A Special Valentine's Day Dinner: Chicken Cordon Bleu with Prosciutto and Gruyere

 I love my husband. Obviously. :) But one of the many reasons I love him is that he can cook! Mike is an excellent cook, and we are fortunate to love both cooking together and for each other! For Valentine's Day last month, Mike asked if he could cook dinner for me. And I think you can guess what my answer was...

He chose to make a "fancified" chicken cordon bleu recipe that was out of this world. Instead of the traditional ham and swiss, this recipe used prosciutto and gruyere. It is a recipe that contains many steps, and I'm so thankful that Mike was willing to put the time and effort into making such a special meal for me. The delicious meal and Mike's thoughtfulness made our 2014 Valentine's most memorable. ♥

Mike printed this recipe and couldn't remember where it came from. So I'm just repeating the recipe from his print out. :)

Ingredients:

For chicken:

-4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless

-4 thin slices prosciutto di Parma

-1/2 lb. gruyere, grated

-1/4 cup all-purpose flour

-salt and pepper

-1 cup panko bread crumbs

-4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only

-1 clove garlic, minced

-2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

-2 eggs

-extra virgin olive oil

For sauce:

-3/4 cup white wine

-1 and 1/4 tsp. chicken broth

-1 and 1/4 cup heavy cream

-1 Tbsp. cornstarch

-dash of paprika

Instructions:

 Lay the chicken, one breast at a time, between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, gently pound the chicken to 1/4-inch thickness. Remove the top sheet of plastic and lay one slice of prosciutto neatly over the top to cover the breast and sprinkle a quarter of the cheese over the prosciutto. Tuck in the sides of the breast and roll up tight like a jellyroll inside the plastic wrap. Squeeze the log gently to seal and twist both ends tight to form a nice log. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Season the flour with salt and pepper. Mix the bread crumbs with thyme, garlic, salt, pepper, and melted butter. The butter will help the crust brown. Beat together the eggs and season them slightly with salt and pepper as well.

Lightly coat a baking pan with olive oil or cooking spray. Remove the plastic wrap from the chicken. Lightly dust the chicken with flour, dip in the egg mixture, and gently coat in the bread crumbs. Carefully transfer the chicken to the pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until browned and cooked through.

For the sauce, in a small saucepan, over medium heat, warm the wine and chicken broth. Whisk to combine. In a small cup, whisk the cornstarch into the cream until smooth. Pour the cream into the saucepan very slowly, whisking until combined. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring the mixture until it thickens. Add a dash of paprika. Pour the cream sauce over the chicken when ready to serve.

Enjoy!

This meal would be a great option if you're trying to impress a date ;) or say a special thanks to a friend or family member for all that they do.

The flavors of this dish were awesome. The gruyere cheese and prosciutto were amazing together. And the breading couldn't have been more perfect! It was a decadent meal and oh-so-worth the calories. Is it possible to fall in love with your husband even more when he cooks a dish like this? :)

Hope everyone's having a good week and month of March thus far!