Name: Chicken Cordon Bleu - Supremes de Volaille Cordon Bleu
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 2 whole boneless chicken breasts, skinned, split into halves, and trimmed; 2 ounces thinly sliced uncooked country ham or prosciutto; 4 ounces Gruyère cheese; Dijon mustard; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 1 large egg; 1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs; Peanut oil, for frying

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Chicken Cordon Bleu - Supremes de Volaille Cordon BleuCookbook cover image courtesy of Random House

This old "gourmet" standby can indeed be spectacular, or it can be exceedingly dull. Everything rests on the quality of the ingredients. With good cheese, first-rate ham, homemade crumbs, and a little care in the cooking, you can't go wrong. If, however, you use indifferent, packaged boiled ham and ordinary cheese, and add insult to injury by overcooking them, you'll kill yourself wondering what all the fuss is about.

Recipe notes

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