{"id":166722,"title":"Air Fryer Cordon Bleu","modified":"2026-08-26T20:30:24+02:00","plain":"Two chicken cutlets folded over ham and cheese, breaded, then cooked for 15 to 20 minutes at 180 \u00b0C: a crisp golden crust without deep-frying and a gooey center.\n\n\n\nCut into it and the cheese stretches. That\u2019s exactly what you want from a cordon bleu, and exactly what frozen versions never deliver. Made at home, it comes down to three things : a cutlet pounded thin enough to fold shut, breading applied in the right order, and 180 \u00b0C in the basket rather than 200. The breadcrumbs brown, the cheese stays put, and there\u2019s no liter of oil to strain afterward.\n\n\n\nThe same breading, without the filling : air fryer breaded chicken.\n\n\n\nWhat is cordon bleu ?\n\n\n\nA flattened chicken cutlet filled with a slice of ham and cheese, folded over itself, then breaded in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. The name comes from the blue ribbon of an order of chivalry, later becoming a compliment for skilled cooks. On the plate : a crisp crust and a molten center.\n\n\n\nIn an air fryer, there\u2019s no bath of oil to carry the heat. The surface browns through forced convection and the radiant heat of the upper heating element, which trigger the Maillard reaction. That\u2019s why you spray on a light coat of oil before cooking : without it, the breadcrumbs stay pale and dusty.\n\n\n\nThe same breading on something else : air fryer breaded fish.\n\n\n\nMain ingredients for cordon bleu\n\n\n\nTwo chicken cutlets, two slices of ham, and four slices of cheese. For the breading : two tablespoons of flour, one egg, 50 g of breadcrumbs, and one teaspoon of olive oil. Enough to make two cordons bleus.\n\n\n\nPound the cutlet between two sheets of parchment paper until it\u2019s thin enough to seal neatly around the filling. Thick chicken breasts are easier to work with when butterflied open. Leave a border of meat all around the ham and cheese rather than taking them right to the edge.\n\n\n\nThe cheese changes everything. Emmental, Gruy\u00e8re, and Comt\u00e9 melt into a dense layer and leak very little. Raclette, blue cheese, or Morbier give a runnier center, but require a flawless seal. For the crust, regular breadcrumbs adhere well and panko delivers even more crunch.\n\n\n\nIn bite-size form, for kids : air fryer nuggets.\n\n\n\nTechnical tips\n\n\n\nStick to 180 \u00b0C. Go any higher and the cheese will melt and ooze out the edges before the breading has set, leaving the cordon bleu empty in the basket. Preheat for 5 minutes, cook for 15 to 20 minutes, and flip halfway through.\n\n\n\nThirty minutes in the freezer after breading makes all the difference. The coating firms up, sticks better, and gives the cheese more time before it melts. It\u2019s the most effective way to prevent leaks.\n\n\n\nFlour, egg, breadcrumbs, in that order, and don\u2019t miss a spot. The flour dries the surface so the egg can cling, and the egg helps the breadcrumbs stick. Skip an area at any stage and the coating will come off there.\n\n\n\nArrange the cordons bleus in a single layer in the basket, with no overlap. If two pieces touch, they\u2019ll steam where they meet. If you cook in two batches, reheat the first for 3 minutes at the end. Perforated air fryer accessories let air circulate underneath, unlike solid parchment paper.\n\n\n\nFor food safety, aim for 74 \u00b0C at the center, inserting the probe horizontally into the meat rather than the filling, which always reads hotter. Without a thermometer : look for fully melted cheese and steam when you cut into it. Starting from frozen, allow 25 to 30 minutes at 160 \u00b0C. The air fryer cooking chart covers other formats.\n\n\n\nWhat to serve it with\n\n\n\nServe it right away; the crust loses its crunch as it cools. A sharply dressed green salad cuts through the richness of the ham and cheese.\n\n\n\nThe side dish that cooks in the same basket : air fryer frozen fries.\n\n\n\nOr serve it with sweet potato fries, or a sriracha mayo for a little kick. Leftovers keep for 2 days in the refrigerator and reheat beautifully in the air fryer, which brings back the crispness the microwave takes away.\n\n\n\n\n\n\tAir Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\tCordon bleus2 chicken cutlets2 ham slices4 cheese slicesBreading2 tablespoons flour1 egg50 g breadcrumbs1 teaspoon olive oil (for spraying)\t\n\t\n\t\tAssemble the cordon bleusPound the chicken cutlets flat between two sheets of parchment paper.Top each cutlet with 1 slice of ham and 2 slices of cheese.Fold each cutlet over the filling to form the cordon bleus.Bread the cutletsBeat the egg in a shallow bowl.Coat each cordon bleu in flour.Dip each one in the beaten egg.Coat with breadcrumbs, then lightly spray with olive oil.Cook in the air fryerPreheat the air fryer to 180 \u00b0C for 5 minutes.Arrange the cordon bleus in the basket in a single layer, without overlapping.Cook for 15 to 20 minutes at 180 \u00b0C, turning halfway through.Make sure the center reaches 74 \u00b0C, then serve hot.\t\n\t\n\t\tTips:\n\nKeep the air fryer at 180 \u00b0C: at 200 \u00b0C, the cheese melts and leaks out before the breading has set.\nFor extra insurance, place the breaded cordon bleus in the freezer for 30 minutes before cooking to firm up the coating and slow the cheese from melting.\nSeal the edges well: leave a border of meat all around the ham and cheese to reduce leakage.\nFollow the order flour \u2192 egg \u2192 breadcrumbs, coating thoroughly at each step.\nSpray with oil: without a little fat, breadcrumbs in the air fryer can stay pale and powdery.\nCook in a single layer, without overlapping; if needed, cook in two batches (the first batch reheats in about 3 min).\nFor food safety, the center should reach 74 \u00b0C (in the thickest part).\nVariations: swap in raclette or blue cheese, add paprika or parsley to the breadcrumbs, or mix a dash of hot sauce into the beaten egg; for a vegetarian version, try grilled eggplant.\nMake ahead: bread them the day before and refrigerate, or freeze them uncooked and breaded.\nStorage: keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the air fryer to keep them crisp.\nFrom frozen (do not thaw): preheat to 160 \u00b0C and cook for 25 to 30 min, checking as they cook.\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\tPlat principalFran\u00e7aise","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166722","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=166722"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166722\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/166423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=166722"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=166722"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=166722"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}