Chicken Blue Ribbon
A warm, cheesy casserole that combines the flavors of chicken cordon bleu in a simple, family-style dish with shredded chicken, ham, and Swiss cheese under a creamy sauce.
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 5 cups shredded chicken Use cooked shredded chicken for convenience.
- 9 ounces sliced deli-style Black Forest ham, cut into strips About 9 slices.
- 8 ounces sliced Swiss cheese About 12 thin slices.
Sauce ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice Optional.
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg Optional.
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper Optional.
- 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
Topping ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- Chopped parsley Optional, for garnish.
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Spread 5 cups shredded chicken evenly in the baking dish.
- Layer the sliced Black Forest ham strips evenly over the chicken.
- Place the Swiss cheese slices across the ham, overlapping so the cheese fits the dish.
Sauce preparation
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter.
- Whisk in 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (if using), 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (if using), and ¼ teaspoon cayenne (if using).
- Sprinkle in 6 Tablespoons flour and whisk until it forms a paste.
- Add 3 cups whole milk slowly, a quarter cup at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition.
- Let the sauce simmer for about 4 minutes, whisking occasionally, until it thickens.
- Pour the sauce evenly over the cheese layer, spreading it into the corners.
Topping and Baking
- In a small bowl, mix 1 ½ cups Panko breadcrumbs with 4 Tablespoons softened butter until crumbly.
- Spread this mixture evenly over the casserole.
- Bake uncovered for 30–40 minutes, until the sauce bubbles and the Panko topping is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes to set.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley if you like, then serve.
Notes
Serve with a green salad, steamed vegetables, or buttered egg noodles. Casserole can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge for later use.