This Healthy Chicken Cordon Bleu proves you can have a luxurious meal without the unhealthy ingredients! Learn how to make this melt-in-your-mouth recipe that’s light and easy.
If you love this recipe, you’ll enjoy my Healthy Chicken Parmesan Meal Prep for another cheesy, comforting dish with a crispy coating. For a rich and flavorful option, try my Healthy Chicken Marsala, packed with a savory mushroom sauce.
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I used to think that Chicken Cordon Bleu was too fancy to make at home—probably because of the French name. Dustin used to make it for us in college (impressive, I know), and that’s how I got hooked. To the dish, I mean. 😉
Over time, I realized Icould swap some ingredients and actually make a healthy Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe instead. This dish is perfect for date nights, fancy gatherings, or just a weeknight dinner when you want something extra.
If you love this, you’ll probably also enjoy my Healthy Chicken Cacciatore, slow-simmered in a rich tomato sauce, or my Healthy Oven Roasted Chicken, simple, juicy, and full of flavor. And if you want something quick, my Healthy Chicken Stir Fry is packed with veggies and comes together fast.
Reasons You'll Love It
- Packed with protein while staying light on carbs.
- A crunchy almond meal crust, no deep frying needed.
- Easy to make ahead and reheat.
Ingredients For Healthy Chicken Cordon Bleu
Chicken Breast: Ideally, you'll want to look for evenly sized chicken breasts for even cooking. Pounding it thin will also help ensure even cooking and make rolling easier.
Swiss Cheese: I like using Swiss cheese because it balances the salty prosciutto and adds richness to every bite. You can also use Gruyère, Provolone, White Cheddar, Mozarella or Gouda.
Prosciutto: A leaner alternative to traditional ham, offering a deep, savory flavor without adding excess moisture, which helps keep the roll intact while baking. You could, however, swap with thinly sliced nitrate/nitrite-free ham.
Chickpea Flour: This replaces your typical all-purpose flour and adds more nutrients. Check out my post on The 9 Best Healthy Flour Substitutes for other flour substitutions.
Almond Meal: Replaces breadcrumbs for a crispy, golden crust without added refined carbs. You could also use panko or whole wheat bread crumbs.
Step By Step Instructions
- Step 1: Place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound the chicken, being careful not to tear the meat.
- Step 2: Lay two slices of Swiss cheese on each piece of chicken, followed by two slices of prosciutto, then two more slices of cheese. Leave enough space around the edges to help seal the roll.
- Step 3: Tuck in the sides and roll the chicken tightly like a jellyroll inside the plastic wrap. Squeeze gently to seal and twist both ends tight.
- Step 4: Remove the plastic wrap from the chicken. Lightly dust each roll with chickpea flour, dip in the egg mixture, and coat with the almond meal mixture.
- Step 5: Lightly coat a baking pan with olive oil and place the prepared chicken rolls onto it.
- Step 6: Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
Healthy Chicken Cordon Bleu Goes Well With:
- Roasted Vegetables: A simple side that adds color and balances the rich flavors of the dish. My favorite options are my Parmesan Roasted Green Beans, Roasted Broccoli, and Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
- Garlic Mashed Cauliflower: A lighter alternative to mashed potatoes that pairs perfectly with the crispy coating. Check out my Garlic Mashed Cauliflower Potatoes.
- Mashed Potatoes: For a more hearty meal, try my Healthier Crock Pot Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes.
Recipe FAQs
To keep the cheese from running out, I make sure to roll it into the chicken wrap really, really tight. Doing so allows it to stay together. In fact, I never needed to use toothpicks with this method.
Before rolling, make sure to tuck in the ends and any stray pieces in. Don’t use too much stuffing and avoid spreading it all the way to the outer edges. You’ll want to leave a clear border (around half an inch margin) to keep it sealed and tight.
Remember to squeeze the log gently and twist both ends of the saran wrap to seal your chicken well.
For leftovers, simply place your delicious cordon bleu in an airtight container (For more on this, check out my Ultimate Guide to the Best Meal Prep Containers) and store it in your fridge for 3-4 days.
It would be best to reheat it in the oven to maximize the juiciness and crispiness of the chicken. Preheat your oven to around 350F and bake for 10-15 minutes or until it’s heated through.
You can even make this recipe ahead! To keep a bake later version, just prepare it as directed and don’t bake. Then, cover it tightly with foil and you can freeze it for up to 3 months! When you’re ready to enjoy it, put it in the fridge for 24 hours or until thawed.
More Healthy Chicken Recipes
Try these other insanely easy and delicious chicken recipes from the blog!
Healthy Chicken Cordon Bleu
Equipment
*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 4-6 thin Prosciutto slices
- 6-8 slices Swiss
- ¼ cup chickpea flour
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup almond meal
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves only
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Lay the chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, gently pound the chicken to ¼-inch thickness. Take care not to pound too hard because the meat may tear or create holes.
- Lay 2 slices of Swiss on each breast, followed by 2 slices of prosciutto and then 2 more of cheese. Try to leave a ½-inch margin on all sides to help seal the roll. Tuck in the sides of the breast and roll up tightly like a jellyroll inside the plastic wrap. Squeeze the log gently to seal and twist both ends tight. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Season the chickpea flour with sea salt and pepper and spread in a flat dish.
- Mix the almond meal with thyme, garlic, sea salt and pepper in a separate dish.
- Beat together the eggs and season with sea salt and pepper in a third dish.
- Remove the chicken from the plastic wrap. Lightly dust the chicken with chickpea flour, then dip in the egg mixture and then gently coat in the almond meal mixture. Lightly coat a baking pan or dish with olive oil and carefully transfer the roulades. Bake until browned and cooked through, about 25-35 minutes.
- Cut into pinwheels before serving.
Notes
- Let the chicken rest before slicing so the cheese stays inside and doesn’t ooze out too quickly
- Use plastic wrap to roll the chicken tightly so it holds its shape while baking
- Pound the chicken evenly to ensure it cooks through without drying out
- Lightly coat with olive oil before baking to help the almond meal crust crisp up
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.
Dustin
We use to love this. Need to make it again.
Lacey Baier
Hope you enjoy it.
Stephanie
Lacey, thank you so much for this recipe. It was very easy to put together and it turned out beautifully. My sweetheart was so impressed! I fully intend to share this link far and wide. Many, many thanks!
Lacey Baier
That makes me so happy to hear! I'm so glad you and your sweetheart enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing the recipe.