Delicious & Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

So it's 5:30 p.m., and I have no idea what I'm going to prepare for dinner, except that my wife would like it to include watermelon and Florida blueberries, which are in season. I glance through the latest edition of Cooking Light, but find nothing I feel like making. Then, I look at the Publix weekly ad and see that chicken breasts are on sale. I Google "chicken breast recipes." I click on the second hit - allrecipes.com. Up pops a page full of very popular chicken breast recipes. Chicken Cordon Bleu II (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Cordon-Bleu-II/Detail.aspx) catches my eye - it is a five-star recipe with 3,515 reviews.

My first reaction is that it's probably really good, but probably too hard to make. Then I read the directions and see that it looks very easy. On top of that, the web page with the recipe also has a link to a video on how to prepare it. Great! That's my choice for an entrée. For a side, I choose one of my favorites - Green Bean & Mushroom Medley (http://viaggiviniecucine.blogspot.com/2013/02/green-been-mushroom-medley-great-with.html). I immediately head out to Publix and get all the ingredients I need. I come home and prepare both dishes, along with the watermelon  & blueberries. The Cordon Bleu recipe turns out to be as easy and delicious as it sounds, particularly with a little help from the video. Thanks again to allrecipes.com.

The Cordon Bleu recipe serves 6. Since there were only two of us, I cut the number of chicken breast halves, slices of Swiss cheese, and slices of ham to three each. I left all of the other ingredients the same. The recipe takes about an hour to prepare.

Ingredients

- 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
- 6 slices Swiss cheese
- 6 slices ham
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. (To avoid splashing bits of chicken and fluid while pounding the chicken, place the breasts in a plastic storage bag.) Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast to within half an inch of the edges. Roll the chicken breasts with the ham and cheese inside. Secure each breast with a toothpick. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and then coat the chicken breasts with this mixture.

2. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear.

3. Remove the toothpicks and transfer the chicken breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm.