This chicken cordon bleu casserole combines shredded chicken and diced ham in a rich Dijon cream sauce. It is then layered with Swiss cheese and a buttery Ritz cracker topping. The casserole is baked until the cheese is melted and the topping is golden brown. It is a delicious comfort meal your whole family will love.
"I absolutely love this recipe! It makes it so easy to get all that tasty flavor without all the hassle of stuffing and wrapping."
★★★★★- Beth
Fun fact, chicken cordon bleu was the first meal my husband ever made for me. We were dating at the time and he wanted to impress me. He prepared the traditional chicken cordon bleu as our entree and bananas fosters for dessert. He did an amazing job, however he has never cooked either since.... Mainly because he is spoiled and I cook for him. He typically stays out of the kitchen unless it involves a microwave.
I personally find the chicken in the classic chicken cordon bleu recipe a little dry. For this reason, I prefer this easy chicken casserole version. Every tasty bite is met with chicken, ham, cream sauce, cheese, and a crunchy topping. If you love the classic version, I think you will like this one even more! Enjoy! Xoxo ~Katie.
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Ingredient notes and substitutions
You will need the following ingredient to make this chicken cordon bleu casserole recipe.
- chicken- I use rotisserie chicken, but you can substitute with diced or shredded chicken breasts. I do not recommend canned chicken for this recipe.
- ham-I prefer diced ham because it distributes evenly in the casserole offering ham and chicken with each bite. However, you can substitute with deli slices of black forrest ham.
- butter
- flour
- Dijon mustard-Dijon mustard is best for the flavor of this creamy sauce and is traditionally used in the classic chicken cordon bleu recipe. However, if you choose to substitute with regular mustard, reduce the amount to 2 teaspoons.
- whole milk- You can substitute with a low-fat milk, however the sauce will not be as thick.
- Parmesan cheese
- garlic powder- You can substitute with crushed garlic.
- lemon juice
- Swiss cheese- I find shredded Swiss cheese melts nicer in the casserole than sliced Swiss cheese. However, you can substitute with sliced Swiss cheese.
- Ritz crackers- I have tested this recipe with several different toppings. The ritz cracker crust is my favorite for this recipe. It offers a crunchy topping without competing with the other flavors in the casserole. However, it is also delicious with a Panko crumbs and butter topping or one box of prepared stuffing as the topping.
Watch how to make
Steps
Follow these simple steps to make chicken cordon bleu casserole.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a large sauce pan, melt butter on medium heat. Whisk in flour. Once completely mixed in, slowly whisk in milk.
- Mix in Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and garlic powder. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low 3 minutes for sauce to thicken.
- Stir in parmesan cheese. Mix in shredded chicken and diced ham.
- Pour mixture in a greased 9 x13 inch baking dish. Evenly layer Swiss cheddar cheese.
- Mix melted butter and crushed Ritz crackers. Top casserole with buttered Ritz crackers.
- Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until crust is a golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Ritz cracker topping tip
If you crush Ritz crackers in their original packaging, they often bust open with crumbs falling out everywhere. For a better result, crush your crackers in a large Ziploc bag. A rolling pin works great for crushing the crackers. Then mix the melted butter with the crackers in the Ziploc bag. All of the mess will stay in the bag and you can throw away the bag when done for easy cleanup.
Chicken Shredding hack
This video shows how to easily shred chicken.
Please leave me a comment below if you make this chicken casserole and tell me what you thought about it. I would love to hear back, and so would my readers.
Also post a picture of your casserole on Instagram or Facebook, and tag @aforkstale with #aforkstale hashtags! I will share with my followers! xoxo!
📖 Recipe
Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken cordon bleu casserole
- 5 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 8 ounces ham diced
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 6 ounces Swiss cheese shredded
Ritz Cracker topping
- 1½ Ritz cracker sleeves
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
Chicken cordon bleu casserole
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a large sauce pan, melt butter on medium heat. Whisk in flour. Once completely mixed in, slowly whisk in milk.4 tablespoons butter, 4 tablespoons flour, 3 cups whole milk
- Mix in Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and garlic powder. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low 3 minutes for sauce to thicken.2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Stir in parmesan cheese. Mix in shredded chicken and diced ham.5 cups cooked chicken, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, 8 ounces ham
- Pour mixture in a greased 9 x13 inch baking dish. Evenly layer Swiss cheddar cheese.6 ounces Swiss cheese
Ritz cracker topping
- Mix melted butter and crushed Ritz crackers. Top casserole with buttered Ritz crackers.1½ Ritz cracker sleeves, 6 tablespoons butter
- Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until crust is a golden brown and the cheese is melted. Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.
Beth says
I absolutely love this recipe! It makes it so easy to get all that tasty flavor without all the hassle of stuffing and wrapping.
Catalina says
This casserole is comfort food at its best! The creamy sauce, melty cheese, and crispy topping made every bite so satisfying.
Yvette Kriz says
Hi, sweetie! Thank you for this. Going to make. Just got the ingredients. Love you! Auntie Yvette