Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole (Printable)
Shredded chicken and ham with Swiss and a creamy Dijon sauce, baked under 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 (190°C). Lightly grease 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 for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually pour in whole milk, whisking to eliminate lumps. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.
04 - Add Dijon mustard, kosher salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika to the béchamel. Stir until fully incorporated. Remove saucepan from heat.
05 - Scatter half of the diced chicken evenly in the prepared baking dish. Distribute all diced ham over the chicken, followed by half of the shredded Swiss cheese. Layer the remaining chicken and then the remaining Swiss cheese.
06 - Pour the warm Dijon cream sauce evenly across the arranged layers in the dish.
07 - In a small mixing bowl, combine Panko breadcrumbs with grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle mixture evenly across the surface of the casserole.
08 - Transfer the dish to the center rack of the oven. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling around the edges.
09 - Remove from oven. Let rest for 5 minutes to allow the casserole to set and cool slightly before portioning.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The crispy Panko-Parmesan topping feels like a guilty pleasure secret that never fails to impress.
- It's the sort of casserole that turns plain leftover chicken and fridge-stashed ham into something unexpectedly elegant.
02 -
- Skipping the resting time means you’ll miss out on those perfect squares—learned that on a hungry night when everything fell apart.
- Using pre-shredded cheese once made the sauce weirdly grainy, so now I always grate it fresh if I can.
03 -
- Letting the casserole rest before slicing ensures you get tidy layers in every serving.
- A splash of white wine in the sauce adds an extra depth that feels restaurant-fancy but is simple to do.