Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole (Printable)

Creamy chicken and ham bake with Swiss cheese and a crispy breadcrumb topping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 3 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
02 - 1 ½ cups cooked ham, diced

→ Dairy

03 - 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
04 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 ½ cups whole milk
06 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

→ Pantry

07 - ¼ cup all-purpose flour
08 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
09 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
10 - ½ teaspoon onion powder
11 - ½ teaspoon salt
12 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Topping

13 - 1 ½ cups fresh breadcrumbs
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
02 - Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute until bubbling but not browned.
03 - Gradually whisk in the milk, stirring constantly. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until thickened. Stir in Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 1 minute.
04 - Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in 1 cup Swiss cheese and all the Parmesan cheese until melted and smooth.
05 - Spread the diced chicken evenly in the prepared casserole dish. Layer diced ham over the chicken.
06 - Pour the cheese sauce evenly over the chicken and ham. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of Swiss cheese.
07 - In a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs with melted butter and mix until evenly coated.
08 - Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the casserole. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.
09 - Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you spent all day cooking.
  • The creamy sauce and golden topping somehow satisfy everyone at the table, from picky eaters to food snobs.
  • You can prep it ahead and bake it right before guests arrive, which means less stress and more time catching up.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time—5 minutes sounds quick, but it lets the sauce set just enough so you don't end up with a runny puddle on the plate.
  • If your breadcrumb topping isn't browning by minute 30, bump the oven up 25°F for the last few minutes; every oven has its own personality.
03 -
  • Use rotisserie chicken from the grocery store—it saves you 30 minutes and honestly tastes better because of those roasted flavors running through the sauce.
  • Make your own breadcrumbs by pulsing day-old bread in a food processor; they toast more evenly than store-bought and cost almost nothing.

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