Quick Answer: What Is Chicken Cordon Bleu?
Chicken Cordon Bleu is a chicken dish that is made with sliced chicken breast, a slice of ham, and swiss cheese. It is then wrapped in a long thin strip of ham, and then dipped in breadcrumbs and fried. The dish was originally made with a chicken liver and foie gras, but this version is a vegetarian version.
Chicken cordon bleu is the combination of mild mozzarella, ham, and tender chicken that is rolled together and covered in crispy breadcrumbs before it is deep-fried to golden brown perfection.
What you’re left with is a delightful, mouth-watering combination of textures and flavors.
But what makes chicken cordon bleu even better? Some delicious sides of course! If you need some inspiration about what to serve with your chicken cordon bleu, then look no further than our 12 picks below.
There you will find irresistible garlic rice and mashed potatoes, as well as plenty of roasted vegetable sides that will help to round out your meal!
Quick Table: 12 Delicious Side Dishes With Chicken Cordon Bleu
Recipes | Calories Per Serving | Preparation Time |
Dijon Sauce | 66 | 30 Min |
Fresh Salad | 100 | 10 Min |
Roasted Carrots | 146 | 15 Min |
Zucchini Fries | 400 | 20 Min |
Baked Sweet Potatoes | 90 | 30 Min |
Mushroom Risotto | 367 | 40 Min |
Garlic Butter Rice | 205 | 50 Min |
Roasted Asparagus with Lemon Butter Sauce | 70 | 40 Min |
Balsamic Green Beans | 123 | 35 Min |
Roasted Brussels Sprouts | 43 | 20 Min |
Simple Steamed Broccoli | 31 | 25 Min |
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes | 190 | 30 Min |
1. Dijon Sauce
A deep-fried delight like chicken cordon bleu needs a thick sauce. Enter this simple but delicious Dijon sauce that is ready to eat in seconds!
This Dijon sauce is wonderfully decadent and also elevates pork and fish dishes.
Calories Per Serving: 66
Preparation Time: 30 Min
2. Fresh Salad
A rich dish like chicken cordon bleu really benefits from a fresh salad. The fresh fruit and veggies and the tangy vinaigrette in a fresh salad perfectly balances out the rich flavors of the chicken cordon bleu.
Plus, salad is a healthy side option when your entrée is fatty and deep-fried.
Calories Per Serving: 100
Preparation Time: 10 Min
3. Roasted Carrots
Chicken cordon bleu has plenty of umami flavors, so when it comes to side dishes it’s best to turn to something milder. Enter carrots!
Baby or regular carrots will do, as both perfectly contrast the cordon bleu’s flavors and texture. Plus, you can’t beat roasting a carrot.
Roasting at a high temperature brings out the natural sweetness of this veggie, giving them irresistibly caramelized edges and a texture that is both crisp and tender.
Calories Per Serving: 146
Preparation Time: 15 Min
4. Zucchini Fries
We all love French fries, but since chicken cordon bleu is also deep-fried, pairing the dish with fries can be too much of a good thing.
But who says your fries need to be French? For all that fried goodness without the extra grease and calories, why not make zucchini fries?
Not only are they nutritious and delicious, but so simple to make! You just need to slice the zucchini, coat them in batter and place them in the oven. Furthermore, these crisp and tender fries are just 135.4 calories.
There is no hot pot of oil needed to make these fries, as they are crisp and tender straight from the oven.
You can also enjoy these fries solo by dipping them into the dipping sauce of your choice, be that garlic aioli, marinara sauce, or Ranch sauce!
Calories Per Serving: 400
Preparation Time: 20 Min
RELATED: How Long Is Chicken Good For After The Sell-By Date
5. Baked Sweet Potatoes
No matter what you’re serving them with, baked sweet potatoes make an excellent side! Like carrots, their sweet and subtle flavor contrast beautifully with the rich chicken cordon bleu.
What’s more, they couldn’t be simpler to prepare. All you need to do is place them in the oven, and for added flavor, top them with a cube of butter.
Calories Per Serving: 90
Preparation Time: 30 Min
6. Mushroom Risotto
If you’re someone who enjoys a hearty side to really sate those hunger pangs, why not pair your chicken cordon bleu with this mushroom risotto?
The mushrooms give this creamy dish an extra earthiness that marries so well with chicken cordon bleu, and the combination of mushroom risotto and cordon bleu makes for one elegant meal.
For added luxury you can also garnish this risotto with shaved truffles. A perfect meal for date night!
For this creamy, rich mushroom risotto you’ll need brandy, mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, and risotto rice. It’s comfort food with a touch of elegance.
Calories Per Serving: 367
Preparation Time: 40 Min
7. Garlic Butter Rice
Since chicken cordon bleu is a fatty dish filled with protein, a starchy side provides a nice balance to the meal, and steamed white rice fits the bill perfectly.
Rice is super mild, which helps to even out the umami flavors of the cordon bleu. Like the risotto dish above, it is also a hearty side that is sure to fill you up.
However, if you’re a little bored by steam rice, you can easily elevate the simple side by sautéing it with butter and garlic.
Not only does this make your rice tastier, but it still lets the chicken cordon bleu shine.
Calories Per Serving: 205
Preparation Time: 50 Min
8. Roasted Asparagus With Lemon Butter Sauce
Asparagus is a nutritious side to your chicken cordon bleu that gives it extra crunch. Asparagus by itself is a little on the bland side, but slathering it in lemon butter gives it a lot more flavor.
Lemon and butter is the match we never knew we needed!
Roasted asparagus spears drenched in delicately seasoned lemon butter with Parmesan cheese is a side dish that’s hard to beat. In fact, once you’ve prepared asparagus this way you’re never going to want to prepare it any other way!
Calories Per Serving: 70
Preparation Time: 40 Min
9. Balsamic Green Beans
The vibrant color of Balsamic green beans not only provide a contrast in color to your chicken cordon bleu but a contrast in texture too. Plus, coating the green beans in a balsamic dressing really takes their flavor to the next level.
To prepare these balsamic green beans, you first need to sauté onions in butter before mixing in chicken broth, sugar, and vinegar and bringing it to a boil. Then leave it to simmer until the sauce becomes thick.
Finally, you add the cooked green beans, coating them and leaving them to cook for two minutes.
While these balsamic green beans are simple to make, the flavors are actually more complex than they seem. Regular green beans are elevated thanks to the nutty, sweet garlic, chunky walnuts, and the refreshing and tangy balsamic vinegar.
Calories Per Serving: 123
Preparation Time: 35 Min
10. Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are yet another great example of veggies that taste incredible when roasted.
Brussels Sprouts are a divisive vegetable, but we believe a lot of people’s dislike for the sprout stems from the fact that it has long been prepared poorly, unable to reach its full potential.
So even if you don’t consider yourself a sprout fan, why not give these roasted Brussels sprouts a try? Not only do they taste great when cooked properly, but they’re also pretty darn good for you.
When Brussels sprouts are roasted correctly, they can actually have an earthy, sweet, and even creamy flavor that pairs so well with chicken cordon bleu.
In the U.S. Brussels sprouts are in season from September to March, but Brussels sprouts are available to buy all year round.
Calories Per Serving: 43
Preparation Time: 20 Min
11. Simple Steamed Broccoli
Much like the balsamic green beans, this steamed broccoli recipe adds a pop of vibrant green to your chicken cordon bleu dish and is totally nutritious and delicious.
The mild flavor of the delicious broccoli contrasts with the umami flavors of the cordon bleu perfectly.
Why not pair two sides together, and top the broccoli with some Dijon sauce too? If you would rather prepare your broccoli differently, you could try broccolini instead.
Broccolini is basically baby broccoli, and grilling your broccoli or broccolini is a great way to get the most out of its flavors.
Calories Per Serving: 31
Preparation Time: 25 Min
RELATED: How Long Can I Keep Costco’s Rotisserie Chicken In The Refrigerator?
12. Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
When you think of a side dish, mashed potatoes probably come to mind first. It’s easy to see why, as they are filling, creamy, and oh so delicious! You can’t go wrong with this reliable side dish.
Traditional mashed potatoes are already super comforting, but the addition of roasted garlic makes them even tastier!
While these roasted garlic mashed potatoes are easy to make, roasting the garlic is time-consuming. However, the recipe recommends starting the potatoes when the garlic is halfway done.
This definitely makes the roasting time go by quicker! Or you can roast them ahead of time, and reheat them before adding to the potatoes.
If you’re a big fan of garlic, you can also roast another head of garlic, in order to garnish your mashed potatoes with a couple extra cloves.
Calories Per Serving: 190
Preparation Time: 30Min
Final Thoughts
Chicken cordon bleu is a decadent dish that is high in protein and makes for a deliciously rich meal.
Roasted veggies, Dijon sauce, garlicky flavors and starchy sides such as rice really compliment the umami flavors of the dish, and contrast nicely with this rich, deep-fried delight.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is In Chicken Cordon Bleu Sauce?
Chicken cordon bleu sauce usually contains Dijon mustard, flour, garlic powder, milk, Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.
How Is Chicken Cordon Bleu Different From Chicken Kiev?
At first glance chicken cordon bleu and chicken Kiev may seem indistinguishable, but the important distinction is the filling. Chicken cordon bleu is filled with cheese and ham, while chicken Kiev is filled with chilled butter.
How Do You Stop The Cheese From Pouring Out Of Chicken Cordon Bleu?
To stop too much cheese from oozing out of chicken cordon bleu, coat the chicken in flour, making sure to include the ends. Then use toothpicks to hold the wider part of the chicken shut, and cook on the stove top with plenty of butter.
Where Does Chicken Cordon Bleu Come From?
While chicken cordon bleu and chicken Kiev are two different dishes, the origins of chicken cordon blue probably come from veal Kiev that was invented in Paris in the late 1840s.
Veal Kiev involves coating veal in breadcrumbs and frying it. In Moscow the veal was switched out for chicken.
Veal cordon bleu arrived in the U.S. in 1955, and chicken cordon bleu would arrive 12 years later in 1967.
Chicken cordon bleu was once believed to have come from the renowned culinary institute, Le Cordon Bleu, but this is actually not the case.
The term cordon bleu means ‘blue ribbon’ in French, and is rooted in the special order of French knights, as Henry III of France established in 1578 that the highest order of knighthood be recognized with a blue ribbon.
- Top Main Differences Between Tagliatelle And Fettuccine Pasta - March 10, 2023
- The Main Differences Between Red And Green Jalapeno Peppers - March 10, 2023
- Perfect Griddle Cakes To Make Simply Delicious Recipes For The Meal - March 9, 2023
Mois Pasta
Monday 28th of November 2022
A very good article. Congratulations
shoya izakaya
Saturday 14th of May 2022
I am sure this post has touched all the internet people, its really really fastidious post on building up new blog.
www wine-is
Wednesday 11th of May 2022
It's the best time to make some plans for the future and it's time to be happy. I've read this post and if I could I desire to suggest you some interesting things or tips. Perhaps you can write next articles referring to this article. I desire to read more things about it!
xmc.pl
Thursday 28th of April 2022
You own a incredibly exciting weblog covering lots of topics I am interested as well.Just bookmarked your internet site so I can read more in the next days Just continue your marvellous artice writing
Polski Portal
Tuesday 26th of April 2022
I'm a writer and I would love to have people's opinions on my work. Does anyone know any good blogging sites?. Twitter is not a blogging site and the only way people see your work on twitter is if they follow you. Twitter and Facebook are not answers that I am looking for. Thank you for your input..