Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole (Printable version)
Layers of tender chicken, savory ham and Swiss in a creamy Dijon sauce, finished with a golden Parmesan-Panko crust.
# List of ingredients:
→ Meats
01 - 4 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
02 - 1 cup cooked ham, diced
→ Dairy
03 - 2 cups Swiss cheese, shredded
04 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
05 - 2 cups whole milk
06 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Vegetables
07 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Dry Goods
09 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
10 - 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
→ Condiments & Seasonings
11 - 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
12 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or butter.
02 - Melt unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
03 - Whisk in all-purpose flour and cook, stirring continually, for 1 minute. Slowly add whole milk while whisking to prevent lumps, then simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.
04 - Incorporate Dijon mustard, kosher salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika into the sauce. Remove saucepan from heat.
05 - In the prepared baking dish, distribute half of the cooked chicken, all diced ham, and half the Swiss cheese. Repeat layering with remaining chicken and Swiss cheese.
06 - Evenly pour the prepared sauce over the layered ingredients in the baking dish.
07 - Combine Panko breadcrumbs with grated Parmesan cheese in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the mixture evenly across the casserole.
08 - Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until the topping is golden and the casserole is bubbling at the edges.
09 - Allow casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving to preserve structure and enhance flavor.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The creamy sauce comes together so quickly it feels like a little kitchen magic every time.
- It uses familiar fridge staples, making it a practical weeknight hero that never feels dull.
02 -
- I once rushed the sauce during a distracting phone call and ended up with lumps—whisking constantly is mandatory.
- Lightly toasting the Panko first in a dry pan made the topping so much crunchier on my second try.
03 -
- Browning the Panko topping separately kicks up both color and crunch every single time.
- A gentle hand when layering means every bite is perfectly proportioned.