Melty Swiss cheese and ham stuffed inside thin chicken breasts and smothered with breadcrumbs make this air fryer chicken cordon bleu recipe incredible, but the flavorful dijon cream sauce takes it over the top.
Why this recipe works
Air fryer chicken cordon bleu eliminates the oily, greasy mess of traditional pan-frying without skimping on flavor or tasty results. Much like our oven baked chicken cordon bleu recipe, it produces juicy and tender breaded chicken breast rolled together with melty cheese and ham minus all the hassle of oil clean-up.
It’s always fun to make fancy meals in the air fryer. It’s basically a mini convection oven after all, so the possibilities are endless. Plus, air fryers always tend to give you crispy, golden results in the same amount of time, if not less, compared to conventional methods.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
CHICKEN – It’s best to use chicken breast for chicken cordon bleu. Depending on the size of your chicken breasts, you may need to slice them in half first to get them to be 1/2 inch thick after pounding. We used 6 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts (each) without the need to slice them in half first. You don’t want large mounds of chicken cordon bleu, this dish is known for its thin, rollable chicken.
STUFFING – There are a variety of ham and swiss options available. I requested thick-cut ham sliced at the deli counter. If you’d like to use thinner slices, you will need 2-4 per chicken breast. Swiss cheese can be purchased in larger slices from the deli as well – thick or thin.
BREADCRUMBS – Panko breadcrumbs are crunchy and hold up well. If you prefer, you can use seasoned panko breadcrumbs instead.
SAUCE – Swiss or parmesan cheese add a little more flavor to the dijon cream sauce, but they are optional. Be sure to use freshly grated cheese so that it melts into the sauce smoothly.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to flatten the chicken breast no more than 1/2-inch thick.
- Remove the plastic and season the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Place a ham slice to cover each chicken breast, and then cover with slices of Swiss cheese.
- Slowly roll up each chicken breast using the under layer of plastic wrap to keep the contents inside and compact. Wrap the plastic wrap completely around the chicken breast to keep it in place.
- Place the wrapped chicken breasts in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set their shape.
- Meanwhile, prepare a dredging station. Place 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a shallow bowl. Stir to combine.
- In a second bowl, place the panko crumbs.
- Preheat the air fryer to 365F.
- Remove the chicken breast from its plastic wrap. Dredge by placing each side of it into the flour mixture, then coat it in the egg, and finally coat it in the panko.
- Brush the oil onto the breaded chicken breasts.
- Place the chicken breasts into the basket of the preheated air fryer, and cook 25 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Meanwhile, make the dijon cream sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and then slowly add the milk, whisking until the mixture is smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Stir in the mustard and Swiss cheese (if using). Pour sauce over air fried chicken as desired.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Store leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer or in the microwave.
Yes, absolutely. You can prepare the chicken cordon bleu ahead of time and freeze them unbaked for up to 2 months. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store in a large ziptop bag or air-tight container. I would suggest allowing the chicken to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, but you can also air fry it from frozen. You will need to tack on an additional 10-15 minutes to the cook time if you are cooking them from frozen, a good way to gauge doneness is to insert an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken – when it reaches 165F it is done.
Serving Suggestions
Serve air fryer chicken cordon bleu with a side of asparagus, broccoli, carrots, green beans, rice, or potatoes.
More Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Crab Cakes
- Air Fryer Fried Chicken
- Air Fryer Chicken Kabobs
- Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin
- Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
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Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 24 ounces chicken breasts 4 – 6 oz breasts
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 slices deli ham thick sliced
- 8 ounces Swiss cheese sliced. about 2 slices for each breast
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
Dijon Cream Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ½ cup shredded swiss cheese optional, or parmesan
- fresh chopped parsley optional for garnish
Things You’ll Need
- Plastic wrap
Before You Begin
- Instead of vegetable oil, you can use avocado oil or olive oil.
- After the chicken has air fried for 15 minutes, check to see if there are any dry spots and if so, brush on a little more oil.
- Depending on the size and thickness of your chicken breast, it might need slightly more or less time to cook. Start checking for doneness at 25 minutes.
Instructions
- Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to flatten the chicken breast no more than 1/2-inch thick.
- Remove the plastic and season the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Place a ham slice to cover each chicken breast, and then cover with slices of Swiss cheese.
- Slowly roll up each chicken breast using the under layer of plastic wrap to keep the contents inside and compact. Wrap the plastic wrap completely around the chicken breast to keep it in place.
- Place the wrapped chicken breasts in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set their shape.
- Meanwhile, prepare a dredging station. Place 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a shallow bowl. Stir to combine.
- In a second bowl, place the panko crumbs.
- Preheat the air fryer to 365F.
- Remove the chicken breast from its plastic wrap. Dredge by placing each side of it into the flour mixture, then coat it in the egg, and finally coat it in the panko.
- Brush the oil onto the breaded chicken breasts.
- Place the chicken breasts into the basket of the preheated air fryer, and cook 25 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Meanwhile, make the dijon cream sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and then slowly add the milk, whisking until the mixture is smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Stir in the mustard and Swiss cheese (if using). Pour sauce over air fried chicken as desired.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Amanda Davis
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Rachel says
Excellent! Husband said the recipe is a keeper!
Mary says
I made this for supper last night and was soplesed with how it turned out……delish! Thank you! I read on your page that you can freeze it and bake later on. I am wondering if it okay to freeze them after they have been cooked as well as the sauce?
I apprecaite your advice and thank you again.
Amanda Formaro says
Yes you can freeze them with the sauce, so glad you loved them!
Mary says
That is great news! Thank you so much!
Marcela says
Can you use regular bread crumbs?
Amanda Formaro says
Yes
Rita says
Wow! This was a big hit! Thanks so much for this delicious recipe.
Camille Buck says
Wonderful recipe😊 Thank you!
Joan says
Thank you Amanda for this recipe. I’ll be sure to make this this week