Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake

Chicken Cordon Bleu can take a bit of time to make, with all the stuffing the chicken, breading, frying and baking. This simple recipe takes all the goodness we love about the dish and puts it into an easy casserole/bake with a twist.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon dried or finely minced parsley

For Dijon sauce:

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 1/4 cups half and half

1 1/2 cups shredded swiss cheese (if cannot find shredded – hard to find at some stores - cut sliced swiss cheese into little cubes)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 pounds cooked chicken meat, shredded (can use leftovers or rotisserie chicken removed from bone)

1 pound thinly sliced Black Forest ham

1 1/2 cups shredded swiss cheese (or sliced cheese layered to cover ham completely)

1 (8-ounce) package croissant dough sheet, such as Pillsbury Crescent Dough Sheet

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a small bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons melted butter, garlic and parsley. Set aside.

To make Dijon sauce

In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter on medium-high heat. When butter starts to bubble, add flour and whisk until smooth to make a roux. Cook roux for 2 to 3 minutes on medium-low heat. Gradually add half and half and whisk until smooth. Simmer while stirring until mixture thickens. Turn off heat.

Add 1 1/2 cups shredded swiss cheese, salt and Dijon mustard. Whisk until the cheese is melted and fully incorporated.

Assembly

Arrange cooked chicken in a 13” x 9” baking dish.

Evenly distribute Dijon sauce over the top.

Layer the ham.

Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (or layer sliced cheese) over the top.

Unroll croissant dough sheet. Do not separate at seams. Pinch seams together to make one large rectangular piece of dough. Roll with rolling pin, if needed, to make large enough to cover pan.

Place dough on top of cheese, tucking in the edges of the dough along the sides of the casserole dish.

Brush dough liberally with the garlic-herb butter.

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.