My mom used to make a version of this classic chicken pastry goodness.

As a kid it was one of my most favorite meals.

I mean chicken, cheese and crescent rolls.

Can life get much better? I suggest that it can’t.

So a couple weekends ago I whipped up my own version of this retro recipe, but ramped it up with some Canadian bacon and extra sharp white cheddar.

I made 4 batches…and after the kids and their friend got a hold of them I only had 4 left.

No lie.

They are that good.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Squares

Makes 8 squares (4-6 servings)

• 2 chicken breasts
• 6 oz reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature (or 3oz cream cheese/3 oz sour cream)
• 1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar or Swiss cheese
• 1/2 cup cooked and diced Canadian bacon, bacon, panchetta or deli ham
• 3 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp ground mustard
• 1-2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

• 2 cans of reduced fat crescent rolls
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp Parmesan cheese
• dried parsley

Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse the two chicken breasts. Pat dry. Place in a shallow baking pan. Rub breasts with a tablespoon or so of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 35-40 min. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes. Once cool enough to touch, shred the chicken.

Using a stand mixer makes this step much easier but using brute strength to mix it works okay too. In a large mixing bowl combine the shredded chicken, cream cheese, cheese, cooked pork of your choice, milk, olive oil and all the spices.  Once combined set aside. The filling keeps in the refrigerator up to 2 days. And the longer it sits in the refrigerator the better it tastes.

When you are ready to serve the squares, preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll out the crescent roll dough. Separate into four rectangle sections by “sealing” the diagonal perforated lines in the dough. Place four 1/2-3/4 cup scoops of filling into the center of each of the four rectangles. Draw up the four corners of each rectangle and pinch the seams together. Gently place on a cookie sheet. Repeat with the second can of dough.

Brush olive oil over the top of each square and then sprinkle with Parmesan and dried parsley.

Bake for 18-20 minutes. Once baked, immediately place on a cooling rack. Let them rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Tip: The filling mixture freezes very well. Make a double batch of filling and freeze for an easy weeknight dinner.

Tip: I make these for easy weekday lunches. Once cooked, let them cool completely before storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They keep for up to 4 days. Just reheat in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.

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