Light Chicken Cordon Bleu

By: Sarah FirthRocco DiSpirito’s Lightened Chicken Cordon Bleu
½ cup evaporated skim milk
2 teaspoons cornstarch
½ cup shredded Swiss cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Nonstick cooking spray
4 chicken cutlets (4 ounces each), pounded very thin
3 ounces. thinly sliced lean ham (from the deli counter)
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1½ cups whole wheat panko bread crumbs
4 large egg whites
In small saucepan, whisk evaporated milk into cornstarch. Bring milk mixture to boil over high heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook until mixture has thickened, about 1 minute. Then whisk cheese into sauce until melted and smooth. Whisk in chives and season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
Spray ice cube tray with cooking spray and divide cheese sauce equally among 8 cube holes. Freeze sauce until hard, about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place wire rack on foil-lined baking sheet. Set aside.
Lay chicken cutlets on work surface and season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange ham slices over chicken. Remove frozen cheese sauce cubes from trays, using a fork if necessary to pry them out. Place 2 cubes in center of each piece of chicken. Roll up chicken to encase filling, and secure each package with 2 toothpicks.
Put flour in shallow dish. Place panko bread crumbs in another shallow dish. In medium bowl, whip egg whites with whisk until they are extremely foamy but not holding peaks. Working in batches, dredge chicken bundles in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip into egg whites to coat completely. Then dredge in bread crumbs to coat completely.
Place chicken bundles on wire rack. Spray chicken lightly with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake until breading is golden brown and crispy outside and cheese sauce is fully melted, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot.