Chicken Cordon Bleu - Cook'S Country - cooking recipe

Ingredients

25 Ritz crackers (about 3/4 sleeve)
4 slices hearty white bread, torn into pieces
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
8 thin slices deli ham (Black forest ham recommended)
2 cups shredded swiss cheese
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds total)
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup all-purpose flour

Preparation

1. Make Crumbs. Adjust oven racks to lowest and middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Pulse crackers and bread in food processor until coarsely ground. Drizzle in butter; pulse to incorporate. Bake crumbs on rimmed baking sheet on middle rack, stirring occasionally, until light brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to shallow dish. Leave oven on.
2 Stuff Chicken. Top each ham slice with 1/4 cup cheese and roll tightly; set aside. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Cut pocket in thickest part of chicken and stuff each breast with 2 ham and cheese rolls. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Transfer chicken to plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 20 minutes.
3. Coat and Bake. Beat eggs and mustard in second shallow dish. Place flour in third shallow dish. One at a time, coat stuffed chicken lightly with flour, dip into egg mixture, and dredge in crumbs, pressing to adhere. (Breaded chicken can be refrigerated, covered, for 1 day.) Transfer chicken to clean baking sheet. Bake on lowest rack until bottom of chicken is golden brown, about 10 minutes, and then move baking sheet to middle rack and reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake until golden brown and chicken registers 160 degrees, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Serve.