Cordon bleu casserole

This was dinner tonight... well almost.  We couldn't eat it. It was way too salty.  It was probably something I did. I doubt it was the recipe's fault.  Spinach was Korean style.

Restaurant-quality Cordon bleu Casserole

Carmen Martínez

Staff Editor

Chicken cordon bleu is a crowd favorite because of its delicious combination of ingredients: chicken breast, ham, and Swiss cheese. While this classic French dish is traditionally prepared by stuffing a chicken breast with ham and cheese then breading and frying it, the recipe is surprisingly easy to adapt into a casserole. It only takes 20 minutes to prepare and is always a hit — even with the pickiest eaters!

Ingredients

- 1 1/2 pound of cooked chicken meat, shredded (you can use leftovers or use rotisserie chicken, discard the bones)

- 1 package of lean ham, sliced

- Swiss cheese slices (enough to cover the casserole)

- 1 lemon

- 2 teaspoons garlic powder

For the sauce: 

- 1 can of evaporated milk (12 ounces)

- butter or oil (to taste)

- 1 chicken bouillon cube*

- 2 tablespoons of Dijon Mustard

- 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

- Salt and pepper to taste

For the topping: 

- 2 cups of Panko breadcrumbs

- 1 ounce of butter (30 gr)

- 1 teaspoon of onion powder

- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder

- 2 teaspoons of dried basil

- 1 teaspoon of white grounded pepper

* Swap the chicken bouillon cube for 1/2 cup (120 Ml) of chicken broth if you want the sauce to be juicier. 

Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F (170 C) and grease a casserole pan with a little bit of butter or your preferred oil.

2. To make the sauce, melt some butter or heat the oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the evaporated milk, the chicken bouillon cube, the mustard, nutmeg and season to taste. Let it cook to desired thickness whisking it often over low heat.

3. While the sauce cooks, assemble your casserole. Spread the shredded chicken evenly and season it with salt, lemon juice and the garlic powder. Make a second layer with the ham slices and finalize with a layer of the cheese. Use just enough to cover the chicken entirely. Pour the sauce evenly to cover your casserole.

4. To prepare the topping, melt the butter in a pan, add the Panko crumbs, the onion and garlic powder, the white pepper, and the dried basil. Add the topping over your casserole and pop it in the oven until it's bubbly and golden brown, around 30 minutes. Allow 10 minutes to cool down before serving it.

TIP #1 (optional): You can wait until the sauce is done and spread a thin layer of it on the casserole before adding the chicken. Once the chicken is assembled, sprinkle it with a little bit of sauce before adding the ham.

TIP #2 (optional): Try to add a little bit of shredded parmesan cheese to the topping.