Who remembers Malibu chicken, the classic dish from growing up in the 80’s? Delicious chicken with swiss cheese and sliced ham makes this a favorite for many!
I didn’t grow up with Malibu chicken, I was more familiar with Chicken Cordon bleu which is pretty much the same. The difference is Cordon Bleu chicken is rolled up like my version with ham and cheese and then dressed in breadcrumbs and fried. Malibu chicken has the ham and cheese melted over the chicken.
Confused? I don’t blame you, but they both taste awesome so you cant go wrong.
I’m going with Malibu chicken for this version, let’s even say it’s a healthier version because no breadcrumbs and no frying is involved (bonus points). The chicken is baked in the oven and then doused in a creamy white wine and dijon mustard sauce, which ends up being a total party for your taste buds.
Can I prep my Malibu chicken ahead of time?
Definitely! Prep it to the same stage in the picture below and cover it with plastic wrap. Make it the night before and store it in the fridge for next nights dinner!
I don’t like swiss cheese so can I substitute for my Malibu chicken?
Yes, you can although I’d suggest sticking with another soft bendy cheese which will be easier to roll up. Slices of hard cheddars will just break and might fall out more as it cooks.
Tips for making the best low carb version of Malibu chicken!
- Your chicken breasts will need to be thin. Not only will this make them cook quicker, they’ll be much easier to roll up. A regular chicken breast will easily get you two rolls by splitting the breast in half with a sharp knife. Some thicker chicken breasts might even be able to slice into three thin pieces.
- Skip the breadcrumbs and pan frying, a drizzle of olive oil over the chicken just before you bake them in the oven will help end up with a nice juicy roll of cheesy chicken. Switch up the rosemary for thyme or oregano if you like!
- Don’t worry if the ham and cheese stick out of the rolled up chicken a bit. As you can see from the picture above before I threw the dish in the oven, some chicken breasts won’t be wide enough to hold all of the fillings and that’s totally okay!
- Make sure to place the chicken in the dish seam side down. This will keep them in rolls and leaks to a minimum.
Serve your Malibu chicken to the family with any side veggie of your choice, roasted thyme and butter Brussel sprouts, green beans or roasted garlic baby potatoes are all fair game. And don’t forget the sauce!
Malibu Chicken with a White Wine and Dijon Mustard Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 chicken breasts must be about 1/4-1/2 inch thick
- 8 slices ham sliced thin for sandwich style
- 8 slices swiss cheese
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 tbsp rosemary chopped finely
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Drizzle some olive oil, about 1 tbsp, onto the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan or dish.
- Prepare chicken breasts by slicing in half if they are too thick. See tips section in the post about how to end up with eight thin chicken breasts.
- Place a chicken breast flat on a chopping board and lay one slice of ham on top followed by one slice of cheese.
- Roll the chicken breast up nice and tight and place seam down in the prepared dish.
- Repeat with all eight of the breasts until complete.
- Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the chicken and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the chopped rosemary to the chicken.
- Bake in the oven uncovered for about 40 minutes and the chicken is fully cooked through.
- While the chicken is cooking make the sauce.
- In a pan over medium heat combine the wine, mustard, brown sugar and butter.
- Bring to a simmer stirring with a whisk.
- Simmer for about 10 minutes over a low heat before adding the cream and whisking to combine.
- Finally mix together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry.
- Add some of the cornstarch mix to the mustard sauce to thicken and whisk for another 2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let the sauce rest until the chicken is ready to serve.
- Place a chicken breast on a plate and serve with some of the sauce poured over it.
Nutrition
Liz @ Floating Kitchen says
Hmmm…never heard of this one! Like you, I grew up eating Chicken Cordon Blue (and always loved it!). Guess I’ll have to give Malibu Chicken a try!
Gaby Dalkin says
Such a good throwback!!!
Claudine Weingartner says
Did Sizzler inspire you?? It looks amazing!! I plan on making it soon!
Lexi says
I’d do just about anything to be invited over to din in your backyard on this meal night! Lol!
Erin says
That sauce sounds divine!
Des says
This is such a great dinner! And that sauce?! YUM!
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes says
Ya, I know about Chicken Cordon Bleu, but the thing I never liked about it was the breadcrumbs, so I am digging this version of Malibu Chicken so much more! Love your photos (as always!)
Carolyn says
Never heard of Malibu Chicken but I think I have to make it!
Tri Oldman says
Made this last nite, it was great!
foodnessgracious says
Thanks for the feedback Tri, glad you liked it!
Jennifer Blake says
I had never heard of Malibu Chicken but I like the preparation so much better than the fried Cordon Bleu. And that sauce it perfection!
Elizabeth says
I love this recipe! When I was about 12 I thought going to the Sizzler and ordering Malibu Chicken was the height of sophistication. This will be a fun throwback to make.