Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole - Impress guests with this delicious twist on a classic French dish

Swiss cheese

🥗Healthier: low-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: mozzarella

Low-fat cheese reduces calories while mozzarella is more accessible.

cream of chicken soup

🥗Healthier: homemade chicken broth

💰Cheaper: canned cream of mushroom soup

Homemade broth is healthier and canned soup is often cheaper.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is healthier and margarine is often less expensive.

bread crumbs

🥗Healthier: whole wheat bread crumbs

💰Cheaper: crushed crackers

Whole wheat adds fiber while crushed crackers can be cheaper.

Boil water for pasta, salting it well to taste like the ocean.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a pan.

Add 3 tablespoons of flour to the melted butter and mix thoroughly until it starts to thicken, which takes a few minutes.

Add cream cheese to the mixture and mix thoroughly. If the sauce is too thick, add a little extra milk.

Once the sauce has thickened, add spices: 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne.

Add 1 tablespoon of ground mustard to the sauce and mix well.

Cook penne pasta until done, then drain in a colander.

In a mixing bowl, combine the sauce with the cooked chicken, leftover ham, and drained pasta, mixing thoroughly.

Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray before adding the mixture.

(Optional) In a bowl, combine 1 cup of Panko bread crumbs with 1/2 cup of melted butter, then top the casserole with this mixture and mix it in well.

Bake in the oven at 350°F for 30 minutes until the top is brown and crunchy.

Remove from the oven and let it rest for about 30 minutes before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens