Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

5 from 9 votes

This chicken cordon bleu recipe is so much better than the classic way of preparing this dish. It's as easy as layering the ingredients and the end result is incredible!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 338kcal

Author: Hilda Sterner

Equipment

1 9x13 baking dish
1 kitchen mallet

Ingredients

1 sleeve Ritz crackers
¾ cup French fried onions
2½ tsps Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning (divided)
1 teaspoon garlic powder (divided)
¼ cup unsalted butter (divided)
3 lbs chicken breast
8 ounces sliced ham
1 7 ounce package baby Swiss cheese (or double)

Instructions

Preheat Oven to 400℉

In a bowl, crush 1 sleeve of Ritz crackers along with ¾ cup of French fried onions, then mix with ½ teaspoon of Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder. Pour 3 tablespoons of melted butter over the mixture and stir to combine.
Dry chicken breasts with paper towels, then slice horizontally to make 2 thin chicken breasts. Add one at a time to a large ziplock bag and seal. Pound with the flat side of a kitchen mallet until thin. Once done, season chicken breasts with 2 teaspoons of Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning and 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
Brush a 9x13 casserole dish with 1 tablespoon melted butter, then arrange half of the chicken breasts, making sure the bottom of the pan is completely covered. Add a layer of ham and 2 layers of Swiss cheese slices. If you like blue cheese, add some!
Arrange the remaining chicken over the cheese and sprinkle with an even layer of the crushed cracker-French fried onion mixture.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, seal around the edges, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10 more minutes or until golden brown on top and cooked through. Allow to set for a few minutes, then slice into 8 portions. Garnish with chopped parsley for a pop of color.
Serve with honey mustard sauce and a green salad.

Notes

Optionally, you can use boneless, skinless, chicken thighs. Depending on their thickness, they may not need to be pounded.
If using thick slices of ham, you only need one layer. If using thinly sliced ham, layer half under the cheese and the other half over the cheese.
If you like it extra cheesy, double the Swiss cheese.
After adding the first layer of chicken, I like to add the second layer of chicken over it to make sure I have enough for both layers. Sometimes you have to move the chicken pieces around to fill in the gaps.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To freeze the casserole, don't add the breadcrumb mixture. Cover unbaked casserole with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Place in the freezer up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, prepare and add topping, then bake according to the recipe baking instructions.

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