Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole (Printable Version)
Tender chicken and ham layered with Swiss and Dijon cream, finished with a Parmesan-Panko topping for a golden bake.
# 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 Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
02 - Melt unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic; cook for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
03 - Stir in all-purpose flour, whisking constantly for 1 minute until well blended. Gradually pour in whole milk, continuing to whisk until no lumps remain. Simmer 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.
04 - Add Dijon mustard, kosher salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika to the saucepan. Stir thoroughly, then remove sauce from heat.
05 - In the prepared baking dish, arrange half the chicken in an even layer. Distribute all of the diced ham over chicken, then sprinkle with half of the shredded Swiss cheese. Repeat layering with remaining chicken and Swiss cheese.
06 - Evenly pour the warm sauce over layered ingredients in the baking dish. In a small bowl, mix Panko breadcrumbs with grated Parmesan cheese, then scatter mixture evenly over the surface.
07 - Transfer baking dish to oven and bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes, until the topping is golden and the dish is bubbling at the edges.
08 - Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. This helps set the layers and makes serving easier.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It captures everything you love about Chicken Cordon Bleu without the fussy rolling and breading.
- The Dijon cream sauce practically makes itself and tastes like something from a French bistro.
- You can prep it ahead and just pop it in the oven when guests arrive.
02 -
- Whisk the milk in slowly or you will get lumpy sauce and no amount of stirring will fully fix it.
- Letting the casserole rest those 5 minutes is not optional because the sauce needs time to set so it does not run all over the plate.
03 -
- Grate your own Swiss cheese because pre shredded has coating that prevents that smooth beautiful melt.
- A light spritz of cooking spray on the breadcrumb layer before baking gives you an even deeper golden crust.