s a proper family dinner with plenty of flavour, and honestly, that cheese pull is hard to resist.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Crispy Stuffed Chicken
- 6 chicken breast fillets, trimmed and patted dry
- 6 slices smoked hickory ham
- 12 slices Swiss or Edam cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic and herb seasoning
- 1 cup flour
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 cups breadcrumbs
- Sunflower or canola oil, for frying
- 24 toothpicks
Mushroom Savoury Rice
- 1 cup uncooked rice
- 5 rashers bacon, chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 green pepper, chopped
- 1/2 red pepper, chopped
- 1/2 yellow pepper, chopped
- 1 tray mushrooms, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, skins removed and chopped
- 1/2 tsp sweet basil
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Garlic and herb seasoning, to taste
- Chopped chives or parsley, for garnish
Instructions
Chicken
- Pat 6 chicken breast fillets dry and trim away any excess fat. There’s no need to wash raw chicken, as cooking it thoroughly is what makes it safe to eat.
- Butterfly each chicken breast by slicing horizontally through the thickest part, stopping before you cut all the way through. Open the chicken like a book.
- Place each butterflied chicken breast between 2 sheets of cling wrap and gently pound it with a meat mallet or rolling pin until it’s an even thickness. Don’t go too thin or the filling can escape while cooking.
- Season both sides of the 6 chicken breasts with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp garlic and herb seasoning.
- Place 1 slice smoked hickory ham and 2 slices Swiss cheese or Edam cheese over one half of each chicken breast. Gruyère works beautifully if you can find it, but Edam is a perfectly good substitute.
- Fold the other half of the chicken over the filling and press the edges together. Secure each stuffed chicken breast with 4 toothpicks, making sure the toothpicks are easy to spot and remove later.
- Place the stuffed chicken breasts on a tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This helps firm everything up so the filling stays tucked inside when you coat and fry the chicken.
Coat the Chicken
- Set out 3 shallow bowls. Add 1 cup flour to the first bowl.
- Whisk 2 large eggs with 2 tbsp milk in the second bowl.
- Add 2 cups breadcrumbs to the third bowl.
- Coat each chilled stuffed chicken breast in 1 cup flour, shaking off the excess. Dip it into the 2 whisked eggs and milk, making sure it’s covered, then press it into the 2 cups breadcrumbs until completely coated.
- Make sure the edges are well covered with breadcrumbs too. That extra coating helps seal the chicken and gives you that lovely crisp crust.
Cook the Chicken
- Pour enough sunflower or canola oil into a large heavy saucepan or deep skillet to generously coat the bottom. Heat the oil over medium heat.
- Carefully add the breaded chicken breasts without overcrowding the pan. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook them in batches.
- Fry the chicken for about 5 to 6 minutes on the first side, then carefully turn and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of your chicken, so don’t rely on the clock alone.
- Check the thickest part of the chicken with a meat thermometer. It should reach 165⁰F (74⁰C). If the breadcrumbs are browning too quickly before the chicken is cooked through, lower the heat and continue cooking gently.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a wire rack set over paper towels to drain. Let it rest for a few minutes before removing all the toothpicks and serving.
Mushroom Savoury Rice
- Cook 1 cup uncooked rice according to the package instructions. Once cooked, fluff it with a fork and set it aside.
- Add 5 chopped bacon rashers and 1 tbsp olive oil to a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the bacon is crisp, then transfer it to a bowl and leave the bacon fat in the saucepan.
- Add 1/2 chopped onion, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 chopped green pepper, 1/2 chopped red pepper and 1/2 chopped yellow pepper. Cook for several minutes until the onion and peppers start to soften.
- Add the chopped mushrooms and season with salt, black pepper, 1/2 tsp sweet basil, 1/2 tsp paprika and a sprinkle of garlic and herb seasoning. Cook until the mushrooms have softened and released their moisture.
- Add 2 chopped, skinless tomatoes and continue cooking until most of the liquid has cooked away. You don’t want watery rice.
- Return the crispy bacon to the saucepan and stir everything together.
- Add the cooked rice and gently mix until the bacon, vegetables and mushrooms are evenly distributed throughout the rice.
- Taste and adjust the salt, black pepper or garlic and herb seasoning if needed. Finish with chopped chives or parsley just before serving.
- Serve the crispy stuffed chicken alongside the warm mushroom savoury rice, and remember to remove every toothpick before eating.
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Gail
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 1495
- Sugar: 9.1 g
- Sodium: 3676.6 mg
- Fat: 67.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 32.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 76 g
- Fiber: 6.7 g
- Protein: 143.9 g
- Cholesterol: 439.9 mg
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Additional Information
- What is the best way to keep the filling inside? Pound the chicken evenly without making it too thin, leave a small border around the filling, and press the chicken firmly closed before securing it with toothpicks. Chilling the stuffed chicken for 30 minutes also helps it hold together during coating and cooking.
- How many toothpicks should I use? Four toothpicks per chicken breast should keep the two pieces together. Place them across the sealed edges rather than through the centre where they could interfere with the filling. Remove every toothpick before serving.
- How do I know when the chicken is cooked? Cooking time varies according to the thickness of the chicken. The thickest part should reach 165⁰F (74⁰C) on a meat thermometer. This is more reliable than judging doneness by cooking time alone.
- Why does the chicken need to be patted dry? Patting the chicken dry helps the seasoning and coating adhere properly. Raw chicken doesn’t need to be washed, and avoiding washing also reduces the chance of spreading bacteria around the kitchen.
- Can I bake the chicken instead of frying it? Yes. Place the breaded chicken on a lightly greased baking tray and lightly brush or spray the breadcrumbs with oil. Bake at 400⁰F (200⁰C) until crisp and the chicken reaches 165⁰F (74⁰C) in the thickest part.
- Can I use panko breadcrumbs? Yes. Panko gives the chicken a lighter, crunchier coating and works particularly well for oven baking.
- What cheese can I use instead of Gruyère? Edam, Swiss cheese, and Emmental are all suitable choices. Edam was used in this version because Gruyère wasn’t available, and it melts nicely without overpowering the smoked ham.
- Can I use another type of ham? Yes. Smoked hickory ham gives the filling a lovely savoury taste, but regular cooked ham or another thinly sliced deli ham can be used.
- What can I do if cheese leaks out? A little cheese may escape while cooking, and that’s not a disaster. Chilling the chicken, leaving a small border around the filling and coating the edges thoroughly with breadcrumbs will help reduce leakage.
- Can I prepare the chicken ahead of time? Yes. The stuffed and breaded chicken can be prepared several hours ahead, covered and refrigerated until you’re ready to cook it. Keep raw chicken refrigerated and don’t leave it at room temperature while waiting to cook.
- Why should the mushrooms and tomatoes cook before adding the rice? Mushrooms and tomatoes release moisture as they cook. Allowing that liquid to evaporate first prevents the finished rice from becoming watery and lets the bacon, vegetables and seasonings flavour the rice properly.
- Can I use different vegetables in the rice? Yes. The green, red and yellow peppers can be adjusted according to what you have available. Corn, peas or finely chopped carrots can also work, although they’ll change the texture and flavour slightly.
- Can I freeze the leftovers? Yes. Freeze the cooked chicken and mushroom rice separately once completely cooled, using airtight freezer containers or well-sealed freezer bags. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat until piping hot throughout. For the best texture, reheat the chicken in an oven or air fryer rather than a microwave so the breadcrumb coating has a chance to crisp again.
- How long can I store it? Keep cooked chicken and rice in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking and reheat only the portion you plan to eat.
- Can I freeze the uncooked stuffed chicken? It’s possible, but for this recipe the cooked leftovers are the more straightforward option.
Chicken Cordon Bleu and Mushroom Rice turns chicken breasts into a satisfying dinner with crispy breadcrumbs, smoky ham and melted cheese tucked inside. The savoury mushroom bacon rice adds mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes and crispy bacon, giving the plate plenty of texture and flavour. It’s hearty, homemade and ready to make an ordinary dinner feel a little more special.
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