Enjoy a delicious and classic French dish made easy with this incredible Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe. Topped with a creamy homemade Dijon sauce, this meal is absolutely amazing.
This favorite restaurant chicken dish is surprisingly easy to make in the air fryer. With just a handful of ingredients, air fryer chicken cordon bleu is lightly breaded and packed with flavor.
The rich and tangy sauce is one of my favorite parts of the recipe! Dijon sauce is made on the stovetop and comes together in just a few minutes.
Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu
- No deep frying! Typically, this French dish is deep-fried in a lot of oil. Not this air fryer version. It comes out perfectly crispy on the outside—with juicy chicken and delicious melted cheese on the inside.
- Impressive, but easy! Any dish with a French name automatically brings an extra level of fanciness. This is the perfect awe-inspiring date-night plate to show off your cooking expertise.
- A creamy sauce that steals the show! Top your air fryer chicken cordon bleu with an elegant and creamy Dijon sauce that’s sure to impress your dinner guests.
If you loved this air fryer chicken cordon bleu recipe, make sure to check out our full collection of air fryer chicken recipes. Chicken will never get boring when you have all of these easy recipes on hand!
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use a meat mallet to flatten your chicken. After slicing the chicken breasts into 2 thin cutlets, use a meat mallet to pound each piece so they’re even in thickness. This ensures they cook at the same rate.
- Customize this recipe. Make it your own with your favorite cheeses and meats. Try swapping Swiss cheese for provolone or mozzarella. Instead of deli ham, prosciutto is also delicious in this recipe. You can even use pepperoni and mozzarella to make Pizza Cordon Bleu!
- Make this recipe gluten-free. Simply used gluten-free breadcrumbs and all-purpose gluten-free flour for both the chicken and the sauce.
How to Store Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu
Keep leftover air fryer chicken cordon bleu in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can easily reheat it in the air fryer at 350°F for 5-7 minutes.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Cordon Bleu
Serve this delicious air fryer chicken dish with a side of broccoli or sautéed vegetables and rice pilaf or creamy mashed potatoes.
Fresh greens with a fresh lemon vinaigrette are also a great choice. A healthy salad will balance the richness of the chicken.
More Delicious Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
- If you’re craving Japanese food, make your own homemade Chicken Katsu with a tangy dipping sauce.
- For a comforting homestyle dinner, cook a whole chicken in the air fryer! I love serving this with corn and mashed potatoes.
- Love that tanginess mustard adds to chicken? Try our Air Fryer Chicken Legs. They’re coated with a delicious sauce made with fresh garlic, mayo, and mustard.
Did you enjoy this recipe? Let us know in the comments below! We love hearing from fellow home chefs and air fryer fans. Comment below, follow Air Fryer Eats on Instagram, pin this recipe to Pinterest, and join our Air Fryer Recipes Facebook group too.
Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 large chicken breasts about ⅔ pound each
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 slices deli ham
- 4 slices swiss cheese
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups breadcrumbs
For the Dijon Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- Minced fresh thyme or parsley for garnish
Instructions
For the Chicken:
- Butterfly each chicken breast by cutting it in half lengthwise. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, place the chicken on a large cutting board and cover it with plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet to pound the chicken to ¼” thick. Repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken.
- Lay out the chicken cutlets and season them lightly with salt and pepper. Place one piece of ham and one piece of cheese over each of the cutlets (feel free to trim the ham and cheese so it isn’t too much larger than the chicken if you’d like to). Starting from one end, tightly roll the chicken into a log and secure it with toothpicks.
- Place the flour in a shallow bowl. In another bowl, beat the eggs with a small splash of water. Add the breadcrumbs to a third bowl.
- Dip each piece of chicken in the flour, then eggs, and then breadcrumbs– making sure to coat the chicken evenly on all sides.
- Spray your air fryer basket with olive oil spray and then add the chicken to the air fryer. Spray the chicken lightly with olive oil spray as well.
- Cook at 350ºF/176ºC for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and the internal temperature registers 165ºF/74ºC. While the chicken cooks, prepare the sauce (below).
For the Dijon Sauce:
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and allow it to melt.
- When the butter is melted, add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook for 1 minute, whisking often.
- Slowly add the cream, whisking constantly. Continue whisking until any large lumps are gone.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Don’t worry if the sauce thickens too much, just add a splash of milk to thin it out.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan and dijon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve over the chicken cordon bleu, garnished with minced parsley or thyme. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Season to taste. I don’t add any salt to my breadcrumbs because I think that the sauce gives the chicken plenty of flavor. However, feel free to add salt and pepper if you like.
- This recipe can be made in an air fryer unit with a basket or an air fryer oven. If you are using an air fryer oven, use the middle rack and choose the “Air Fry” function.
- Check your food as it cooks. Each air fryer runs a bit differently. Make sure to check your food as it’s cooking to learn your air fryer better and avoid over- or undercooking.
Nutrition Information
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s important to ensure that the internal temperature of the chicken is 165ºF/74ºC. Because the chicken is rolled up, be sure that the interior layers are fully cooked as well as the outer ones.
The classic recipe uses chicken breasts, but it will work with boneless, skinless thighs as well. Be sure to remove any excess fat and pound the thighs so that they are thin and even. Adjust the cooking time if needed.
We’ve updated this recipe!
We want our recipes to be as easy to follow as possible. That’s why we periodically update our recipes to share new tips and tricks, valuable information, and new photos. But don’t worry, it’s still the same great Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe you know and love.
This was delicious! Super easy to make and really yummy. I had to add more milk to the sauce because it thickened really fast, but it was super flavorful; my husband especially loved the sauce!
We’re so glad you liked it, this is one of our favorite recipes too! The creamy sauce really completes this dish.