This recipe has quickly become a favorite in our home! I took an old classic and put a healthy spin on it! I remember my mom making these as a child, but they were the ones you bought in the freezer section and threw in the oven. And truth be told, I'm not a fan of those anymore! But I DO love healthy comfort food, and that this is! I actually made this recipe on a whim one night when all I had on hand was chicken, ham and cheese (three of my son's favorites) and needed a quick weeknight meal!
No breadcrumbs. No mess. Super simple. Kid approved and you can have it on the table in about 30 minutes!
What you will need:
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (any fat trimmed off)
- 4 slices of cheddar cheese (or any kind you like!)
-8 slices of ham (I use low sodium all natural honey ham)
-1 tsp of sweet paprika
-1 tsp of dried basil
-4 garlic cloves, minced
-1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil
That's it!
How to make it:
First, you want to get your chicken ready! Take each chicken breast, and cut in half width wise so you have 4 pieces. Then, you are going to create a "pocket" to hold the ham and cheese. I gently insert a knife right into the middle of each piece, making sure not to cut through the sides or the back.
It should look like below!
Now that you have your "pockets", it is time to stuff each piece of chicken! I take 1 slice of cheese and fold it in 4 and 2 slices of ham, for each and push it in as far as I can so they won't slide out during cooking. When you are done, it will look like below! (Don't worry if it looks a bit messy, the cheese will melt and it will look perfect when you are done!)
Now, that you have your stuffed chicken, you are ready to season! I put 1 minced garlic clove on each piece of chicken first. Then, I sprinkle on 1/4 tsp of dried basil and 1/4 tsp of sweet paprika on each! It gives it a really pretty color (since you are skipping breadcrumbs), and a nice little kick of flavor! It should look like these below!
Now, they are ready to cook! I heat a sauté pan to medium/low heat. Pour in 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil and spread around the pan well. Carefully place each of the four pieces of chicken in to the pan. Cover with a lid! Now, set a timer for 15 minutes and let it cook! (You do not need to move or flip while its cooking! The cover keeps moisture in, and the chicken ends up really juicy!)
I always remove one after 15 minutes and cut it, to ensure its cooked! (The chicken will be white like below!)
And you are ready to serve your yummy, healthy cordon bleus!
I love to serve them with baked sweet potato fries and sautéed veggies!
I hope you and your family enjoy them as much as we do! ENJOY! Clean eating never tasted so good!
Yes, these are 21 Day Fix approved! Makes 4 servings. Each serving counts as 1 (or 1 1/2 depending on size of chicken) red, 1 blue, 1/4 tsp.
If you'd like to join one of my upcoming support groups and learn how to eat healthy, in the proper portions, and see amazing results-- shoot me an email! I'd love to have you join my wellness community! danafotiades@gmail.com
