You can't beat cordon bleu served with crispy homemade fries—it's comfort food at its finest.

I’m revisiting one of the ultimate French comfort foods—cordon bleu, two ways! First, we’ve got the classic chicken, ham, and cheese combo, and then a twist with veal, pancetta, and blue cheese. The ingredients are simple, but choosing the best quality ham and cheeses will really elevate the flavors.

You can't beat cordon bleu served with crispy homemade fries—it's comfort food at its finest.

Serves: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutess

INGREDIENTS

For the Chicken Version:

• 2 chicken fillets

• 2 slices of good quality ham

• Gruyère cheese, shaved

• 2 tbsp butter, for cooking

• Salt and pepper

For the Veal Version:

• 2 veal steaks

• 2 slices of pancetta

• 100 g (3.5 oz) blue cheese

• Salt and pepper

For the breading (Breadcrumb Coating):

• 2 biscottes or ½ cup breadcrumbs

• 3 tbsp plain flour

• 1 whole egg, beaten

MISE EN PLACE

First, flatten the chicken fillets. Lay each fillet on a sheet of parchment paper, cover with a second sheet, and tap gently with the bottom of a saucepan until evenly flattened. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. If you’re using biscottes, pass them through a sieve to create fine breadcrumbs.

Set up for the paneer (breadcrumb coating) by placing the breadcrumbs and flour onto separate flat plates or small trays. 

METHOD

1. Now, take the chicken fillets out of the fridge and season with salt and pepper. Layer a slice of ham and shavings of Gruyère on each fillet, roll them up, trim the edges, and refrigerate again for about 10 minutes to set. (For the veal version, repeat the process with pancetta and blue cheese.)

2. To bread the escalopes, roll each in flour, then submerge it in the beaten egg, and coat thoroughly with breadcrumbs.

3. In a frying pan, melt a tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Place the roulades in the pan and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, basting with butter while they cook. Once browned, transfer the roulades to the oven and bake at 160°C (320°F) for around 10 minutes. Use a cooking thermometer to check for doneness—the chicken is ready when it reaches around 65°C (160°F).

4. Serve your escalopes with golden oven-baked fries for a completely satisfying experience!

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