CHICKEN CORDON BLEU CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS

• 5 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 2 cups cubed ham

CHEESE SAUCE:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purposed flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, (add more to taste)
• 1 1/4 cups shredded Swiss cheese, (5 ounces)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

PANKO TOPPING:

• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray.
2. Layer the chicken on the bottom of the casserole dish. Layer the ham on top of the chicken.
3. For the cheese sauce: In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour on top and cook for 1-2 minutes or until mixture gets dry and clumpy. Whisk in the milk slowly. Add the mustard, lemon juice, garlic powder and salt. Simmer for 3-5 minutes whisking constantly until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the Swiss and Parmesan cheese. Taste and add more salt if needed. Pour evenly over ham and chicken mixture.
4. For the Panko topping: In a small bowl, combine the Panko breadcrumbs and melted butter well. Sprinkle over the casserole.
5. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown and casserole is bubbly. Let cool for about 5-10 minutes then serve. You can serve this by itself or over pasta or rice.