Kirkwood Chicken Cordon Bleu

One small item that may get overlooked in Aldi’s Regular Buy freezer section is the individually packaged Kirkwood Chicken Cordon Bleu.

These 5-ounce chicken entrees sold for 99 cents each at the time of publication. The wrapper describes it as “breaded chicken breast with rib meat patty. Specially cut & shaped, stuffed with ham & cheese.” Because they’re sold individually, you can buy as many of them as you need — one for just yourself, or a bunch for a family meal.

One serving, or one package, contains 280 calories, 16 grams of total fat (20% of your recommended daily value), 4.5 grams of saturated fat (24% DV), 60 mg of cholesterol (19% DV), 690 mg of sodium (30% DV), 17 grams of total carbohydrates (6% DV), and 1 gram of total sugars. One serving also has 17 grams of protein and 0 grams of trans fat.

Chicken cordon bleu ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)

Chicken cordon bleu nutrition information. (Click to enlarge.)

The chicken is raw, and it needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Cooking directions are for the oven only. The package specifically states the chicken is not to be prepared in the microwave.

To bake in the oven, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the frozen entree from the pouch and place on an aluminum baking sheet at least three inches apart on the center rack in the middle of the oven. Bake one to two entrees for 38 minutes. Bake 3-6 entrees for 40 minutes. Insert a meat thermometer at an angle two inches into the top center of the entree to make sure the chicken is up to 165 degrees. The filling will be hot after cooking and may splatter, so be careful. Let stand for about two minutes before serving.

The baked, finished product.

I served these for a family dinner alongside salad and fruit, and everyone approved. The chicken is tender and the breading is crispy, and each serving has good amounts of gooey cheese (processed Swiss and American) and diced ham inside. They do ooze cheese a bit on the baking sheet, but there was still plenty of cheese once we cut into the chicken.

They’re definitely a processed food and not so great in terms of health. They’re fairly high in saturated fat and sodium. They also take a little time to bake, so they’re not a fast meal. However, they are easy because you simply unwrap them and pop them in the oven.

The Verdict:

Aldi’s Kirkwood Chicken Cordon Bleu is sold in individual servings in small packages, so you can buy as few or as many as you want depending on how many people you’re serving. The chicken is tasty, although it takes some time to bake in the oven, and it’s not a health food.