Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole Is The Easiest Way To Serve The Classic Dish

All the flavors you love in chicken cordon bleu are here in this cozy casserole. There’s ham, Swiss cheese, a hint of Dijon, and, of course, chicken, without any of the stuffing, dredging, and searing of the original. Instead, this effortless chicken casserole comes together all in the same pot, with cubed ham and chicken gently cooked in a gooey, cheesy sauce. Then it all gets transferred to a baking dish, topped with prosciutto bread crumbs (has anything ever sounded better?), and baked until golden, bubbling, and delicious. It’s comfort food taken to a whole new level—here’s everything you need to know:

What is the difference between chicken kiev and chicken cordon bleu?

Chicken cordon bleu and chicken kiev are both stuffed chicken recipes that utilize breaded chicken. The difference is that chicken kiev is stuffed with an herbed garlic butter, while chicken cordon bleu is stuffed with ham and cheese. The more you know!

What is the “bleu” in chicken cordon bleu?In the case of this dish or its original inspiration, “bleu”—which is French for “blue”—doesn’t refer to the color or even the cheese, but rather the “cordon bleu,” a blue ribbon that was worn by the highest-ranking knights beginning in 16th-century France. The term may refer to either the excellence of the dish or the fact that the chicken was wrapped around the delicious fillings like a ribbon. Of course, in this casserole, there’s no wrapping involved.

How to make chicken cordon bleu casserole:— The chicken. I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this recipe—they’re easy to prep, and stay true to the classic chicken cordon bleu recipe.

— The cheese. It wouldn’t be right to call this a chicken cordon bleu casserole without including plenty (and I mean plenty) of Swiss cheese. I use 1 lb. of Swiss cheese to ensure that every bite is extra cheesy.

— How long to bake chicken cordon bleu casserole. Bake this casserole until the filling is golden and bubbling, and the panko bread crumbs are perfectly golden brown This is done after around 30 to 35 minutes, but keep an eye on it to prevent overbaking.

Storage:

If you have any leftovers (lucky you!), store in an airtight container in the fridge for around 3 days.

Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below.

Yields: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins

Ingredients

Cooking spray

• 3 oz.

  prosciutto

• 6 tbsp.

  unsalted butter

• 6 tbsp.

  all-purpose flour

• 1 c.

  chicken broth

• 1 c.

  whole milk

• 1 tbsp.

  Dijon mustard

• 1 1/2 tsp.

  kosher salt

• 1 tsp.

  freshly ground black pepper

• 2 lb.

  boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1″ pieces

• 8 oz.

  cubed ham

• 4 c.

  shredded Swiss cheese (about 1 lb.), divided

• 1 c.

  panko bread crumbs

Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 13″-by-9″ baking dish and a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Arrange prosciutto on prepared baking sheet in an even layer with no overlap. Bake until crispy, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool (they will continue to crisp while cooling).
3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and let bubble until light golden brown and toasted, about 2 minutes. Pour in broth and milk and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Whisk in mustard, salt, and pepper.
4. Stir chicken and ham into sauce. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, 9 to 11 minutes. Stir in 2 cups cheese and immediately transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Top with remaining 2 cups cheese.
5. Place cooled prosciutto in a small bowl. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, crush into fine crumbs. Add panko and toss to combine. Sprinkle prosciutto mixture evenly over baking dish.
6. Bake until filling is bubbling and crumbs are golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Top with parsley and serve.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole