Biggest Loser Chicken Cordon Bleu
The translation of the French term “Cordon Bleu” is “blue ribbon” — something special and of top quality. The blue-ribbon method for Chicken Cordon Bleu (although Veal Cordon Bleu is more traditional), calls for a chicken cutlet , pounded very thin and wrapped around a thin slice of ham or prosciutto, a thin slice of Swiss Cheese, and then breaded and pan fried in butter or oil.
This combination of flavors is a winner indeed, but this dish can be a calorie power-house. Fortunately, this is an easy dish to adapt to a healthier lifestyle, and Biggest Loser Resorts have done so, in their Biggest Loser Cookbook collection.
While the Biggest Loser recipe called for 2 oz of nitrate-free ham and 1 oz of low fat Swiss Cheese (as pictured), we much preferred a thin slice of quality prosciutto as part of our filling, and, while cheese can and often is our calorie nemesis, we just don’t like reduced calorie or “lite” cheeses (*with one exception, see notes).
For that reason, we appreciate the ultra thin slices of cheese offered by Sargento. By slicing regular calorie cheese into ultra thin portions, Sargento gives us the flavor without the guilt — just 40 calories per slice, and so delicate we call it “cheese paper.” This permits us to be angelic when we use one slice, or indulgent we fan several slices while still keeping the calorie content lower than average.
Likewise, for the prosciutto, it’s just 20 calories for a delicate slice and cooks so quickly, with such great flavor, that you can easily substitute it for bacon on your morning breakfast plate, in a sandwich, soup, or with cheese.
Ingredients
- 8 oz chicken breasts - 2 oz each, boneless and skinless
- Olive Oil (or similiar) Cooking Spray
- Sea Salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- McCormick® Granulated Garlic
- 2-4 slices prosciutto - or thinly sliced deli ham
- 2-4 slices Sargento Ultra Thin Swiss Cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme - finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Lightly mist the chicken with olive oil spray on both sides.
- Sprinkle evenly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Place a medium ovenproof, nonstick skillet over high heat.
- When the pan is hot, lightly mist it with additional spray and add the chicken.
- Cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown on the outside.
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Top each chicken breast with 1-2 slices of prosciutto.
- Top each chicken breast with 1-2 slices of ultra thin Swiss Cheese.
- Arrange both to assure they do not lap over into the plan.
- Sprinkle each portion evenly with the thyme.
- Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.
Spa Index Kitchen Notes
Nutrition
NBC’s Biggest Loser program is conducted at Biggest Loser Resorts.
Find additional Weight Loss Retreats
*The only “lite” version of cheese we like (actually LIKE) are Sargento Lite String Cheese snacks. We’ve done away with those flaccid, soft, flavorless string cheese sticks you see in the grocery store. Sargento lite string cheese snacks are firm, actually separate into strings as they are supposed to, are pleasantly tangy, and only 50 Calories each.
Good!
Simple and good, but not that exciting
Decent but not remarkable
Wife loves this. Making it again for her Valentine’s Day. Came back to comment because I remembered I wanted to add this: We love garlic and if I can ever NOT use powdered garlic I do. This recipe doesn’t have enough fats to really saute fresh garlic, so I wold skip that, but, I DO sometimes shave a garlic clove very thin (with a razor!) and layer that on the breast under the cheese and ham, at the stage we bake it, and we prefer that version.
classic, simple, good