Lunch / Dinner
Swiss Chicken Rolls with Toasted Rice Pilaf
Cooked over a nutty blend of wild and brown rice and amped up with savory seasonings, this baked adaptation is an instant winner.
French for “blue ribbon,” cordon bleu typically refers to a dish of boneless chicken breast stuffed with ham and a soft cheese (like Gruyère or other Swiss cheese), then breaded and fried or baked. Many variations exist, but in this one, spread Dijon on the chicken and top with thick slices of ham and Swiss, then bake it over wild rice, mushrooms, and green beans for a dish that surpasses all competition.
The trickiest part of this casserole is cooking the rice, and that’s more time consuming than anything. Because it takes awhile to cook, parboil it in broth before moving it to the oven. This recipe doesn’t use the standard ratio of liquid to rice, but don’t worry — juices from the vegetables and chicken make up the balance, and add natural flavor. Plus, that same liquid keeps the chicken moist and tender.
Ingredients
SAUTÉ:
ADD:
STIR IN:
LIGHTLY POUND:
Test Kitchen Tip
Wild rice can take a long time to cook, so to make sure it's done when the chicken is, start by baking just the rice, then add the chicken rolls.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
Sauté mushrooms, onion, and carrot in butter over medium-high heat until softened, 3 minutes. Add rice blend and sauté until coated with butter, 1 minute. Stir in broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.
Stir in thyme and bay leaves; season mixture with salt and pepper. Transfer rice mixture to prepared baking dish, cover with foil, and bake 30 minutes.
Lightly pound chicken breasts to an even ½-inch thick. Spread 1 tsp. Dijon on each breast, season with salt and pepper, and wrap in a ham slice.
Remove rice from oven, uncover, and stir in green beans and parsley. Nestle chicken rolls in the rice and bake, uncovered, until rice absorbs almost all the liquid and an instantread thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165°, 25–30 minutes.
Top each chicken roll with a cheese slice, return dish to oven, and bake until cheese melts, 3–5 minutes.
Cover dish to let rice steam, 5 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves before serving.
So the rice gets fully cooked, briefly parboil it on the stove top before transferring it to the oven.
Add the uncooked chicken rolls to the partially cooked rice. The liquid keeps them moist as they bake.
Top the cooked chicken with the cheese and return the dish to the oven, just until the cheese melts.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per serving
Calories: 487
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 121mg 40%
Sodium 608mg 25%
Carbs 39g 13%
Fiber 4g 16%
Protein 43g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.