What is a good chicken cordon bleu side dish? The beautiful combination of chicken, ham, and cheese is such a good one, but what really brings out those flavors? The tenderness of the chicken, the smoothness of the ham, and the milky mozzarella, all wrapped in crispy breadcrumbs, gives you all of the texture that you need, so that isn’t part of the question here.
The best sides will bring out those different flavors and highlight what you love. So what is the best partner for chicken cordon bleu? Here are a few sides that we love, and what you need to try.
What Pairs Well With Chicken Cordon Bleu?
When ic comes to chicken cordon bleu, you have plenty of options. Really, you can pick anything that pairs with chicken or ham. Even so, I have some favorites:
Asparagus with Lemon Butter Sauce
If you want to add some nutrients to your dinner, consider some asparagus. It gets more bang for its buck than other vegetables when it comes to nutrition. However, it can be somewhat bland, so I like to add some lemon butter to it. I try to add just a bit more than I really need, because the sauce is actually really good on the chicken cordon bleu as well.
Fresh Salad
I will always recommend a fresh salad as a side dish because it will help you to get some fresh veggies and different flavors. Mix together some dried fruits, croutons, and a tangy vinaigrette to have something different from the chicken cordon bleu. You also won’t feel as guilty about eating something that is deep-fried and filled with cheese.
I tend to slice my chicken cordon bleu up and eat it with the salad because it helps me to feel better about taking in so much fat. They both have a great crunch, so they pair well.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
You can never go wrong with mashed potatoes. Since they can be a bit bland unless you spice them up, I love to add garlic. It is a creamy, filling, and tasty dish that will add something that chicken cordon bleu is clearly missing.
If you aren’t a fan of garlic, and don’t mind adding some more cheese to your meal, you can even throw in a bit of that!
Garlic Butter Rice
Since chicken cordon bleu has a ton of proton, you need something starchy to help balance out your meal. When it comes to starches, there are few that I love more than I love white rice. It is really one of the best sides because it is easy to make, keeps well, and you can eat it alone when you have leftovers.
Rice itself is also pretty mild, which means it won’t really compete with the other items in the meal. I like to make garlic butter rice for chicken cordon bleu because a meal isn’t a meal without some garlic. You make your rice the same way, instead of just adding butter, you add garlic as well. You can control just how garlicky it gets by making it to your taste. For me, the more garlic the better.
Green Beans
Green beans are great for nutrients and, depending on how you cook them, they are crunchy enough to make your meal feel a bit more complete. I like to just steam my green beans and eat them that way, but you can also use some sort of glaze, fry them, or eat them however you like. It is your meal after all!
Risotto with Mushrooms
If you want something else that is hearty so that you can have a truly decadent meal, add some risotto. It will completely fill your belly and keep you full for hours. Go on, you’ve probably had a hard day and you deserve it.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
I love brussels sprouts more than I love any other vegetable. I just think that they are some of the best little vegetables you can eat. However, I know they have a bad reputation because people just don’t know how to prepare them.
To make the best brussels sprouts, you have to roast them. When you do that, they are going to blow your mind. Coat them in a good, high-quality olive oil and top them with some garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Then, put them into the oven and bake until they are tender, and then bake a bit more. The edges should crisp up so nicely and they will be perfect.
Roasted Carrots
If you don’t want the green vegetables, how about orange? Chicken cordon bleu has a distinct flavor, and so do carrots. You can use whatever kind of carrots you want. I love rainbow carrots because I think they just seem a little bit more special. They are crunchy, beautiful, and each has a slightly unique flavor
I like to cut them all up into medallions and roast them. It helps to carmelize the natural sugars and everything is just a bit sweeter, which is a good contrast.
Steamed Broccolini
When I was younger, broccoli was the only vegetable that I would eat. I like to think that if broccolini were popular then, I’d have eaten that as well. Broccolini is a bit sweeter and tender than your broccoli. Not only will it add some nutrition, but it will add some color to an otherwise brown meal.
If you have any sauce with your chicken cordon bleu, you can use that on top of the broccolini. Now, not everyone loves steaming their vegetables, so you could also grill it, which will add more flavor and will give the broccolini some crunch. Just make sure you use a salted butter, if you can, because that will make the broccolini come alive.
Sweet Potatoes
What flavor is chicken cordon bleu missing? Sweetness. That’s where baked sweet potatoes come into the equation. The subtle flavor of sweet potatoes make them great to add whatever you want. I love to bake mine, top them with butter, and then sprinkle on just a little bit of cinnamon sugar. It feels more like a dessert than a side dish, but it is still perfect.
Zucchini Fries
If you want something that looks a bit more casual than the chicken cordon bleu, which can feel fancy, why not some fries? I love to make zucchini fries because they feel like you are eating regular old potato fries, but you don’t get as much grease.
Zucchini fries are easy to make and even easier to dip, which will add yet another flavor to your meal. Slice up some zucchini, pick a batter of your choice (throw in some of that mozzarella), and put them into your air fryer.
Dijon Sauce For Your Chicken Cordon Bleu
Of course, you will need to make some dijon sauce for your chicken cordon bleu. It is the perfect addition to your meal and you can even use it on many of the side dishes listed above. I love a simple dijon that you can throw on almost anything. I almost always make extra to use for a few other meals.
To make your own dijon (that is so much better than anything you can buy at the store), you will need to Melt a good quality, butter in a pan over medium heat. The lower and slower, the better. Add in the flour and mix until it is lumpy. Next, add milk and whisk until you get a thick mixture (you may have heard this called a roux).
Flavor your sauce with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, some garlic powder, salt, pepper, and Dijon mustard. You can keep tasting until you get the mixture that you want.
Chicken cordon bleu is one of my favorite meals to make when I really want to impress someone. To make a complete meal, start it with a salad and then add a few of the sides listed above. Everyone will be thankful that you took a few extra steps.
