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This chicken cordon bleu casserole is my easier, healthier spin on the Swiss dish I grew up eating. I took all the comforting flavors of the classic — chicken, ham, and melty cheese — and turned them into a satisfying meal that’s a breeze to make. This is one of my oldest chicken casseroles (from 2017), and I’ve tweaked it over the years to add a hidden veggie and adjust the amount of sauce, but I still keep coming back to it. Make it with me for a healthy dinner when you’re craving comfort food!
Why You Need My Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole Recipe
- An easier way to make chicken cordon bleu – Forget pounding and rolling individual chicken pieces! My chicken cordon bleu casserole has tender chicken, savory ham, creamy Dijon sauce (a little like my recent chicken broccoli casserole), and melty Swiss cheese, but without the breading and hassle. It’s not traditional, but it’s the same comforting vibe with less work!
- Complete dinner in one dish – You know I’m always making these. 😉 This casserole is packed with protein, veggies, and cheese, so it’s a wonderful meal all by itself.
- Simple, natural ingredients – Many recipes are heavy with pasta or mystery cream-of soups, but mine is low carb, gluten-free, and even sneaks in a hidden veggie. I love this dish so much, I included it in my second cookbook!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my recipe for chicken cordon bleu casserole, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Chicken – You’ll need it pre-cooked for this recipe. I used my Instant Pot shredded chicken, but you can also grab a rotisserie chicken, bake chicken breast, or use any leftover chicken you’ve got. Cooked chicken thighs work as well if you prefer dark meat.
- Ham – I usually just chop deli ham. Leftover glazed ham is such a treat if you have it!
- Swiss Cheese – This is the classic cheese for chicken cordon bleu, but Gruyere, mozzarella, or provolone would also pair well with these flavors. I use shredded cheese, but you can chop slices to mix in and melt full ones on top.
- Cauliflower – Roasted cauliflower is my secret veggie of choice for this chicken cordon bleu casserole, because its flavor is neutral and doesn’t overpower the main components. You’ll also need oil (I use avocado oil, but olive oil is great too) for roasting it.
- Creamy Ingredients – Heavy cream and sour cream! Don’t use milk (it’s too runny), but it’s fine to use full-fat canned coconut milk and Greek yogurt as swaps if you like.
- Dijon Mustard – Although you can use yellow mustard, I prefer the milder, less acidic Dijon here. I thought 2 tablespoons was the perfect amount, but you can taste the sauce and adjust to your liking.
- Garlic – Fresh minced garlic is ideal, but 2 teaspoons jarred garlic or 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder works if you’re short on time.
- Topping – Optional, if you like a little crunch! I used pork rinds this time, but also love this casserole with gluten-free panko bread crumbs.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
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How To Make Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Season the cauliflower. Toss it with oil, sea salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Roast until browned. Spread it out on a baking sheet (this one is my favorite and it’s made in the USA) and let your oven do its thing.
- Mix the sauce. In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, sour cream, Dijon mustard, garlic, and some shredded cheese, until smooth.
- Add the shredded chicken, ham, and roasted cauliflower. Fold them in gently, so your cauliflower doesn’t get mushy.
- Assemble the casserole. Scoop the mixture into a baking dish — I use and love this casserole dish that looks great going straight to the table. Sprinkle on more cheese, and top with crushed pork rinds or breadcrumbs (if you’re using them).
- Bake until golden brown. Pop the chicken cordon bleu casserole in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, golden, and bubbly. Add a sprinkle of chives or parsley on top if you like!
My Recipe Tips
- I repeat, your chicken must be precooked. The baking time in my chicken cordon bleu casserole recipe is not long enough to cook it, and it’ll cook unevenly if you just increase the time. I have lots of options above for different ways to cook your chicken or use leftovers.
- Shredded chicken tastes a bit better than diced in this recipe. You can use either, but the sauce seeps into the shredded kind and keeps it more juicy.
- If your chicken is unsalted, you might want to add a bit more salt to the sauce. Just taste before baking and adjust to your liking.
- How to avoid a watery casserole: Make sure to roast your cauliflower for long enough, as it will release water into your casserole if it’s undercooked. Also, if your sour cream is watery, drain any liquid before adding it.
- If your chicken and ham are cold, bake for longer. Mine sat out at room temp for a bit and then the hot cauliflower warmed them a bit, so the casserole heated up pretty fast. Just bake until it’s hot!
- Don’t want the cauliflower? You can make my chicken cordon bleu casserole without it and just reduce the amount of sauce a bit.
- Want to make it more hearty? I’ve also made this with roasted potatoes when I wanted it extra hearty.
- Want to pack in more greens? Feel free to roast other veggies for this recipe! Sometimes I replace half the cauliflower with roasted broccoli, or add a cup of sautéed spinach. They’re not conventional, but I thought they worked so well with these flavors when I tried this!
- Broil for a golden top. If you love a bubbly, browned topping, broil the casserole for a couple of minutes after baking. Just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn!
Serving Ideas
Like I said, I love that this chicken cordon bleu casserole is a meal all by itself, so I don’t usually serve it with anything else! But it’s also very rich and hearty, so if you want something light to balance it out, I recommend a side of roasted asparagus or one of my light salad recipes, like cucumber tomato salad or arugula salad.
Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
By
My chicken cordon bleu casserole recipe is an easier way to make the classic dish, with tender chicken, ham, and creamy, cheesy Dijon sauce.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
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In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with oil. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
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Arrange the cauliflower on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden on the edges.
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Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the sour cream, heavy cream, mustard, garlic, and half of the shredded cheese (1 cup). Stir in the chicken and ham.
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When the cauliflower is done, take it out of the oven and leave the oven on at 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Stir the cauliflower into the bowl. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
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Transfer the casserole mixture into a 9×13 in (23×33 cm) casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese over the top, followed by the pork rinds, if using.
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Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. If desired, you can broil the casserole for 2 to 3 minutes to brown the topping.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup, or 1/12 of entire casserole
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the right flavor and texture with a golden brown top, avoid a watery casserole, and variations if you don’t want to use cauliflower.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Meal prep: You can cook the chicken and roast the cauliflower ahead, but I prefer to assemble the entire casserole in advance. I do recommend baking it fresh if you’re using the optional pork rinds or bread crumbs, because they lose their crunch when reheating.
- Reheat: Warm it up in the oven at 350 degrees F, or pop individual servings in the microwave.
- Freeze: You can freeze my chicken cordon bleu casserole before or after baking, but I prefer before (see my note in the meal prep section above about the topping). Either way, it stores pretty well in the freezer for up to 3 months, although the texture of the sauce is a bit different. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
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I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
129 Comments
Mandy Renfro
0Super delicious! I would let it cook for a bit longer. Mine wasn’t really warm enough for my taste. But will definitely make this again. It’s a winner!!
Wendy
0TIP: Pork rinds become soggy when left over. For a low-carb crunchy topping that stays crunchy for leftovers, use crushed Whisps (baked cheese crisps) instead–the Asiago Pepper Jack gives a nice spicy kick! I’m sure the Ranch variety would also be great with this.
Bill Dyer
0If not preparing for freezing, when you say “cooked chicken,” should both the chicken and ham be hot (or at least warm) before putting the assembled casserole into the oven? Ten minutes isn’t enough time for the contents to all be thoroughly heated, even at 400 degrees F, if it’s cold or even room temperature.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Bill, Mine were not completely warm but they were at room temperature. If they are cold, it would probably take 20-30 minutes. It will also vary depending on your oven and even baking dish material. Just heat until warm. Hope this helps!
Mari Peterson
0Chicken Cordon Blue Casserole is just the best. My whole family loved the multi-flavored goodness and it was really simple. I cheated and bought the shredded chicken and cauliflower nuggets making it really fast and easy. The topping adds such a nice crunch. The whole casserole was awesome. My grumpy ole hubby just loved it. He said,”You can make this any time, all of the time!” Thats an extreme statement coming from him…needless to say I will. Id give it 10 stars if i could!
Linda
0Are the freezing instructions for cooked or uncooked casserole?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Linda, Both would work, but I recommend uncooked because the topping texture is crunch better that way.
VERA M LEMING
0I made this recipe this evening. It didn’t make enough for 12 people as it was so delicious, 2 of us ate at least half of it. I only had mozzarella cheese on hand so that’s what I used . YUM
Tina
0I thought this looked like a lot of meat at first but it definitely wasn’t! Whole family loved it including two teens! Will definitely make this again.
Lisa Watts
0Hello, looking at the calories will that include the pork rinds or are they to be added.
Thanks, Lisa.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lisa, They are not included, as they are optional and I don’t include optional ingredients in the nutrition info. If you want to add them, the Wholesome Yum App can calculate the updated nutrition info for you automatically – just select to “customize the recipe” in there and unmark the ingredient as optional. Hope this helps!
Shelby
0My girls loved this before I even made it because they saw cauliflower haha it was a huge hit!
Debi
0Perfect for the whole family.
Kristyn
0This takes no time to prepare, which with busy schedules, makes it the perfect go-to!! My family loves this!
Toni
0Such a really comforting meal! My whole family enjoyed this for dinner tonight! Thanks!
April
0This was good! I liked the cauliflower in it, that was an interesting addition but it worked well!
Heather Rose
0Thank you! My family loved this- even my picky 12 year old!
Beverly
0Hi, If I make it in small enough portions to put in a dish that will fit my air fryer, can you cook a casserole in the air fryer? I am just learning how to and about air fryer cooking.
Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Beverly, It could work! I do use my air fryer a lot but not usually for casseroles, so I can’t say for sure. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
Molly
0I love a good casserole and you have never led me astray with a bad recipe! My entire family loved this and both kids hate cauliflower! I used cauliflower rice cooked in a pan with olive oil, s&p, and garlic- (it takes the cauliflower taste out.) I also used shredded chicken I had in the freezer, to make prep even quicker. Then put your recipe all together as written and now we have a new dinner that everyone loves. Yay! Thank you for all the delish recipes! My hubby just said, “That was Fantastic!”
Tracey
0Thanks for that tip Molly. My family absolutely hates anything made with cauliflower. I am going to try your way with the rice one and hopefully everyone will like it. Thanks again!
Chris K.
0This sounded so good, with some wonderful ingredients, but the flavors were just too rich and heavy for our tastes. We are just starting keto, so I’m guessing our tastes may change along the way. So pleased others enjoy this dish so much!
Brenda Matteson
0Can I freeze the leftovers? I already have it scheduled for two days.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Brenda, Yes, you can! I have freezing info above.
Jessica Schaap
0Wow!! This was sooooooo delicious! I didn’t have shredded Swiss so I used Swiss deli slices and chopped them into bite sized pieces. Then I laid full slices on top and baked. It was amazing!
Amy Paulsen
0Was a delicious casserole. Will make it again. Only thing is I didn’t understand the purpose of the cauliflower.