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This easy chicken cordon bleu casserole is perfect for a busy weeknight meal. An amazing dinner that combines all your favorite flavors of chicken, ham, and Swiss cheese but is super fast to prepare. Cordon bleu casserole uses rotisserie chicken but you can also use leftover chicken as well! We all love an easy chicken casserole recipe in 2024 when life is crazy busy!
What I Love This Recipe
I am always on the hunt for leftover chicken recipes and this is a favorite. It is completely delicious and very easy. If you would rather not use rotisserie chicken, feel free to use any other form of cooked chicken, but be sure it is well seasoned. I just can’t pass up those delicious $5 rotisseries at Sam’s Club when I am in a rush. Convenience is worth it sometimes! If you don’t have a Sam’s or Costco close to you with the large rotisserie chickens, you will need two of the smaller ones they sell at your Walmart or grocer. You want somewhere between 5-6 cups of chicken.
The Funny History with Cordon Bleu Casserole
As I finished up this recipe, I caught a quick glimpse of my 3-year-old daughter outside, 100% butt-naked. Nothing. Nada. Just those cute little cheekies running down the sidewalk for all the neighborhood to see.
I dashed out the door, gathered her up, and sternly asked why in the world she playing outside naked?!? Offended, she crossed her arms and declared, “I’m not!! I have my necklace on!!” Touche, sweet child.
Those chunky cheekies also made another appearance when checking in on her before I went to bed. She was sound asleep and naked once more but accompanied by an extremely large collection of toys perfectly lined up in a very OCD manner. I’ve decided both of these instances are cute and adorable. I even took pictures to use as blackmail for when she is older. However, if there is a third naked occurrence anytime soon, I might have to begin seeking help.
You have to admire her level of body confidence. Maybe if I only ate salads, exercised all day long, and never ate anything indulgent like this chicken cordon bleu casserole, I could have the same confidence that my naked 3-year-old has 🙂 But nah…it’s not worth it. The reason I exercise every day is mainly so I can eat more food every day. For me, a 3-mile run is worth it if I can enjoy a creamy, delicious, and easy chicken casserole like this for dinner. Every one of my kids LOVE this dinner and that rarely happens. With six kids, odds are that at least one of them will turn up their nose at it. Not the case with this chicken casserole recipe.
What is Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole?
A chicken cordon bleu casserole is a much simpler version of the classic French recipe. Technically, a cordon bleu is a protein that is pounded flat, wrapped around cheese, and often ham, then breaded before being baked or fried. Generally, the proteins used are veal, pork, and chicken. If you are interested in this version, I have a classic, yet easy Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe, as well as an amazing Chicken Cordon Bleu Sauce to pour over the top.
To keep meal prep simple for this casserole, the classic French flavors of chicken, ham, Swiss cheese, and Dijon mustard remain, but instead of the complex prep mentioned above, they are layered in a pan. Before going into the oven, the layers are topped with buttery bread crumbs that become golden brown in the oven. The casserole’s end result retains all the original flavors but requires significantly less work.
Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole Ingredients & Tools
While there are always variations, the classic chicken cordon bleu casserole uses the following ingredients:
- Cooked chicken meat
- Sliced ham
- Sliced Swiss cheese
- Garlic butter bread crumbs as a topping
- Dijon mustard sauce
- Deep 9×13 inch casserole dish
What is the “Blue” in Cordon Bleu?
In French, cordon bleu means “blue ribbon,” referring to the wide blue ribbons worn by the most distinguished members of chivalry in the 1700’s. Using this same idea, today cordon bleu applies to the highest standards in food preparation. It is why you’ll find Le Cordon Bleu culinary schools and programs around the world.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole ahead of time?
Yes, this easy casserole recipe does very well if it’s prepared a few days before you need it. To do so, simply follow the recipe as written but do not bake it quite yet. Instead, cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or foil, and store it in the refrigerator until it is time to finish preparing the dinner. For safety reasons, don’t let it sit too long in the fridge. Bake and eat the casserole within 3-4 days after going into the refrigerator. Also, be sure to remove the plastic wrap and foil lid before baking!
What to serve with Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole?
Because the finished dish does have a creamy sauce over the top, something simple that would go well with the sauce is perfect.
– Steamed rice or quinoa
– Cooked pasta
– Roasted broccoli
– Roasted cauliflower
– Roasted asparagus
– Green salad with a garlic balsamic vinaigrette
Can I use leftover chicken instead of rotisserie chicken?
Absolutely! Use whatever seasoned leftover chicken you have on hand. Taking the extra time to pick the chicken off the bones is not at the top of my favorite tasks either. Another great option is to go into the freezer section of the grocery store and purchased pre-cooked, frozen chicken and let it thaw before using it in the recipe.
How to make a Keto Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
To transform this recipe into a Keto-friendly chicken cordon bleu casserole, simply leave off the bread crumb topping and instead, add a few more slices of Swiss cheese over the top of the cordon bleu sauce. To keep the cheese from getting too brown, wait to add the layer of cheese on top until there are 10 minutes left in the baking time. If they are added earlier, the cheese will burn.
How to make Cordon Bleu Casserole as a freezer meal
Simply prepare the recipe as written but do not bake the chicken cordon bleu casserole before freezing. Also, be sure to use a heavy-duty disposable pan so your regular pans are not stuck in the freezer for weeks. Once you finish the prep work, top the pan first with plastic wrap, then the aluminum lid or a sheet of aluminum foil. Using both helps keep out the freezer burn if you seal it tightly. Don’t forget to label the outside with the date and finishing directions. When it is time to serve the dish, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for a few days, then remove the plastic wrap and foil before baking according to the recipe.
Recipe Variations
Being a home cook provides endless opportunities to experiment with recipes, personalizing them to your tastes and creativity. Any of the following variations would be great spin-offs of this Cordon Bleu Casserole:
- Try out a different protein – while chicken is the classic meat choice for a cordon bleu, pork, veal, or beef would work as well. As long as the meat has enough seasoning, it will be perfect.
- Substitute vegetables for the chicken – between the chicken, the ham, the Swiss cheese, and the sauce, this recipe is very protein-forward. Try adding fresh broccoli, cauliflower, or asparagus instead of the chicken. The casserole will still have the ham, cheese, and sauce for protein. But watch out! This veggie version might be even more popular than the original.
- Switch out the ham – looking for a little addition of smokiness to the casserole? Try using bacon instead of ham. Or, add a bit of an Italian flare to this French dish with some prosciutto. Or, take it all-American with sliced roast beef.
- More cheese please – while the Swiss cheese provides a nice sharpness to the finished recipe, don’t be afraid to play around with other cheeses that also have some personality to them. A sharp white cheddar, gouda, manchego, or brie would be easy substitutions.
Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
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4.8 from 29 reviews
Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole makes for a delicious, easy dinner recipe for a busy night. Super kid friendly chicken casserole recipe.
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
Base:
- 1 large rotisserie chicken, meat removed and pulled (about 5–6 C)
- 1/2 pound sliced deli-style black forest ham, chopped
- 1/2 pound sliced swiss cheese
Sauce:
- 4 Tb butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 Tb flour
- 3 C milk
- 2 Tb lemon juice
- 1 Tb dijion mustard
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Topping:
- 4 Tb melted butter
- 1 1/4 C seasoned bread crumbs
- 1/4 C parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- Layer the chicken in the bottom of the dish followed by the ham and finally the swiss cheese.
- Melt the butter over medium heat, in a medium saucepan, and add garlic as it melts. Keep stirring with a rubber spatula to avoid burning.
- Stir in salt, pepper, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, and lemon juice.
- Whiskin the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the milk, slowly. Whisk often to keep clumps from forming. Turn the heat to high and cook until the sauce thickens and boils completely.
- Pour the finished sauce over the base layer already in the dish.
- Mixthe topping ingredients, in a small bowl,until the butter is evenly distributed over the crumbs.
- Sprinkleover the top of the dish and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving so the sauce with thicken just a bit.
Notes
Feel free to use any leftover chicken you have on hand instead of a rotisserie chicken.
- Author: Carole Jones
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10 th
- Calories: 474
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 1410 mg
- Fat: 33 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 41 g
- Cholesterol: 144 mg
Looking for More Easy Casserole Recipes?
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