Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

 Adapted slightly from melskitchencafe.com

When a coworker of mine told me about how divine a Chicken Cordon Bleu casserole that she made was, I knew I wanted to make it.  But once I saw the actual recipe, I knew it wasn't for me.

Besides the fact that it has green onions in it (which I don't like) and mushrooms (which my husband does not like), it has five cups of cheese and an entire stick of butter in it!  Not to mention canned condensed soup; and since I've been trying to get away from using processed foods, I knew I had to keep looking for another suitable recipe.

So I searched the Internet until I came across this lovely creation from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  While, of course, it is a little more time-consuming than using canned condensed soup, it was well worth it!  Delicious!  My husband not only had seconds, he had thirds!

Ingredients:

3 pounds russet potatoes (about 4-5 medium), peeled

        and sliced 1/8-inch thick

1 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

4 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme (I omitted)

3 medium garlic cloves, finely minced

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3/4 cup milk (I used skim)

6 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (I used 1 T.)

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed

        of excess fat and sliced thinly

9 ounces deli ham, chopped

For the topping:

2 tablespoons butter, melted

3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, making sure the oven rack is in the middle. Place the potatoes, 6 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are partially cooked, about 2 minutes (they will continue to cook in the oven). Carefully drain potatoes and transfer them to a bowl. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until the onions are softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and the milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking often, until slightly thickened.

Off the heat, whisk in the Swiss cheese, mustard, and cayenne pepper until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside until ready to use.

Toss the potatoes with half of the sauce and spread into the bottom of a lightly greased (I used cooking spray) 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer alternating pieces of the chicken and ham over the potatoes. Make sure that the chicken is in a single layer so that it cooks thoroughly. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the chicken.

Combine the melted butter with the breadcrumbs, then sprinkle the bread crumb topping evenly over the casserole. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the casserole is bubbling, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

*This dish can be made ahead and refrigerated.  If you choose to do this, you will need to add approx. 10 minutes to the cook time.

Yields: 6 servings