Q: I would like to make something light and elegant for a nice dinner for two for my wife and me. Every recipe I've seen is way too rich for us. Please help.

A: This reader is so right in searching for a light recipe for two because there is nothing romantic about a high-fat meal when you consider the post-meal physiological effect. The larger and higher fat the meal, the more stuff in your stomach and the longer it will be there.

see caption/Elaine Magee / Special (ENLARGE)

With some substitutions, chicken cordon bleu is less fattening but just as tasty.

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By eating an elegant but light meal, you keep your stomach nicely satisfied but leave the body energetic and comfortable — sounds like a good recipe to me. I took a rich recipe for Chicken Cordon Bleu using regular Swiss cheese, regular ham, 6 tablespoons of butter and a cup of heavy whipping cream and turned it into a light entree using lean ham and light Swiss cheese, a tablespoon of olive or canola oil and a cup of fat-free half-and-half.

The result is an elegant entree with 75 percent less fat and saturated fat and almost half the amount of calories and cholesterol.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Makes 6 servings

Hands on: 20 minutes Total time: 50 minutes

This dish is elegant and savory enough to serve at a party and yet simple enough to serve the family any night of the week. The original recipe contains 577 calories, 40 grams fat, 23 grams saturated fat and 201 milligrams cholesterol per serving.

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

6 slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese

6 slices extra-lean ham

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose-flour

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon canola oil or olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon low-sodium chicken broth powder

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup fat-free half-and-half

Pound chicken breasts in between two sheets of wax paper until about half as thick. Lay a slice of cheese and ham on top of each breast, then fold the ends of the chicken over like an envelope and secure with a toothpick.

In medium bowl, mix flour with paprika. Coat the outside of the rolled chicken pieces with the flour mixture.

Heat oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and brown on both sides. Add the wine and chicken broth powder to the skillet, reduce heat to low, cover the skillet and simmer for 30 minutes (or until chicken is cooked through).

Transfer breast to a serving dish and remove toothpicks. Add cornstarch to a small bowl and slowly whisk in the half-and-half until smooth. Add the mixture to the skillet and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about a minute. Pour over the chicken pieces and serve warm.

Per serving: 318 calories (percent of calories from fat, 29), 41 grams protein, 10 grams carbohydrates, 0.2 grams fiber, 10 grams fat (3.8 grams saturated, 4 grams monounsaturated, 1.8 grams polyunsaturated), 96 milligrams cholesterol, 669 milligrams sodium, 0.2 grams omega-3 fatty acids, 1.6 grams omega-6 fatty acids, 7 Weight Watchers points.

Elaine Magee is a registered dietitian and author of 25 books on nutrition and healthy cooking. Need us to help make your recipes healthier? E-mail Elaine Magee at betterhealth@ajc.com.