Tested Low-Calorie Recipe: Chicken Cordon Bleu

I had a Paris-themed birthday party last year and cooked Chicken Cordon Bleu, one of my favorite dishes, for my guests. If any of you are thinking of doing the same, here is a low-calorie yet equally delicious recipe for almost half the calories!

The original recipe is here: http://lowcaloriecooking.about.com/od/chicken/r/chkcordonbleu.htm. I have included in my tweaked recipe the actual ingredients used if you want the exact same calorie count as I had. For half a chicken breast plus a side of grilled mushrooms, you have dinner for only 191 calories! If you eat the whole chicken breast, it is still only 326 calories, which is pretty low for such a flavorful and filling dinner.

Low Cal So Cal's Chicken Cordon Bleu

INGREDIENTS:

5 4-oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
    I used Private Selection - Panko Bread Crumbs - Japanese Style
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
    I used Market Pantry - 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper (optional)
3 large egg whites, beaten
1 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp minced garlic
    I used Spice World - Minced Garlic
5 thin slices of lean ham (~2 oz.)
    I used Hillshire Farm Deli Select - Ultra Thin Honey Ham
5 thin slices of mozarella cheese
    I used Sargento - Mozzarella Cheese - Part Skim - Thin Slices

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board. Using a meat mallet, pound to chicken to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Make sure to wipe up the counter afterward to avoid spreading salmonella.

2. In a small dish, combine the egg whites, butter and garlic. In a separate, shallow dish, combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, oregano, salt and pepper. I didn't really like the taste of the pepper, so I would omit it next time.

3. To prepare the chicken cordon bleu, lay one chicken breast flat. Place one slice of ham, and one slice of mozzarella cheese on top of the chicken. Roll the chicken breast up, enclosing the ham and cheese inside, and secure with a toothpick.

4. Dip the rolled chicken breast into the egg white mixture, coating the entire outside. Then, dredge the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture, assuring that the entire chicken breast is coated. Place the chicken, seam side down, on a baking pan coated with non-stick cooking spray. Repeat the procedure with the remaining chicken breasts.

5. Bake the chicken for 30 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink, and the tops are golden brown.

NUTRITION INFO (per serving, recipe makes 5 servings):

Calories: 270
Carbs: 6 g (less than 2 g carbs if you omit the breadcrumbs)
Fat: 9 g
Protein: 36 g

NUTRITION INFO (per recommended serving, recipe makes 10 servings):

Calories: 135
Carbs: 3 g (less than 1 g carbs if you omit the breadcrumbs)
Fat: 4.5 g
Protein: 18 g

Complete dinner for less than 200 calories!

This was very flavorful and filling and perfect to make in large batches for guests. We felt one chicken breast per person was too much, so we cut them in half and most of us only ate half for only 135 calories! We added a side of sauteed mushrooms which is only 56 calories per 1/2 cup (just saute 2.5 cups of mushroom, 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp minced garlic).

What's your favorite French dish?