Inside Out Chicken Cordon Bleu

I love chicken cordon bleu...especially with a yummy mayo-mustard sauce to dip it in. I started thinking about a flat fried crispy piece of chicken... you know that kind that Olive Garden has sometimes with their pasta?? and I thought why not do chicken like that topped with Ham and cheese. Oh my goodness it was yummy. Usually chicken cordon bleu has the ham and cheese on the inside and then is rolled up and dipped in egg and bread crumbs and then fried. It's also usually made with Swiss cheese but I used Provolone today. This was sooo much easier and less messy. Here is what I did....

Inside Out Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to about 1/2 thick (if they are really thick cut them in half, thru the middle--like you are butterflying them)
Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside.

Now prepare your breading and egg mixtures:

In a flat bottomed bowl mix together:
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon or so  garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon or so dried Italian seasoning, crushed in your palm before adding in

In another bowl mix together:
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon water
and 3 or 4 dashes franks hot sauce

In another flat bottomed bowl add
1 cup crushed panko crumbs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a wire rack in a large cookie sheet and set aside.
Now you are ready to bread and fry.

In a large skillet heat about 1/4 cup or so canola or grape seed oil (you want the bottom of your skillet covered) over medium/high heat.
When the oil is hot, Dip one chicken breast into the flour mixture-coating both sides;  then dip into the egg mixture-coating both sides, lift over bowl and let the excess egg drip off.  Lastly-dip  the chicken into the crushed panko crumbs, slightly pressing into the crumbs so the chicken gets nicely coated. Flip over and coat the other side.
Place in the hot oil-- bread remaining pieces of chicken.
Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until nicely golden-brown turn and fry until that side is nicely golden-brown. Remove from oil and place on wire rack on cookie sheet. Finish cooking in the oven for about 12  minutes.
Remove from oven and top each piece of chicken with the following:
1 slice of black forest ham (I sliced each piece of ham into 3 pieces and put that on 1 breast)
enough Monterey jack cheese to cover the ham.
Bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until the cheese is starting to melt.
Remove from oven and serve with veggies and a mayo-mustard dipping sauce. Enjoy!!

To make Mayo-mustard dipping sauce:
Whisk together about 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 1 heaping teaspoon prepared yellow mustard (or more according to your taste). Whisk together and serve a dollop next to your Inside-Out Chicken Cordon Bleu.