Chicken Cordon Bleu

We still haven't managed to get any chairs for our new apartment, making having guests over a bit difficult, but we did manage to have our first 'dinner party,' eating off of our laps on the couch!  Some good friends of ours just moved across the country, so we had to squeeze in one last dinner together before they left, chairs or not.  I think we more than made up the lack of seating with an extra-fancy dish.  

Tim had the excellent idea to make chicken cordon bleu.  This classic dish involves pounding chicken breasts until they're thin, stuffing them with prosciutto and Gruyere cheese, coating them in breadcrumbs, and then baking until the cheese is all melty and the coating is crisp.  There are a lot of steps, and the assembly is pretty fussy, but the results are more than worth it.  The chicken was super moist and flavorful, and overall the dish really made the occasion feel special.  I do recommend that you use/obtain a meat mallet to make this dish - I used a rolling pin, which was both a lot of work and probably incredibly annoying to our downstairs neighbors!

Chicken Cordon Bleu (adapted from Tyler Florence)
Serves 4

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
8 thin slices prosciutto
1/2 pound Gruyere cheese, grated
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs
1 cup panko
4 sprigs thyme, leaves picked off
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T melted butter
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lay a chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to about 1/4-inch thickness.  Remove the top sheet of plastic.  Lay 2 slices of prosciutto over the chicken, and sprinkle a quarter of the cheese over it. Carefully tuck in the sides of the breast and roll up like a burrito.  Wrap tightly with the plastic wrap and twist both ends tightly to form a log.  Repeat with the remaining chicken and then chill for about 20 minutes.
3. Set out three deep plates.  On one, place the flour.  On a second, gently beat together the eggs.  On a third, mix together the panko with the thyme, garlic, and butter.  Season all three plates with salt and pepper, and mix to combine. 
4. Lightly coat a baking pan with oil and set near your working area.  Remove the plastic wrap from one piece of chicken.  Lightly dust with the flour.  Dip in the egg mixture, being sure to get the ends.  Finally, gently roll in the panko mixture.  Carefully transfer the roulade to the baking pan, seam side down.  Repeat with the remaining chicken
5. Bake 20-25 minutes, until browned and cooked through.