Chicken Cordon Bleu with Rice and Green Beans

Ingredients

Quantities are for 4 servings.

• 2 lb Boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 8 oz Deli ham, thin sliced
• 8 oz Swiss cheese slices
• 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
• 2 each Eggs
• 1 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
• 3 tbsp Butter
• 1 cup Heavy cream
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 cups (dry) White rice
• 1 lb Green beans, fresh
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper

Instructions

1. Pound the chicken breasts to an even 1/2-inch thickness and season both sides with the salt and pepper. Lay two slices of ham and two slices of Swiss cheese on each, roll up tightly, and secure with toothpicks. Wash your hands, board, and mallet well after handling the raw chicken.
2. Set up a breading station: flour in one shallow dish, the beaten eggs in a second, and the panko in a third. Coat each chicken roll in flour, then egg, then panko.
3. Heat the oven to 375°F. Melt the butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Sear the chicken rolls on all sides until golden, 6-8 minutes total.
4. Transfer the skillet to a 375°F oven and bake 20-25 minutes, until a thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken (not the filling) reads 165°F.
5. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to package directions. Steam or sauté the green beans with the garlic until crisp-tender, 5-7 minutes.
6. For the sauce, whisk the heavy cream and Dijon mustard together in a small saucepan and simmer gently over medium-low heat, stirring often, until reduced by about a third, 6-8 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
7. Remove the toothpicks, slice the chicken if you like, and serve over the rice with the green beans, drizzled with the Dijon cream sauce.