Chicken Cordon Bleu Noodle Skillet
A 20-minute meal that tastes like it's fit for a special occasion.
Chicken Cordon Bleu is the personification of culinary excellence. After all, it means ‘blue ribbon’ and with its golden breadcrumb coating, savory ham and cheese filling, and succulent rolled chicken breast, it sure lives up to its name. But you can have all that same incredible flavor in a much more casual application! This Chicken Cordon Bleu Noodle Skillet brings the same flavors to your average weeknight and pairs them with comforting pasta for a one-pan meal that’s done in 20 minutes but tastes like it’s fit for special occasions. Here’s how you make it:
What Ingredients Do You Need for Chicken Cordon Bleu Noodle Skillet?
You’ll need:
- Butter.
- Some onion and garlic.
- Boneless skinless chicken breast. (Thighs work too here.)
- Some diced ham.
- Extra wide egg noodles.
- Chicken broth.
- Half and half or heavy cream.
- Gruyere or Swiss cheese.
- Some dried thyme.
Oh, and some breadcrumbs, of course!
How do You Make Chicken Cordon Bleu Noodle Skillet?
You can think of it kind of like a deconstructed Chicken Cordon Bleu, with the addition of noodles. (In other words, delicious.) The great news is that it’s really easy too. Here’s how it comes together:
In a skillet, melt down some butter and cook down some onions just until they’re starting to turn translucent. Stir in some chopped chicken, along with the garlic and thyme, and cook it just for a few minutes to get some color on that chicken. It will simmer with everything later and will cook through at that point, so for now you only need to worry about browning it.
Next, stir in the noodles, the chicken broth, the ham, and the half and half (or cream). Cover it, reduce the heat so it’s just simmering and let it cook for about five minutes. Give everything a stir and then cover it again and let it cook another five minutes.
At this point, the noodles should be tender and the liquid should have absorbed quite a bit. If not, let it simmer a little longer. Off the heat, stir in the cheese until it melts and then season it with salt and pepper. Go ahead and cover it and let it sit there while you work on the breadcrumbs. (The sauce will also thicken up a bit here, which is fine. If you need to thin it out you can stir in a bit more half and half or cream.)
In a skillet over medium heat, toast those breadcrumbs with some butter until they’re golden brown, which should just take a few minutes. Sprinkle them over the noodles and enjoy! I know breadcrumbs can seem like an extra step, but these only take a couple of minutes and they really set the dish apart. They’re more than worth it!
Chicken Cordon Bleu Noodle Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup white or yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups diced ham steak
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 10 oz extra wide egg noodles
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup half and half or heavy cream
- 2 cups Gruyere or Swiss cheese, grated
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the breadcrumbs:
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs (panko or regular)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
Preparation
- To a large high-sided skillet, add butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in chicken, garlic, and thyme, and cook until chicken just starts to brown. (It will finish cooking through later.)
- Stir in noodles, chicken broth, ham, and half and half (or cream). Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir, then recover to cook for 5 minutes, or until noodles are al dente.
- Remove from heat and stir in the cheese until melted. Season to taste with salt and plenty of black pepper. Cover and set aside.
- In a pan over medium heat, combine the breadcrumbs and butter. Cook, stirring often, until golden brown. Season with a pinch of salt, then sprinkle over the noodles before serving. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch.