No-Roll Chicken Cordon Bleu

Note: plan ahead, chicken needs to refrigerate before cooking

• 2 Tbsp ham, cut to a fine dice
• 2 Tbsp Gruyere, shredded
• 2 Tbsp cream cheese
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 C flour 
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 C panko 

1.  In small bowl, stir together ham, Gruyere, and cream cheese.  With sharp knife, cut a pocket in each chicken breast half; stuff with ham and cheese mixture.  Place chicken on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2.  Preheat oven to 375°F.  Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet or pan.
3.  Spread flour in bottom of a shallow dish.  Beat together egg and Dijon, pour into another shallow dish.  Put panko in a third shallow dish.  Dredge chicken in flour, turning to coat.  Dip in egg mixture, covering well, and then dredge in panko, pressing with fingers to help panko stick to chicken all over.
4.  Place chicken breasts on wire rack set in pan.  Spray the top of each with a short burst of cooking spray (optional).  Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center and juices run clear.  Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Robyn's notes: I'm quite proud of this recipe.  I was thinking this morning "I've still got quite a bit of ham left, what should I do with it?" and then sat down and wrote this recipe for an altered chicken cordon bleu.  It came out very well, served over rice.  Swiss cheese can be used in place of the Gruyere, but it won't have the strength of flavour.  I made this a second time in May 2013, entirely because I needed a better photo for a project I'm working on.  That's the photo at the top of this entry, and it shows the chicken served alongside red quinoa. 

**** 4 Stars: Very Good. Enjoyed by us both, I will make this frequently