Unstuffed Chicken Cordon Bleu

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Serves 4

Cooking Time 2 to 3 hours on Low

Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Traditional recipes for chicken cordon bleu require carefully stuffing bone-in breasts, but we wanted an easier approach. To streamline the method and adapt it to the slow cooker, we wrapped boneless chicken breasts in thin slices of deli ham, nestled them in the slow cooker, then topped them with Swiss cheese for a no-fuss approach that kept prep work to a minimum. Poaching the breasts in a flavorful mixture of broth, mustard, and aromatics seasoned the chicken and allowed it to cook more gently. Once the chicken was cooked through, we whisked some cream into the braising liquid to make an easy mustard cream sauce. Our slow-cooker version had all the classic flavors of chicken cordon bleu—the only thing we lost was the fussy technique. You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe. Serve over egg noodles or rice. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

½	cup chicken broth
2	tablespoons Dijon mustard
1	tablespoon instant tapioca
1	teaspoon minced garlic
¼	teaspoon dried thyme
	Salt and pepper
4	(6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
8	thin slices deli ham
4	slices deli Swiss cheese
¼	cup heavy cream

1. Combine broth, mustard, tapioca, garlic, thyme, and ½ teaspoon pepper in slow cooker. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Working with 1 breast at a time, stack 2 slices of ham on counter, slightly overlapped; lay chicken in center of slices. Fold ham around chicken and arrange in slow cooker. Cover and cook until tender, 2 to 3 hours on low.

2. Top each chicken breast with 1 slice cheese. Cover and cook on high until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

3. Transfer chicken to serving dish. Whisk cream into braising liquid and cook on high, whisking constantly, until smooth, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve chicken with sauce.