French Food Friday...Chicken Cordon Bleu

recipe and photo from here

Bonjour mes belles,

Sorry about the lack of posts this week but I have been busy painting and I am at the stage where I am running out of paint. Not sure if this is a good or a bad thing but I will be off later to get some more.

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day so the perfect excuse for a romantic dinner.

As you know by now, French Boyfriend is passionate about French food and I think that I have found the perfect recipe for the main dish. It is Chicken Cordon Bleu but has a slight twist to it which is the reason that I like using Rachel Khoo's recipes as they are never boring and they keep the French on their toes. In this particular recipe Rachel has substituted the ham with sun dried tomatoes.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS
2 large chicken breast fillets
2 tbsp sundried tomato paste
75g Cheddar or Emmental,
thinly sliced
Small handful of rocket
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp plain flour
1 large egg, lightly whisked
100g breadcrumbs

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200C (fan assisted)/220C/Gas Mark 7.

Place the chicken fillets on a chopping board. Using a sharp knife, slice the first fillet in half horizontally, starting from the straighter side. Don’t cut all the way through; leave the edge, allowing you to open up the fillet like a book. Repeat with the second fillet. Take two pieces of cling film three times bigger than each fillet. Lay one on the board, place the open fillet on top and cover with the second piece of film.

Bash the fillet with a rolling pin to about ½cm thick between the two sheets of cling film. Remove the top layer of film. Season the fillet well and spread with 1 tbsp sundried tomato paste, then layer the cheese slices on top, leaving a margin at the edge. Lay half the rocket on top. Roll up the fillet tightly using the cling film (but keep it on the outside) and make sure everything is tucked inside.

Wrap the film tightly around the rolled fillet and secure the edges like a Christmas cracker by twisting the film at either end. Repeat with the other fillet.

Drizzle the oil into a baking dish and place in the oven. Set up three plates: one with the flour, one with the egg and one with the breadcrumbs. Season the flour. Remove the film from the fillets and roll each one in the flour, then in the egg and then in the breadcrumbs. Place the fillets in the baking dish.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, turning them over halfway through the cooking time. Remove from the oven and serve in slices or whole with veggies or salad.

 très bon vendredi à tous, Leeann x