1whole bonelessskinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded (1 ⅓ pounds)
½pounddeli ham*thin-sliced, chopped
¼poundbaby Swiss cheesethin-sliced
Dijon Cream Sauce
4tablespoonsunsalted butter
4tablespoonsall-purpose flour
3 ¼cupswhole milk
2tablespoonslemon juicefresh squeezed
1tablespoonDijon Mustard
½teaspoonssweet paprika
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepperto taste **
Seasoned Bread Crumb Topping
1cupplain breadcrumbs
3tablespoonsunsalted buttermelted
½teaspoongarlic powder
½teaspoononion powder
1teaspoonfresh parsleyfinely chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Assembly the casserole - Place the cooked shredded chicken into the bottom of a buttered 9 x 12 baking dish. Chop up the deli ham and scatter it over the top of the chicken, making sure to separate the layers of ham that can stick together. This way there won’t be any big chunks of ham and it will evenly layer the chicken. Lay the Swiss cheese slices on top of the ham, covering as much of the surface area as possible.
Make the Dijon Cream Sauce - Melt the butter in a large sauce pot over medium-high heat. When butter is melted and slightly begins to foam, quickly stir in the flour, to form a smooth roux. Do not brown! Cook for a couple of minutes, until the roux is smooth and bubbly. While whisking, slowly pour in the cold milk a little at a time to make a smooth sauce. Continue whisking and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. When the sauce has thickened, stir in the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, paprika and season with salt and pepper, to taste**. Bring sauce back to a soft low boil; turn off heat.
Pour the Dijon cream sauce evenly over the casserole, making sure to cover the edges of the pan. Use a spoon to help distribute the sauce evenly over the casserole.
Prepare the Seasoned Breadcrumb Topping - Melt the butter and pour it into the bread crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder and fresh chopped parsley. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly throughout and the topping has turned light golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes prior to serving.
Notes
* Being from VA I used a nice smoked VA ham. Feel free to use whatever kind of deli ham you prefer. **Caution! Keep in mind that deli ham and cheese are usually pretty salty.Recipe adapted from Erica Lea
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