Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

The Buchanans

subheading: TOPPING:

4 slices white sandwich bread, torn into quarters

2 T. butter, melted

subheading: FILLING:

3 pounds russet potatoes (about 4 to 5 medium), peeled and sliced ⅛-inch thick

1 t. salt

4 T. butter

1 medium onion, chopped

3 medium garlic cloves, finely minced

6 T. all-purpose flour

2 C. low-sodium chicken broth

¾ C. heavy cream or milk

6 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded, about 2 cups

2 T. Dijon mustard

¼ t. cayenne pepper

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat and sliced thinly

9 oz. deli ham, chopped

2 T. minced fresh parsley leaves

For the topping, process the bread and butter in a food processor until coarsely ground. Set aside.

For the filling, preheat the oven to 400º F, making sure the oven rack is in the middle. Place the potatoes, 6 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are partially cooked, about 2 minutes (don’t overcook). Carefully drain potatoes, or remove them with a slotted spoon, and transfer them to a bowl. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and ½ t. salt. Cook until the onions are softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken broth and cream or milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking often, until slightly thickened (if using milk instead of cream, you may have to cook longer). Turn off the heat, whisk in the Swiss cheese, Dijon, and cayenne pepper until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside.

Toss the potatoes with half of the sauce and spread into the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking pan. Layer alternating pieces of the chicken and ham over the potatoes, overlapping as needed. Just make sure that the chicken is in a single layer so that it cooks thoroughly. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the chicken and sprinkle with the bread crumb topping. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the casserole is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes (add about 5 to 7 minutes to the baking time if baking it after it has chilled for more than a couple of hours). Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Page footer