Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole (Print Version)

Comforting chicken and ham casserole topped with creamy cheese sauce and golden breadcrumbs.

# Recipe Ingredients:

→ Casserole

01 - 4 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
02 - 8 oz cooked ham, diced
03 - 1.5 cups Swiss cheese, shredded
04 - 0.5 cups Gruyère cheese, shredded (optional)

→ Cream Sauce

05 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 2 cups whole milk
08 - 0.5 cup heavy cream
09 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
10 - 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
12 - 0.25 teaspoon ground white pepper
13 - 0.5 teaspoon salt

→ Breadcrumb Topping

14 - 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs or Panko
15 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
16 - 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese
17 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish thoroughly.
02 - In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook until lightly golden, about 1-2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk and cream until smooth.
03 - Add Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, ground white pepper, and salt. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens, approximately 3-4 minutes, then remove from heat.
04 - Layer the diced chicken evenly in the prepared baking dish. Add diced ham on top, then sprinkle shredded Swiss and Gruyère cheeses evenly over the ham.
05 - Pour the warm cream sauce evenly over the layered ingredients in the dish.
06 - In a bowl, combine breadcrumbs, melted butter, grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley, stirring until mixture is evenly moistened.
07 - Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the assembled casserole.
08 - Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until the topping turns golden brown and the casserole is bubbling.
09 - Allow the casserole to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when you barely spent an hour.
  • The combination of ham, Swiss cheese, and that silky cream sauce is genuinely addictive in the best way.
  • Prep happens in stages so you're never overwhelmed, and everyone at the table gets quiet and just eats.
02 -
  • If your sauce breaks or gets lumpy, strain it through a fine sieve and whisk in a splash of milk to smooth it back out.
  • Don't skip the cooling time at the end, or you'll have a casserole that collapses into a puddle when you serve it.
  • The casserole will continue cooking for a few minutes after you pull it out, so stop when it's golden, not dark brown.
03 -
  • Use a whisk instead of a spoon for the sauce, it prevents lumps and makes the whole thing smoother and more professional tasting.
  • If your breadcrumb topping isn't browning enough by the time the casserole is done, turn the oven to broil for the last two minutes and watch it carefully.

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