Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Ingredients:

• 4 cooked skinless and boneless chicken breasts, diced
• 90 g salted butter
• 2 cups ham, cut into small cubes
• 1 and 1/4 cups grated Swiss cheese
• 1 and 1/4 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 0.5 tbsp. panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup premium flour
• 2 cups of milk
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C. Grease a 22 x 32 cm baking pan with a tablespoon of butter.
2. Place the ham on a paper towel-lined plate and microwave for about 3 minutes to reduce the moisture content. Mix the two types of cheese together in a bowl.
3. Place about a third of the chicken in an even layer on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with half the ham. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the grated cheese mixture. Repeat the layers one more time, finishing with a layer of chicken.
4. Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl, pour in half of the melted butter, mix well, and set aside.
5. Add flour to the remaining melted butter in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, breaking up any lumps. Stir in the milk, broth, Dijon mustard, and cayenne pepper and cook until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of cheese until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Drizzle with casserole sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese, then top with the buttered breadcrumbs. Bake until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbly, 25-30 minutes.