Ideassey

Thanksgiving – arguably the most traditional holiday here in the States. For the past 5 years or so (except 2022, when a friend invited me to San Antonio), my Thanksgiving tradition has been making Cordon Bleu, a chicken schnitzel stuffed with ham and rich, punchy Gruyère, often served with cauliflower gratin and veggies.

That said, I’m not one to cling onto traditions for long, if at all, and this year, I decided to change up the cordon bleu. I thought, “how can I make these more interesting and easier to eat on the go during a busy shift?” The answer seemed clear (and slightly ridiculous): chicken cordon bleu nuggets.

The idea intrigued me. Could I distill everything I love about cordon bleu into bite-sized form without losing its appeal? It seemed worth a try. So I got everything I needed and started my test batches: deep-frying, baking, and air-frying.

The deep-fryer. A disaster. The oil weighed down the nuggets, making them too heavy when ham and Gruyère already do much of the lifting. A lighter breading, perhaps some ratio of flour and cornstarch, might work but breadcrumbs did not. The air-fryer was better but left the breading loose with a texture that screamed half-baked idea. Baking them yielded the best outcome, providing a golden exterior and the same springiness the air-fryer resulted in.

So what did I learn? The nuggets overall were underwhelming. They weren’t bad, but they weren’t great either for the amount of time and labor invested. In the same amount of time, I could’ve prepared a proper cordon bleu and enjoy it properly at the table, not nibbling on what is essentially a kid’s snack.

Not to mention, they lack elegance. Sure, the concept is novel and I can see the appeal in a restaurant as a customer demanding “upscaled comfort food.” But good God, I’d never subject back of house staff to prep these unless they came premade and ready to fry. Certainly not suitable for a Thanksgiving dinner – or my kitchen, for that matter. After all, novelty only lasts so long before practicality wins out. It seems some traditions, when done correctly, stick for a reason.

Oh well, until inspiration strikes again – later.