Crispy chicken cutlets are topped with smoky ham, creamy Gruyère sauce and bubbling cheese for an easy dinner inspired by the French classic Croque Monsieur.
Think of this as a cross between a Croque Monsieur and an open-faced Chicken Cordon Bleu.
Bechamel Sauce
Like all good Croque Monsieurs, we’ll be making a bechamel sauce. I like to mix cheese through mine, so technically it’s a Mornay Sauce, but the basics are the same.
Ingredient notes
- Use Gruyere for the classic flavour – Gruyere has the most gorgeous sweet, nutty flavour and it melts into a bechamel sauce with pure ease.
- The seasonings bring the sauce to life – ground nutmeg and white pepper are essential in bechamel sauce.
- Use semi-skimmed milk for best results – I find whole milk a little rich, especially with the cheese. Skimmed milk doesn’t add enough body. Semi-skimmed is the perfect middle ground.
Tips for making a great Bechamel Sauce
- Work the milk in gradually – to avoid lumps, add the milk in increments, giving it a good whisk inbetween to smooth it out.
- Control the heat – you’ll want it no higher than a medium to ensure the roux doesn’t burn and that the milk doesn’t boil too aggressively. Once you’ve made the bechamel, you’ll want to turn off the heat when you mix in the cheese, just to avoid it splitting.
- Season – make sure you taste test at the end and adjust seasoning as needed. The makes up a good amount of the recipe, so make sure it’s seasoned well!
Process shots: melt butter (photo 1), mix in flour (photo 2), whisk in milk and seasoning (photo 3), mix in cheese (photo 4).
Chicken Cutlets
When I originally dreamt up this recipe, I just had regular cutlets with no breading. But, soon realised the crispy coating was essential to create a delicious contrast with the gooey, cheesy topping.
Tips for dredging the chicken
- Slice the chicken – you’ll want to halve the chicken breasts right through the middle to create 4 even-sized cutlets. This will ensure the chicken cooks through quicker and more evenly.
- Season – make sure you season both the flour and the breadcrumbs. I use a simple mix of paprika, onion & garlic powder, salt & pepper.
- Add mustard – Dijon mustard is a classic addition to a croque monsieur and it works perfectly in this recipe too. I like to mix it with the beaten eggs.
- Use Panko – for the crispiest chicken, make sure you use Panko breadcrumbs. They’re big and airy and crisp up beautifully.
Process shots: slice chicken (photos 1&2), coat in flour (photo 3), coat in egg + mustard (photo 4), coat in Panko (photo 5).
Chicken Croque Monsieur
We will be frying the chicken, but it’s only shallow frying, so it’s not too much faff. From there, load up the cutlets with ham, that gorgeous sauce and some parmesan, before broiling under the grill until golden and bubbly.
Process shots: fry chicken (photos 1&2), add to baking tray (photo 3), add ham (photo 4), add sauce and parmesan (photo 5), grill/broil (photo 6).
Recipe Tip
This recipe makes a lot of sauce, so it will likely spill off the chicken. It’s absolutely fine, just make sure you scoop it straight off the pan and serve it with the chicken! None of that sauce should go to waste.
Croque Monsieur Chicken Serving Suggestions
Make sure you serve up right away so the chicken stays crisp and the sauce doesn’t dry up. If you’ve got some cracked black pepper on hand, a few pinches goes delightfully at the end.
When it comes to sides, here are some suggestions:
- Below I’ve served with a Simple Side Salad. The chicken is pretty rich and hearty, so a salad balances it nicely.
- Go for Chips or Wedges if you want full comfort!
- Some veggies like Green Beans or Broccolini would work perfectly.
- Garlic Bread to make sure you really end up with a full belly.
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this Chicken Croque Monsieur shall we?!
How to make Crispy Chicken Croque Monsieur (Full Recipe & Video)
Crispy Chicken Croque Monsieur
Equipment
- Medium Sized Pot & Whisk (for sauce)
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- 3 Large Shallow Dishes (for dredging chicken)
- Small Pot or Bowl (for seasoning mix)
- Large Pan & Tongs (for frying chicken)
- Kitchen Thermometer (optional)
- Wire Rack & Paper Towels (for resting chicken)
- Large Baking Tray & Baking Paper (for grilling/broiling chicken)
Ingredients
Sauce
- 4 tbsp / 60g Butter
- 4 tbsp Plain Flour
- 2 cups / 480ml Milk
- 1/4 tsp EACH: Ground Nutmeg, White Pepper, Salt, plus more to taste
- 4oz / 120g Gruyere, grated (see notes)
Chicken
- 2x 9oz/250g Chicken Breasts
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp EACH: Paprika, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Black Pepper
- 1/4 cup / 40g Plain Flour
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 1/4 cups / 75g Panko Breadcrumbs (see notes)
- 1/2 cup / 120ml Veg Oil, or as needed
- 8 slices of Ham (approx 4oz/120g total)
- 1/4 cup / 20g freshly grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Sauce: in a medium-sized pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour to form a roux, then gradually pour in the milk, whisking as you go to ensure no lumps form. Stir in the seasoning, then bring to a gentle bubble. Turn off the heat and whisk through the cheese until it melts, then taste-test and adjust with salt if needed. Place to one side.
- Prep Chicken: slice each breast horizontally right through the centre to create 4 even-sized cutlets.
- Prep Dredging Stations: in a small pot or bowl, combine the salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper, then place to one side. Line up 3 large shallow dishes: 1st with flour and half of the seasoning mix, 2nd with 2 eggs and mustard beaten until smooth, 3rd with Panko and the rest of the seasoning mixed in.
- Dredge Chicken: one by one, take a chicken cutlet and coat in the flour, then in the egg, then in the Panko, ensuring you thoroughly coat it at each stage. Place to one side and repeat.
- Cook Chicken: add enough oil to comfortably coat the base of a large pan and place it over medium-high heat. You're aiming to get the oil to around 350F/180C – when a breadcrumb rapidly sizzles, it's hot enough. Carefully place in 2 cutlets and fry both sides for 3-4 minutes until deep golden, crisp and white/piping hot through the centre, then place on a wire rack above paper towels (to catch excess oil). Top up the oil if needed and bring back to temperature, then repeat with the last 2 cutlets.
- Prep Grill: preheat the grill/broiler. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
- Prep Chicken: at this point, the sauce might be a little thick/lumpy, which realistically is fine, but just gently warm it and give it a thorough whisk to smooth it out. Place the cutlets on the lined tray, then top with ham. Pour the sauce over the cutlets, then sprinkle with parmesan. There will be a lot of sauce; I use it all but you can hold a little back to serve if you'd prefer.
- Grill/Broil: place under the grill/broiler until golden and bubbly. Serve up and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition
Looking for more?
You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’
