Growing up, I remember eating Chicken Cordon Bleu and just loving the combination of flavors. Â Gooey cheese, crunchy coating, everything about it was just yum. Â But making and cooking the individual chicken pieces can be a little time consuming, so I started looking for alternative ideas. Â A way to get the same ingredients, flavors, and memories but in a faster and simpler dish. Â Enter:Â Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Bake.
Pasta bakes are so simple and easy to make, and they result in such a delicious dish! Â Somehow mixing everything together and baking it off elevates a simple pasta dish to something special. Â My husband is always a fan of pasta bakes.
I love to make my Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Bake (or Chicken Cordon Blue Pasta Bake) extra cheesy by adding a layer of shredded cheese in the middle of the pasta itself.  No one ever seems to complain 🙂 No idea why…
Swiss is a classic cheese here but I am a fan of Monterey Jack.  You can also throw in some of your favorite veggies, more meat, etc.  Make it your own!  That is one of the best things about cooking 🙂
Leftover chicken and deli ham make this dish incredibly simple. Â Cheese sauce is whipped up in just a few minutes while the pasta cooks, and then you can let the oven do the rest of the work! Â And whenever you have people hovering, or when leftovers disappear in a flash, you know you have a winner.
What are your favorite childhood dishes that you wish were faster or easier to make?
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 lb pasta shape of choice such as penne or rotini
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup white wine (optional)
- 3 cups milk
- 2 cups Swiss cheese (or monterey jack), shredded
- salt
- black pepper
- 2 cups chicken cooked, diced
- 3/4 cup deli ham cut into 1" squares
Topping
- 2 Tbsp butter melted
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 Tbsp dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- In a large pot, heat water to a boil and cook pasta as per package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside when done.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the butter until melted over medium low heat. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook until the roux is a light golden color, whisking occasionally, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Add the white wine to the roux mixture and cook until reduced by half, approximately 3-5 minutes.
- Add the milk to the white wine and roux mixture. Whisk to combine. Cook until heated through.
- Add 1 1/2 cups of the cheese to the milk mixture and stir until melted in. (Reserve the other 1/2 cup of cheese for assembly). Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Combine the pasta, cheese sauce, chicken, and ham in a large pot. Stir to combine.
- Spread half of the pasta mixture in a large baking dish. Top the pasta layer with the 1/2 cup of reserved shredded cheese.
- Fill the dish with the rest of the pasta.
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, panko breadcrumbs, and dried parsley. Stir to combine.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumbs across the top of the pasta.
- Bake the pasta until heated through and the breadcrumbs are starting to turn a light golden brown, approximately 20 minutes. If the breadcrumbs are darkening too fast, cover the dish with aluminum foil. Serve warm.
Notes
White wine is optional however it adds a great flavor to the sauce.
Tried this recipe?Mention @threeolivesbranch or tag #threeolivesbranch!
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