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Teryaki infused chicken cordon bleu

Although Teryaki chicken is one of the most popular chicken dishes in Japan, this is not the streetfood version you would expect to find there. The Teryaki sauce here is used more to season the chicken cordon bleu, but the result is so delicious that I’m sure I’ll be forgiven for using it in this way.

TERYAKI CHICKEN CORDON BLEUServes 4

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup Teryaki sauce (see recipe for homemade version below)
1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
olive oil 
4 slices ham or prosciutto
8 tablespoons cheddar cheese, grated (or more)
1 cup panko bread crumbs

  • Butterfly each chicken breasts and between cling-film pound with the smooth side of a meat mallet to make them thinner, flatter and equal thickness.
  • Cut each butterflied breast in four equal lengths.
  • Preheat the oven to 175ºC/350ºF.
  • Line a baking tray with parchment paper, lightly greased.
  • Whisk together the Teryaki sauce ingredients and paint each piece of chicken with the sauce.
  • Lay each piece flat, then layer with a slice of ham and spread a tablespoon or more grated cheese on top of the ham.
  • Roll up each chicken thigh from the smallest end and secure each roll with a toothpick. 
  • Brush the outside of each roll again with the Teryaki sauce and then roll in the panko breadcrumbs, patting the crumbs down securely. 
  • Refrigerate for a while to settle.
  • Bake the chicken bundles until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 30 to 35 minutes.
  • An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the chicken should read not more than 68ºC/154ºF. 
The safe cooked temperature for chicken is 74ºC/165ºF but if you leave it  in the oven till then, and by the time it has rested before serving, it will be way overcooked and dry.  While the chicken rests, the temperature still rises, therefore, and to keep the inside juicy, remove it sooner and let it rest in a warm place.

Serve with rice and/or Potato, green bean and avocado salad.

Teryaki sauce:

This is a homemade version of the commercial Teryaki sauce.  It keeps well in a covered container and refrigerated, and can be used as a dipping sauce for many other dishes.

1 cup water
5 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
1-2 teaspoons honey, or to taste
1 large garlic clove, finely minced
½ teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ cup cold water

  • Combine the water, brown sugar, soy sauce, honey, garlic and ginger in a medium saucepan and set over medium heat.
  • In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with the ¼ cup water and whisk until dissolved.
  • Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan.
  • Heat the sauce until it thickens to your taste. If the sauce becomes too thick, add more water to thin it out.
  • Pour in a screw top container and keep refrigerated.
STELLA's avatar

By STELLA

I have had no formal chef’s training. Classical piano was my parents’ choice, and that took care of the first 20 years of my life. Journalism and radio followed (my own choices, this time), and these opened many doors for me into different countries, people, cultures — and, of course, foods. In a six week series on radio I used it as a platform for my love of food and shared lots of interesting recipes and food news with listeners.
My earliest memories of food come from the family kitchen at home; I can still remember the wonderful smells of the dishes my mother prepared. I became aware of the flavors of her creations at an early age. Some I enjoyed and preferred, while others depressed me with their lack of interesting flavors. My mother was a good cook, but not a gourmet, and sadly this often showed. What I did appreciate was that she always involved me in the preparation, sharing her knowledge of nutrition, flavor, color, and the harmonies of each plate she dished up. She was also a genius with leftovers and quick meals when unexpected guests arrived. This is one of the things that stands out in my mind, and it inspired me to create wonderful dishes from leftover foods myself.

I carried on with the tradition of carefully planning meals to combine nutrition, color and flavor, while at the same time offering variety and elegant presentation. In the process, I developed a passion for seeking out the best available products, adhering to each season’s offerings, and treating it with the respect it deserves, which eventually became part of my daily culinary life and travels. I did these things not because I wanted to become a chef, but to satisfy myself, family and friends with creations of gorgeous food and exciting flavors. All of which, I hope, is reflected in this blog.

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