Chicken Cordon Bleu Lasagna (Printable Version)
Layers of chicken, ham, and Swiss cheese in creamy béchamel between pasta sheets create this rich French-American comfort dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
02 - 8 oz deli ham, thinly sliced
→ Cheeses
03 - 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
04 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
05 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Lasagna and Sauces
06 - 12 lasagna noodles (regular or no-boil)
07 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
09 - 3 cups whole milk
10 - 2 tsp Dijon mustard
11 - ½ tsp garlic powder
12 - ½ tsp onion powder
13 - ¼ tsp black pepper
14 - ½ tsp salt
→ Garnish
15 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
02 - If using regular lasagna noodles, cook them according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside. No-boil noodles can skip this step.
03 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to form a roux, stirring constantly to prevent browning.
04 - Gradually whisk in the whole milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
05 - Stir in Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper until well incorporated. Remove from heat and set aside.
06 - Spread a thin layer of béchamel sauce evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. This prevents the noodles from sticking.
07 - Lay down a layer of noodles over the sauce. Top with half of the shredded chicken, half of the sliced ham, and one-third of the Swiss cheese. Spoon additional béchamel sauce over the fillings.
08 - Repeat the layering: noodles, remaining chicken, remaining ham, another third of the Swiss cheese, and more sauce spread evenly.
09 - Finish with a final layer of noodles. Pour the remaining béchamel sauce over the top and spread evenly. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
10 - Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. This allows the layers to heat through and the flavors to meld.
11 - Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and the edges are bubbly.
12 - Remove from the oven and let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before slicing. This helps the layers set for cleaner portions. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The béchamel sauce infused with Dijon mustard does something magical that no regular marinara could ever achieve here.
- It sounds complicated but honestly comes together like any other lasagna once you get the sauce going.
02 -
- The first time I skipped the resting step and served it immediately, the whole thing slid apart into a beautiful but messy pile that still tasted incredible.
- Adding the milk too quickly to the roux creates lumps that are nearly impossible to whisk out, so pour slowly and patiently.
03 -
- Cover the dish with foil sprayed with nonstick spray on the underside so the cheese never peels off with the foil when you uncover it.
- Shred your own cheese from a block rather than using bags of pre shredded since the added coatings on bagged cheese prevent smooth melting.