Description
A comforting and hearty dish featuring tender chicken, savory ham, and creamy Swiss cheese, topped with crunchy Panko breadcrumbs.
Ingredients
Scale
- 5 cups shredded chicken
- 9 ounces deli-style black forest ham, cut into strips
- 8 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 ½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- Chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Evenly spread 5 cups of shredded chicken into the baking dish.
- Layer 9 ounces of sliced black forest ham over the chicken.
- Place 8 ounces of sliced Swiss cheese evenly over the ham, overlapping to fit.
- In a saucepan, melt 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat.
- Whisk in 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (if using), 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (if using), and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (if using).
- Add 6 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, stirring until it forms a paste.
- Gradually add 3 cups of whole milk, a quarter cup at a time, whisking until smooth each time.
- Let the sauce simmer for 4 minutes, whisking occasionally, until it thickens.
- Pour the sauce evenly over the cheese layer in the casserole dish.
- In a small bowl, combine 1 ½ cups of Panko breadcrumbs with 4 tablespoons of softened butter and mix well.
- Spread the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top.
- Bake uncovered in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the Panko topping is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley (optional) and serve.
Notes
Use rotisserie chicken for a quick option. Adjust spices to your taste; adding more cayenne pepper can provide a nice kick.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 65mg