What To Serve With Chicken Cordon Bleu

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Chicken cordon bleu consists of ham wrapped around cheese, inserted into a piece of chicken, and then deep-fried to perfection.

When making this rich and heavy entrée, you’ll want to make sure you pair the right side dishes that complement it without making the entire meal too heavy.

Let’s explore the 17 yummiest side dishes to serve with chicken cordon bleu at the dinner table.  Some of our picks are standard staples you’ll recognize, but some may inspire you to try something new in the kitchen!

Contents

17 Side Dishes to Serve with Chicken Cordon Bleu

1. Caesar Salad

With the protein-heavy chicken cordon bleu, a Caesar salad is a great way to add veggies to your meal but still offers lots of flavor.

A Caesar salad consists of chopped romaine lettuce, grated parmesan, croutons, homemade or store-bought dressing, and a splash of lemon juice.  The combination of parmesan, croutons, and dressing enhance the overall flavor of the chicken cordon bleu.

2. Apple Salad

With a heavy entre like chicken cordon bleu, you may want to avoid serving side dishes that are as heavy and filling.  An apple salad is a light and refreshing side dish you can serve.

Made from apples, raisins, celery and walnut pieces with a creamy mayonnaise dressing and a splash of lemon, this light and nutritious side dish is perfect.

3. Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

The ultimate hearty comfort food side dish, you can’t go wrong pairing garlicky mashed potatoes with chicken cordon bleu.

Grab some red potatoes, dice them up, then roast with cloves of garlic, olive oil, butter, and salt and pepper.  The garlic will greatly enhance the flavor of your chicken cordon bleu while leaving your guests with full bellies.

4. Baked Sweet Potato

Starchy carbohydrates are perfect with chicken cardon bleu, but for a slightly healthier carbohydrate, baked sweet potatoes are a great choice.

The subtle sweetness of the sweet potato is particularly complementary to the richness of chicken cordon bleu.  Add a pat of butter or add crushed pecans to add an earthy flavor to your entire meal.

5. BLT Pasta Salad

A BLT pasta salad is an upgrade from your everyday pasta salad and is a great side dish option to pair with chicken cordon bleu that is a mix of healthy and flavorful.

Made from pasta, bacon, tomatoes, avocado, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, ranch dressing and romaine lettuce, this mouth-watering pasta salad will have your guests asking for seconds.

6. Garlic Butter Rice

With the high fat and protein in chicken cordon bleu, a starchy rice is a good solution to balance it out.  But generic rice, such as white rice or brown rice, can be pretty bland and boring.

That’s why there’s garlic butter rice.  Made from plain white rice with garlic and butter added in, both of which are complementary to chicken cordon bleu, rice goes from boring to fun with the addition of just a few ingredients.

7. Glazed Carrots

The heaviness of chicken cordon bleu calls for a side of vegetables, particularly if you’d like to pair it with a lighter, healthier side dish.

Roasted carrots glazed in butter, olive oil or balsamic vinaigrette is a healthy, yet flavorful and satisfying side dish to pair with chicken cordon bleu that won’t send the meal’s calorie count sky-high.

8. Zucchini Fries

While you normally wouldn’t want to pair something fried with the already deep-fried chicken cordon bleu, zucchini fries are an exception to the rule.

Just cut your zucchini into long, thin pieces, mimicking French fries.  Then, roll them in panko breadcrumbs, and deep-fry on the stovetop.  You’ll enjoy that satisfying salty crunch of fried foods but with a healthier alternative.

9. Steamed Broccoli

Another lighter choice for a side dish, steamed broccoli is absolutely delicious when paired with chicken cordon bleu.

Cut your head of broccoli into small florets and place in boiling water for with the lid covered for 7 minutes.  Then, strain the water and let cool until ready to serve.

10. Asparagus in Lemon Butter Sauce

Asparagus in lemon butter sauce is an amazing addition to serve alongside your chicken cordon bleu.  It’s light and nutritious, yet with lemon butter sauce, still ups the ante of the flavor profile of your meal.

Cut the stems off the asparagus, and cook in a saucepan until just tender.  Then, toss the tender asparagus in butter and lemon juice, seasoning with salt and pepper to your liking.

11. Balsamic-Glazed Green Beans

Green beans are a staple side dish with nearly any chicken entrée, and that includes chicken cordon bleu.  But green beans on their own can be pretty plain, so you’ll want to step it up a notch if you’re serving them.

That’s where balsamic-glazed green beans come into play.  The balsamic glaze adds a kick of flavor to your meal without adding additional calories.

12. Roasted Brussels Sprouts

While brussels sprouts tends to get a bad rap, they are actually quite delicious when paired properly, and they make a great side dish choice when paired with chicken cordon bleu.

Place your brussels sprouts on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and bake until tender.  When cooked and seasoned properly, you’ll find roasted brussels sprouts to be a big hit at the dinner table.

13. Sauteed Mushrooms

Sauteed mushrooms are not only a healthier side dish option, but their chewy texture is completely satisfying, especially when paired with chicken cordon bleu.

Grab some baby portabella mushrooms, slice them up, and then sauté in olive oil and sprinkled with your choice of seasonings for a satisfying and nutritious pairing to your entrée.

14. Wild Rice Pilaf

The earthy flavor of wild rice pilaf makes for an understated side dish to serve alongside the rich chicken cordon bleu.

With wild rice, sliced baby carrots, shaved brussels sprouts, garlic cloves, salted butter, Italian seasoning and more, wild rice pilaf offers healthy carbs and vegetables to your otherwise heavy meal.

15. Orzo Pasta with Peas

Pasta of any variety is a great pairing with chicken cordon bleu, but orzo pasta particularly is a great choice because it’s lighter than most other kinds of pasta given its size and shape.

But to really up the ante, cook your orzo pasta with peas.  Peas are great in pasta, and make a great side dish paired with chicken cordon bleu.

16.  Roasted Garlic Parmesan Cauliflower

The minimal-flavored cauliflower is brought to life when roasted with garlic and parmesan cheese, both of which are winning flavors when paired with chicken cordon bleu.

First, chop your cauliflower into small florets.  Then dip in butter, then in a dry mix of breadcrumbs, parmesan, salt and pepper.  Place on a baking tray, bake, and serve.

17. Garlic Parmesan Risotto

Another amazing rice dish to serve alongside your chicken cordon bleu is garlic parmesan risotto.  Bursting with garlic and parmesan flavors, it’s the perfect match for your entrée.

A far cry from your basic side of rice, garlic parmesan risotto is made with onions, garlic cloves, parmesan cheese, stock, and other vegetables, depending on the recipe used.

Wrap Up

Now that you know what side dishes go best with chicken cordon bleu, it’s time to gather the necessary ingredients and start cooking.

Between sauteed vegetables, starchy carbohydrates, salads and more, we think you’ll enjoy mixing and matching these side dishes the next time you make chicken cordon bleu for your family or dinner guests.

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