Fried Chicken Cordon Bleu, Southern-Style

Y’all are gonna love my Southern spin on this classic. My fried chicken cordon bleu recipe includes chicken breast coated in crushed Ritz crackers, fried, and then stuffed with pimento cheese. It’s simultaneously crunchy, tender, and ooey-gooey goodness!

Forkful of fried chicken cordon bleu.

Now, let me first just say I KNOW this isn’t a traditional chicken cordon bleu as there’s no ham or swiss cheese in sight. However, this is chicken cordon bleu with a Southern twist, and let me tell y’all, it’s so good!

Instead of coating our chicken breast with breadcrumbs, we use crushed Ritz crackers (if this sounds delicious, check out my Ritz cracker chicken recipe). Then instead of stuffing it with deli ham and swiss cheese, we’re going to use the one and only Southern favorite… pimento cheese. I could eat this stuff all day every day.

Now, instead of baking, we’re making fried chicken cordon bleu, because this is a Southern take on classic chicken cordon bleu, after all. Frying the chicken makes the Ritz cracker coating so deliciously crunchy that you’re going to fall in love at first bite! The flavor and texture combination of the crunchy coating and ooey-gooey cheese is just irresistible.

This fried chicken cordon bleu recipe is very easy to follow and will be ready in no time at all. I’ve included some serving suggestions below, but I hope you make this for a weeknight supper sometime soon. I have a feeling your family will love it!

Labeled ingredients for fried chicken cordon bleu.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Ritz crackers (generic are fine)
  • Oil for frying
  • Eggs
  • Boneless skinless chicken breast
  • Pimento cheese

How to Make Fried Chicken Cordon Bleu, Southern-Style

Pour oil into skillet.

 Before you get started, pour oil to a depth of 1/2 an inch in a large skillet and put it over medium-high heat.

Crushed Ritz crackers in bowl.

Set up a little breading station with a bowl of crushed Ritz crackers, a bowl of beaten eggs, your chicken, and a plate to put it on.

Dip chicken into egg.

Dip each piece of chicken into the beaten egg on both sides.

Press chicken into cracker crumbs next.

Then press it into the cracker crumbs.

Reduce heat to medium and fry chicken in skillet.

Reduce the heat under your skillet to medium and carefully add your chicken to it.

Cook until golden brown (about 7 to 9 minutes), then turn and cook until golden brown on the other side and the chicken is no longer pink in the center.

Fried chicken on paper towel-lined plate.

 Like this.  

 Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.

Slice pocket into side of chicken.

Using a fork to hold the chicken rather than your hands, cut a nice slice into the side of each piece of chicken to form a pocket.

Like so.

Stuff chicken pocket with pimento cheese.

Carefully stuff that pocket with a few tablespoons of pimento cheese. This puppy right here is holding about four tablespoons.

I just put a big old spoonful in there one at a time until I feel like I have all I can get in there.

Pop chicken on sides in a baking dish and briefly bake in oven.

Prop stuffed chicken pieces up on their sides in a small baking pan or an 8×8 baking dish.

Put this in a 350-degree oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese melts a bit on the outside. Since the chicken is hot, you know it will be nicely melted on the inside, too.

Fried chicken cordon bleu

Enjoy this wonderful fried chicken cordon bleu, Southern-style.

Plate of fried chicken cordon bleu with sides.

I’ve included serving suggestions below, but this time I just did simple green beans and potatoes.

Storage

  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer at 350 degrees until heated through.

Recipe Notes

  • You can make your cheese from scratch using your own recipe, my spicy pimento cheese recipe, my grandmama’s recipe, or you can just go buy some.
  • This recipe is for two boneless skinless breasts so double it if you want to make four. Now keep in mind that you don’t have to stuff all of your chicken, you can just fry some and leave it be. I say this because my daughter loves fried chicken but she is at that point in her life where, if it looks funny, she won’t eat it. So I just stuff enough for me and the hubs and leave the kids as is.
  • I won’t tell anyone if you want to be traditional and add a slice of ham to each pocket before loading it with pimento cheese. I also won’t tell anyone if you want to substitute the pimento cheese for swiss cheese or even mozzarella cheese.

Recipe FAQs

What’s the best oil for frying?

Vegetable oil, peanut oil, and canola oil are all great oils for deep frying due to their high smoke points.

What do you serve with chicken cordon bleu?

You can serve your fried chicken cordon bleu with so many different sides:

What’s in classic chicken cordon bleu sauce?

The classic chicken cordon bleu sauce is a creamy dijon sauce made from butter, minced garlic or garlic powder, flour or cornstarch for thickening, dijon mustard, milk for creaminess, salt and pepper for seasoning, and shredded parmesan cheese (which is totally optional).

What’s the difference between chicken kiev and chicken cordon bleu?

The two recipes are actually very similar and both included breaded chicken breast that’s either baked or fried. However, while chicken kiev is stuffed with chilled butter, chicken cordon bleu is traditionally stuffed with ham and cheese.

How do you make baked chicken cordon bleu?

If you’d prefer to make baked chicken cordon bleu, preheat the oven to 450 degrees and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish or a baking sheet. Then place the breaded chicken onto the pan, spray lightly with cooking spray, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Then follow the directions above for adding the stuffing.

You may also like these easy chicken recipes:

Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast

BBQ Chicken Breast in Oven

Greek Chicken Tacos

Sheet Pan Chicken Teriyaki

Chicken Planks (Like Chicken Fingers, Only Better)

Southern Fried Chicken Recipe (Fuss-Free)

Plate with fried chicken cordon bleu and sides.

Fried Chicken Cordon Bleu

My Southern fried chicken cordon bleu recipe includes chicken breast coated in crushed Ritz crackers, fried, and stuffed with pimento cheese.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken
Servings: 4
Calories: 419kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 1 pound of chicken
  • 1 sleeve crushed Ritz crackers
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • 1/2 cup pimento cheese
  • oil for frying

Instructions

  • Pour oil to a depth of about 1/2 an inch into a large frying pan and place over medium-high heat while you prepare the chicken.
    oil for frying
  • Crush the crackers and pour them into a pie plate or shallow bowl.
    1 sleeve crushed Ritz crackers
  • Beat the eggs and pour them into a separate pie plate or shallow bowl.
    2 beaten eggs
  • Dip each piece of chicken into eggs and then press into crushed crackers on both sides.
    2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Reduce temperature to medium and carefully add chicken pieces to the skillet. Cook until golden brown (7-9 minutes) and then carefully flip and cook until the other side is browned and the chicken is no longer pink in the center.
  • Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Using a fork to hold the hot chicken, carefully slice a pocket in the side of each chicken breast with a serrated knife. Stuff each pocket with a few tablespoons of pimento cheese. Prop pieces up on their sides, cheese stuffed side up, in an 8x8 baking dish. Place in a 350-degree oven for 5 minutes to slightly melt the cheese.
    1/2 cup pimento cheese
  • Remove from oven and serve warm. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 419kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

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104 Comments

  1. Love your recipe…need to figure out how to make it diabetic-friendly (or not cuz it just looks soooooo good!!). Your commentary is so true – folks are afraid of people who are not like themselves since they don’t know what to expect from them, so they use disparaging names to elevate themselves and create distance. Or their own self-worth is so low the only way they can feel better about themselves is to try to tear others down…so sad. You said it so very well!!

  2. Since my husband, like yours, was dropped on his head as an infant, I’ll be making one of these for me and just leave his without the delicious goodness that will make mine so special and delicious. He won’t ever have a clue at what he is missing because he wouldn’t dare to try it. But, I will be making mine all the way extra special! Love you, niece!

  3. Making this tonight with pepper jack! My wife loves my Southern roots even if it is mixed with Italian 50-50.

      1. They were wonderful! The chicken was juicy and tasty and a gorgeous color. I used cheddar with horseradish made locally in a specialty store and added a little more heat to mine on the plate. This is a new lifetime favorite.

  4. Is there a way you could make this with the chicken being baked instead of fried? I can’t tolerate fried foods since my gall bladder was removed. Thanks!

  5. Christie:
    I’ve gotta make this. Do you think a loaf pan would be a good one to bake it in? I thought it might be easier to keep it standing up on its side.

      1. Oops, sorry about spelling your name wrong, ChristY. Thanks for the prompt and nice reply.

        Freddie J.

  6. I think I have found our “Father’s Day” meal! This looks beyond delish!!

    Also…you are hilarious!! I absolutely love the quote, “If you are someone who has ever ordered hot coffee and then felt tempted to file a lawsuit when you took a sip and it was, in fact, hot, recipes like these (and cooking in general) is not a recommended activity for you.” I almost spit my coffee on my desk laughing!! Thanks for the early morning giggle!!

  7. Looks so yummy, can’t wait to make it. I am also wondering about the side dish. Can you post that recipe as well.

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