Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole (Printable View)
Layers of chicken, ham, Swiss and creamy Dijon sauce finished with a golden Parmesan-Panko crust.
# What You Need:
→ 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
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until softened.
03 - Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually pour in whole milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly thickened.
04 - Stir in Dijon mustard, kosher salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika. Remove saucepan from heat once well combined.
05 - Arrange half of the diced chicken in the prepared baking dish, top with all the ham, then layer with half the Swiss cheese. Repeat with remaining chicken and Swiss cheese.
06 - Evenly pour the warm cream sauce over the layered ingredients in the baking dish.
07 - In a bowl, toss Panko breadcrumbs with grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over the casserole.
08 - Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, until the breadcrumb topping is golden and the casserole is bubbling.
09 - Allow casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- All the elegance of classic chicken cordon bleu with almost none of the fuss.
- The combination of creamy, sharp, and smoky flavors will have you sneaking second helpings before you even realize.
02 -
- If you rush adding the milk, your sauce will turn lumpy—steady whisking is non-negotiable.
- Browning the breadcrumbs too quickly means covering the dish loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes works wonders.
03 -
- Layering the cheese inside instead of just on top means every serving is gooey in the middle.
- Letting the casserole sit before serving makes slicing cleaner and keeps the sauce where it belongs.