Here’s a French entrée that’s almost as easy as a la mode.

So breaded chicken, a little ham and some melted cheese hardly seems like French cuisine, but, oui oui, it is.

And as it turns out, chicken cordon bleu is surprisingly easy.

A few tips:

1. Use fresh chicken breasts rather than frozen. Straight from the store is easier to work with than thawed meat.

2. You need a very sharp knife to slice through (but not all the way through!) the chicken length wise. Don’t cut the breast completely in half, instead, slice it so it can be opened like a book and then closed up once the cheese and ham are inside.

3. The cheese and ham. Go to your grocery store’s butcher so you can get exactly what you want: thick cheese and thin ham. About a quarter-pound of each will do.

Beyond this, you’re simply stuffing, coating and baking. Bon appetit!

Chicken Cordon Bleu
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 slices Swiss cheese, about half an inch thick
4 slices cooked ham, thinly cut
½ C. seasoned bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten

Directions:
Cut each chicken breast almost in half, length-wise, leaving one side in tact. (This will help the stuffing stay in place.) Fold a thick piece of Swiss cheese around a thin slice of ham and tuck inside the chicken breast so it is completely enclosed. It may be helpful to secure it will a toothpick. Dip the chicken in the egg and then roll in bread crumbs. Place on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.