Chefs make chicken cordon bleu by stuffing a chicken breast with ham and cheese, then breading and frying up the combination. Home cooks and restaurants have different recipes for this popular dish. The United States Department of Agriculture, USDA, provides information for a typical serving.
Serving Size and Calories
Video of the Day
The USDA identifies one breast as a standard serving of chicken cordon bleu. Such a serving contains about 300 calories.
Video of the Day
Fat Calories
Harvard nutritionist Walter Willett points out that what goes into a food's calories is at least as important as the total number of calories. The calories in chicken cordon bleu include 10 g of fat calories. Four of those grams are unhealthy saturated fats.
Reducing the Calories
The numbers above do not take into account the rich sauces often served on chicken cordon bleu, or on the side for dipping. Skipping the sauce can keep the meal a diet-friendly option. If you have the opportunity, you might try asking for no breading on your piece. This will reduce not only the calorie count, but the level of saturated fats.