Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole (Printable)
Tender chicken, ham, Swiss cheese, creamy sauce, and golden breadcrumb topping baked to perfection.
# What You'll Need:
→ Casserole
01 - 4 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
02 - 8 ounces cooked ham, diced
03 - 1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
04 - 1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese (optional)
→ Cream Sauce
05 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 2 cups whole milk
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
09 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Breadcrumb Topping
14 - 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs or Panko
15 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
16 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
17 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until lightly golden. Gradually whisk in milk and cream until smooth.
03 - Stir in Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, and salt. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
04 - Layer diced chicken evenly in the prepared dish, then top with diced ham. Sprinkle shredded Swiss and Gruyère cheeses over the top.
05 - Pour the warm cream sauce evenly over the layered ingredients.
06 - Combine breadcrumbs, melted butter, Parmesan cheese, and parsley in a bowl. Stir to moisten evenly.
07 - Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the casserole surface.
08 - Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until the topping is golden and bubbling.
09 - Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when you actually spent maybe 20 minutes of hands-on time.
- The combination of ham, chicken, and two cheeses creates a depth that keeps people guessing what makes it so good.
- You can assemble it ahead of time and bake it when guests arrive, which is basically kitchen magic.
02 -
- If your sauce gets lumpy, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve and pour it back in the pan—it's salvageable and no one has to know.
- Don't skip the resting time; those 10 minutes transform the texture from loose to sliceable, and it actually tastes better when it's not piping hot.
- The breadcrumb topping browns fast, so check it around the 30-minute mark to avoid it getting too dark.
03 -
- If you have a favorite rotisserie chicken, use it instead of cooking chicken from scratch—it saves time and the flavor is honestly superior.
- Toast your breadcrumbs lightly in a dry pan for a minute before mixing them with butter if you want an extra layer of crunch and toasted flavor.