How to make Cordon Bleu Casserole? (Tender and Cheesy)

A family classic, Cordon Bleu Casserole features soft pasta, ham, and chicken in a rich Swiss cheese sauce.

It’s a quick and simple casserole that is reminiscent of an easy, sleepy chicken dish. The simple sauce on this meal is cooked entirely from scratch and contains no canned soup, which is its best feature!

Nothing canned

I made this quick and delicious casserole one evening for dinner with my family. Finding a casserole recipe without “Cream of ___” soup in it was VERY difficult for me. So I used my creativity to make my preferred homemade cream sauce containing the flavors I wanted!

The outcome? Such a wonderful Cordon Bleu casserole! This simple dish has to be slightly more saucy than usual before it goes into the oven because it thickens as it bakes and cools.

Your dish won’t turn mushy if you cook the pasta al dente (so that it still has some bite to it).

You should cook pasta to the lower end of what the package recommends to have al dente pasta (if the packages say 9-11 min, cook only 9 min). Salt your pasta water, don’t forget!

The flavor of Swiss cheese is very intense, which I love. and since this recipe is for a cordon blue dish, it is kind of necessary! Even though I combined a milder cheese with the swiss, my kids still appreciate it.

You can use only Swiss in this recipe if you prefer a greater Swiss flavor.

How Is a Cordon Bleu Casserole Made?

To scoop up the sauce in this Cordon Bleu Casserole, I prefer to use penne or a similar short shape with curves or holes. Shells or rotini are two excellent alternatives.

The next ingredient is chicken. You may use leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, or even poached, shredded chicken.

Poaching a chicken breast is the ideal technique to create shredded chicken for this casserole if you have any on hand. So simple and delicious!

To make this meal, you can get a cheap ham steak and slice it up (or any kind of ham including leftover Crock Pot Ham).

Can you freeze this Cordon Bleu casserole?

As dairy can change in texture when defrosted, I don’t advise storing casseroles with a lot of dairy in the sauce.

I would advise freezing just the ingredients for the casserole and creating the sauce when you are ready to bake it if you want to freeze this recipe.

Although this Cordon Bleu casserole cannot be frozen, it CAN be prepared in advance (up to 24 hours), making it the ideal dish to prepare on Sunday and eat after work on Monday.

If by chance you have any leftovers, they reheat well (I frequently add a splash of milk or cream) for a different supper later on in the week!

Cordon Bleu Casserole

It’s a quick and simple casserole that is reminiscent of an easy, sleepy chicken dish.

Ingredients

sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons cooking sherry
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• ½ teaspoon pepper

other

• 1 cup swiss cheese
• 1 cup Monterey jack cheese divided
• 2 cups cooked chicken (use rotisserie or chicken breasts)
• 4 ounces ham diced
• 12 ounces of uncooked pasta
• 2 tablespoons butter melted
• ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk the mixture for 2 minutes. Pour milk and chicken broth in after removing from the heat.
3. Once more, heat the mixture while stirring it until it thickens and bubbles. Pepper, Worcestershire, dijon, thyme, and sherry should be added. Add Swiss cheese and stir.
4. During this time, prepare the pasta al dente as directed on the package. Avoid overcooking. Combine the sauce, pasta, ham, chicken, and half a cup of Monterey jack cheese. Fill up a sizable casserole dish.
5. Melted butter, remaining 1/2 cup of cheese, and Panko bread crumbs should be combined. Sprinkle on the casserole’s top.
6. Bake heated and the top is gently browned for 25 to 30 minutes in an open oven. Serve right away.

Nutrition information

Calories: 621 | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 558mg | Potassium: 395mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 625IU | Calcium: 346mg | Iron: 2.2mg