Kamil Perry
Chicken ham cheese rolls are a delicious and juicy dish, perfect for any night of the week. This recipe is a simple take on the classic chicken cordon bleu, with a few variations in the ingredients and cooking methods. The chicken is stuffed with ham and cheese, and then coated in a crunchy layer of cornflakes or breadcrumbs. The dish can be baked or pan-fried, resulting in a light and healthy meal that is sure to impress.
Characteristics and Values Table for Chicken Ham Cheese Rolls
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Dish | Main Dish |
| Oven Temperature | 375°F to 400°F |
| Pan-Frying | Optional |
| Breading | Flour, Eggs, Breadcrumbs, Cornflakes, or Chicken Batter Mix |
| Cheese | Swiss, Provolone, Mozzarella, or Shredded |
| Seasonings | Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Thyme |
| Sauce | Condensed Soup, Sour Cream, Lemon Juice |
| Cooking Time | 20-40 minutes |
| Internal Temperature | 160°F to 165°F |
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What You'll Learn
Preparing the chicken
Now it's time to layer on the fillings. Start by placing 2-3 slices of ham on each chicken breast, followed by the cheese. You can use shredded cheese or slices of Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella cheese, depending on your preference. If you want to add some extra vegetables, you can also layer on some spinach leaves.
Once the fillings are in place, carefully roll the chicken breasts up tightly, starting from the narrower end. Make sure to keep the fillings inside the borders of the chicken breast as you roll. Secure each roll with toothpicks or by wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap, twisting the ends to create a firm chicken roll. At this point, you can refrigerate the chicken rolls for at least 30 minutes or up to one day in advance, or even freeze them for later use.
Before cooking, you can coat the chicken rolls in a variety of ways. One option is to dip them in flour, egg, and then breadcrumbs or cornflake crumbs, pressing lightly to help the coating stick. Alternatively, you can simply dip them in melted butter and then roll them in the crumbs, ensuring they are thoroughly coated.
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Adding the fillings
To make chicken ham cheese rolls, you'll need to cut a slit about 3/4 of the way through each chicken breast, keeping it connected on one side. Open the chicken breast and lay it flat, then season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. For the filling, lay 2-3 slices of ham on top of the chicken, followed by 4 slices of cheese—you can use provolone, Swiss, or mozzarella. If you like, sprinkle the ham with thyme before adding the cheese.
Roll the chicken up tightly, starting from the narrower end, and secure the roll with toothpicks. If you don't want to use toothpicks, you can wrap the chicken bundle tightly in plastic wrap, twisting the ends to create a firm roll. Refrigerate the wrapped chicken bundles for at least 30 minutes or up to one day in advance.
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Rolling the chicken
Preparing the Chicken
Start by placing each chicken breast half between two sheets of plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet or a rolling pin to pound the chicken until it is flattened to an even thickness of about 1/8 inch. Be careful not to pound too hard, as you don't want to tear the meat. This step ensures that the chicken is thin enough to roll easily and promotes even cooking.
Layering the Ingredients
Once your chicken is prepared, it's time to layer on the delicious fillings. Sprinkle the chicken with seasonings like salt, pepper, and garlic powder. You can also add other spices or dried herbs of your choice, such as thyme, to enhance the flavour. Next, lay 2-3 slices of ham over the chicken, followed by your choice of cheese. You can use Swiss cheese, provolone, mozzarella, or cheddar—go with your preference or what you have on hand. If you want to add some extra vegetables, you can also include a layer of spinach.
Rolling Technique
Now for the rolling! Starting at the narrower end of the chicken breast, carefully roll it up tightly, making sure to keep as much of the filling inside as possible. This part can be a bit tricky, so take your time. You want to end up with a compact roll that holds together well. Some recipes suggest folding the cheese and ham if needed to ensure they stay within the borders of the chicken breast.
Securing the Roll
To secure the roll and prevent it from unravelling, you can use toothpicks. Place them at each end of the roll, or seal the entire roll by placing toothpicks at regular intervals. Alternatively, you can try a plastic wrap trick to secure the roll without toothpicks. Place the rolled chicken on a new piece of plastic wrap and wrap it tightly, pinching the excess plastic on the sides to create a tootsie-roll shape, then twist the ends to tighten. Refrigerate the wrapped chicken bundles for at least 30 minutes to help them hold their shape before proceeding to the next steps.
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Coating the rolls
Now it's time to coat the chicken ham and cheese rolls. There are a few different ways you can do this, depending on the type of coating you want.
If you want a crunchy coating, you can use cornflake or cereal crumbs. Pulse the cornflakes in a food processor until they form fine crumbs, and place them in a shallow bowl. Then, melt some butter in a separate bowl. Dip each chicken roll first into the butter, and then into the cornflake crumbs, pressing lightly so that the crumbs stick to the chicken.
You could also coat the rolls with flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. First, transfer some flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs into three separate bowls. Then, dip the chicken roll into the flour, tapping off any excess, before dipping it into the egg, and then the breadcrumbs.
For a herby coating, you can use a panko crust. Simply coat the outside of your chicken rolls with a panko crust and bake them—this will give them a crispy texture while keeping the calories down.
Finally, if you want to pan-fry your rolls, you can coat them in a mixture of salt, pepper, and flour. Whisk these ingredients together in a bowl, and then roll each chicken bundle in the mixture so that they are lightly coated.
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Cooking the rolls
To make chicken ham cheese rolls, you'll first need to prepare the chicken. Cut about 3/4 of the way through each chicken breast horizontally, being careful not to cut all the way through. Open the chicken and lay it flat. Place the chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and use a rolling pin or meat mallet to pound it until it's about 1/8 inch thick. Remove the plastic wrap and season the chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Next, it's time to add the fillings. Lay 2-3 slices of ham over the chicken, followed by the cheese. You can use shredded cheese, or slices of Swiss, mozzarella, or provolone cheese. If you like, you can add some spinach leaves for an extra boost of veggies. Carefully roll the chicken up tightly, keeping the fillings inside as much as possible. Secure the roll with a toothpick.
Now it's time to bread the rolls. You can use a variety of coatings, such as cornflake crumbs, cereal crumbs, or traditional breadcrumbs. First, dip the chicken roll into flour, tapping off any excess. Then, dip it into a shallow dish of melted butter, followed by the crumbs or breadcrumbs, pressing lightly to help them stick.
Finally, it's time to cook the rolls. You can either bake or pan-fry the rolls. For baking, place the rolls on a greased baking sheet and cook at 375-400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and golden brown. If you're pan-frying, heat butter or oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the rolls for about 1 minute per side, until browned but not fully cooked through. Enjoy your chicken ham cheese rolls!
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Frequently asked questions
Place each chicken breast half between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to about 1/8-inch thickness.
Season the chicken and lay 2-3 slices of ham and cheese on top. Starting at the narrower end, roll up the chicken tightly, keeping as much ham and cheese inside as possible. Secure the roll with a toothpick.
Coat the outside of the chicken rolls with butter, then roll them in cornflake crumbs or breadcrumbs. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until the chicken is golden brown.
