This chicken cordon bleu pasta casserole is the ultimate pasta casserole. Gluten-free pasta is tossed with a creamy cheese sauce, chicken, ham, broccoli, carrots, and spinach. It is a delicious, creamy meal that is a twist on an old classic.
Sometimes, you need an easy-to-make dish that has good flavor and doesn’t take hours to prepare. That’s where chicken cordon bleu pasta casserole comes in. It is a complete meal that is
- gluten-free
- easy to make
- the perfect way to use up leftover chicken and ham
- loaded with vegetables
It will become one of your go-to dinners for those hectic weeknights or laid back weekends when you need a delicious dish to satisfy everyone who eats it.
What Is Chicken Cordon Bleu
Chicken cordon bleu is a chicken dish made with chicken breast, ham, and cheese. The chicken breast pounded thin, then stuffed with ham and Swiss cheese. Chicken cordon Bleu can also be stuffed with Gruyere cheese, spinach, and prosciutto. The chicken is sealed and breaded with breadcrumbs, then baked or fried until and served with a sauce (usually a cream sauce).
Is Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Casserole Keto
While this chicken cordon bleu pasta casserole is gluten-free, it certainly isn’t keto. Each serving contains 43.3 grams of carbs. Plus, it contains gluten-free pasta and milk, which are high-carb ingredients.
You can make this casserole keto-friendly by following the suggestions below.
- Replace the gluten-free pasta with keto-friendly pasta.
- Increase the amount of frozen vegetables to 3 cups.
- Add cooked spaghetti squash, zucchini, yellow squash noodles, or mushrooms to the casserole.
- Omit the gluten-free all-purpose flour from the recipe.
- Use heavy cream or almond milk as a substitute for whole milk.
Tips For Making Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Casserole
Do not overcook the gluten-free pasta. The gluten-free pasta continues to cook in the oven. If you overcook the pasta, it will develop a mushy texture when it is baked in the oven. Cook the gluten-free pasta 1-2 minutes less than the package instructions call for.
You do not have to cook chicken to make this dish. YOu can ,ake the casserole with a rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken you have in the fridge.
You can also cook chicken breast or chicken thighs, then shred them once they are cooked. Sear the chicken breast or thighs in a skillet for 5 minutes per side until it is cooked, then shred it and make the recipe.
Alternatively, you can also cook chicken in the slow cooker with a little chicken broth. You can let it cook on low for 6-7 hours while you are at work, then shred it and add it to the casserole when you get home.
Variations
This chicken cordon bleu pasta casserole is extremely delicious. However, there are lots of ways you can customize it and make it even better.
- Use a different pasta. You can use gluten-free linguine, macaroni, bowtie, rotini, or pasta shells instead of penne pasta. Do not use small pasta like orzo.
- Use cream of chicken soup. Cream of chicken soup will give the pasta casserole a creamier texture.
- Use Prosciutto. It will elevate the dish even more by giving the casserole a beautiful salty flavor. You can also make the casserole with serrano ham.
- Add Dijon mustard. One tablespoon of Dijon mustard can add a slightly spicy flavor to the casserole.
- Use a different cheese. Mozzarella or provolone cheese are perfect substitutes if you do not like Swiss casserole. You can also use more cheddar cheese if you prefer it.
Storage Instructions
To store the leftover chicken cordon bleu casserole, let it cool completely. You can speed up the cooling process by dividing the casserole into smaller portions. To do this, place single-serve airtight containers, letting them cool before covering them and placing them in the fridge. Nevertheless, you can cover the casserole with foil or a tight-fitting lid and put it in the fridge. Either way, the casserole will last 4-5 days in the fridge.
Unfortunately, because this chicken cordon bleu pasta casserole is made with gluten-free penne pasta, it cannot be frozen. Frozen gluten-free pasta develops a mushy texture once it’s thawed. So it’s best to store this dish in the fridge and eat it within 4-5 days.
Reheating Instructions
To reheat refrigerated chicken cordon bleu pasta casserole, remove it from the fridge, then preheat your oven to 350°F. Cover the casserole tightly with foil, then reheat it in the oven for 30 minutes until it is warm.
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Easy To Make Gluten-Free Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Casserole
Course: DinnerCuisine: Gluten-FreeDifficulty: Easy15
minutes35
minutes424
kcal50
minutesChicken cordon bleu pasta casserole is the perfect easy-to-make dinner. It has classic elements of chicken cordon bleu, like ham and chicken. It is also loaded with a ton of vegetables including broccoli, carrots, spinach, and cauliflower. Tossed in a tasty, creamy cheese sauce, this chicken cordon bleu casserole will become your favorite dish as soon as you taste it.
Ingredients
12 oz. gluten-free penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium white onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups frozen Normandy vegetables
2 cups spinach
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
2 cups ham, diced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon complete seasoning or kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Add the gluten-free penne pasta to a pot of salted boiling water and cook it using the package directions. Drain the pasta in a colander. Set it aside.
- Place the olive oil in a large skillet and set it over medium-high heat.
- Next, add the onion to the skillet. Cook it for 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic and herbs de Provence to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth and frozen Normandy vegetables and stir to combine. Cover it, decrease the heat to low, and cook it for 4 minutes until the vegetables are thawed.
- Add the spinach, kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and stir to combine. Cook it for 2 minutes until the spinach wilts.
- Add the chicken and ham to the skillet. Stir to combine. Remove it from the heat and set it aside.
- Place the butter into a large pot and set it over medium-high heat.
- Once the butter melts, add the gluten-free all-purpose flour and mix until combined.
- Gradually whisk in the milk until combined. Let it cook for 4-5 minutes, whisking often until it thickens.
- Add 1 1/2 cups of Swiss Cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, complete seasoning or kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Whisk until the cheese melts. Turn off the heat and set it aside.
- Add the gluten-free penne pasta baking dish to a large baking dish. Add the chicken-vegetable mixture on top of the pasta, then pour the cream sauce on top and mix until everything is coated with the sauce.
- Sprinkle the remaining Swiss cheese, mozzarella cheese, and cheddar cheese on top of the chicken cordon bleu and bake it for 25-30 minutes until the cheese melts and it is golden brown.
- Let the chicken cordon bleu pasta casserole cool for 5 minutes before serving.
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Nutrition Facts
- Amount Per ServingCalories424
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat
16.6g
25%
- Saturated Fat 7.8g 35%
- Cholesterol 66mg 22%
- Sodium 461mg 20%
- Potassium 167mg 5%
- Total Carbohydrate
43.3g
15%
- Dietary Fiber 2.1g 8%
- Sugars 3.5g
- Protein 23.7g 46%
- Calcium 273%
- Iron 4%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
