Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

A lot of times when people think of Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole, they think of a version they grew up with. Usually, that version uses “cream of” style condensed soups with sour cream. This one is not that.

This version has a creamy Dijon Parmesan sauce that’s poured of a tasty combination of chicken, ham, and Swiss. It’s all brought together with a crispy, crunchy breadcrumb topping that will remind you of the crispy breading on Chicken Cordon Bleu.

Why you will come back to this recipe for chicken cordon bleu casserole

There’s so much to love about this Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole Recipe. It has all the flavor of traditional chicken cordon bleu, but it’s straightforward enough for a weeknight meal.

It’s straightforward because there’s no need to individually pound out and wrap individual chicken breasts. You’re using pre-cooked chicken and ham.

Another great perk… straightforward plain ingredients! There’s no canned “cream of” condensed soups in this. Instead, it has a satisfying Dijon cream sauce that’s made with Parmesan.

Let us show you how to cook this straightforward, satisfying chicken and ham casserole. It will give you all the satisfying flavors of chicken cordon bleu without the fuss.

Ingredients for chicken and ham casserole

• Cooked shredded chicken
• Cooked diced ham
• Grated Swiss cheese
• Butter
• All-purpose flour
• Milk
• Dijon mustard
• Garlic powder
• Salt and pepper
• Parmesan cheese
• Worcestershire sauce
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Fresh parsley

Substitutions and alterations

• Shredded chicken – You can use rotisserie chicken here or even leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. It’s a great way to use up both leftover turkey and ham from the big meal.
• Swiss cheese – Swiss cheese is a staple part of chicken cordon bleu, but you could also swap in some gruyere if you didn’t want to use Swiss.
• Panko breadcrumbs – Panko breadcrumbs will give you a house favorite crispy crunch on top of the casserole. You could also substitute seasoned breadcrumbs as well.

How to cook chicken cordon bleu casserole

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 oven safe baking dish with nonstick spray and set it aside.
2. Add the chicken and ham to the casserole dish. Sprinkle the swiss cheese across the top of the chicken and ham mixture.
3. In a skillet add the butter over medium heat and let it melt.
4. Add in the flour and whisk until it creates a smooth bubbly roux.
5. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking while adding.
6. Once the milk is fully added and there are no clumps, add in the Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, parmesan, and Worcestershire sauce.
7. Once it’s smooth, pour the sauce over the Swiss cheese.
8. Combine the melted butter, panko bread crumbs, and parmesan cheese in a small bowl.
9. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mix across the top of the sauce.
10. Bake uncovered in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for about 10-15 minutes before serving. It’ll thicken up as it cools.

How to keep chicken cordon bleu casserole

The great thing about this is that it’s as good leftover as it is the day of. The sauce thickens in the fridge and gets even better!

If you want to store it in the refrigerator, place the cooled casserole in an airtight container. Place it in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze it for up to 6 months when you store it properly.

When you’re ready to eat it, you can reheat it in the microwave. Place it on a microwave-safe dish, cover it with a paper towel and let it heat through for about one minute.

It’s also great slowly reheated in the oven at 350ºF for about 20 minutes.

Kitchen tools to make chicken cordon bleu casserole

9×13 baking dish

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Measuring cups

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Measuring spoons

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Grater

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Skillet

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Silicone whisk

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Glass mixing bowls

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Tips and tricks for cheesy chicken and ham casserole

We highly recommend freshly grated parmesan cheese for the sauce. The pre-shredded cheese has an anti-caking agent on it that prevents it from melting as well.

You can still use the pre-shredded kind in the topping though!

Don’t let your roux cook too long. You aren’t looking to darken the roux, let it cook quickly.

Make sure your chicken doesn’t have a lot of liquid. If so, it can make the casserole have a watery texture when it bakes.

FAQs about chicken cordon bleu

Prep 20 minutesCook 45 minutesTotal 1 hour 5 minutesMakes 12 people

Ingredients

• 6 cups cooked shredded chicken
• 8 ounces diced ham
• 8 ounces swiss cheese grated

Sauce

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 2 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 dash Worcestershire sauce

Crumb Topping

• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• finely chopped parsley optional

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 oven safe baking dish with nonstick spray and set it aside.
2. Add the chicken and ham to the casserole dish. Sprinkle the Swiss cheese across the top of the chicken and ham mixture.
3. In a skillet add the butter and let it melt.
4. Add in the flour and whisk until it creates a smooth bubbly roux.
5. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking while adding.
6. Once the milk is fully added and there are no clumps, add in the Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, parmesan, and Worcestershire sauce.
7. Once it’s smooth, pour the sauce over the Swiss cheese.
8. Combine the melted butter, panko bread crumbs, and parmesan cheese in a small bowl.
9. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mix across the top of the sauce.
10. Bake uncovered in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let it cool for 10-15 minutes. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

Notes

• We highly recommend freshly grated parmesan cheese for the sauce. The pre-shredded cheese has an anti-caking agent on it that prevents it from melting as well.
• Don’t let your roux cook too long. You aren’t looking to darken the roux, let it cook quickly.
• Make sure your shredded chicken doesn’t have a lot of liquid. It can cause your sauce to be watery.