This Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole has all the classic flavors of chicken, ham, and Swiss cheese with none of the fuss. Just dump-and-bake everything in one dish, with no pasta to boil and no chicken to pound! It’s an easy weeknight dinner and a smart way to use up leftover ham.
Other Dump-and-Bake Chicken Casseroles:
Before You Get Started
A few quick pointers make this one foolproof. Keep these in mind before you preheat the oven:
- Keep the pasta uncooked. It cooks right in the sauce as it bakes, so there’s no need to boil it ahead of time.
- Check the pasta at the halfway stir. It should be almost al dente before the topping goes on. If it’s still firm, cover and bake a little longer.
- Swiss is classic, but flexible. Any good melting cheese works here, so reach for provolone or cheddar if Swiss isn’t your favorite.
How to Make Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
Traditional cordon bleu means pounding, rolling, and breading each chicken breast. This version skips all of that and layers the same flavors into one dish instead. Here’s how it comes together, with the full ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Whisk Together the Sauce
In your baking dish, whisk the Alfredo sauce, chicken broth, and wine until smooth. The wine is optional and the casserole is just as good without it, so use extra broth in its place if you prefer.
Step 2: Stir in the Pasta, Meat, and Cheese
Add the uncooked rotini, half of the Swiss, the chicken, and the ham. Give it a good stir. I use equal amounts of ham and chicken, but you can lean on whatever you have.
If you’re working through a big holiday ham, use two cups of ham and skip the chicken entirely. For a shortcut, a store-bought rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked diced chicken works perfectly.
Step 3: Cover and Bake
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake. It will look very liquidy at this stage, which is exactly what you want, because the pasta soaks up that liquid as it cooks.
Step 4: Stir and Check the Pasta
Uncover, stir, and check the pasta. It should be almost al dente but still firm, since it goes back in the oven. There will still be liquid in the pan, and that’s fine.
Some readers find the pasta needs about 10 extra minutes, so if it’s still quite hard, re-cover and give it more time before moving on. Whole wheat pasta in particular can take longer to soften.
Step 5: Add the Topping and Finish Baking
Sprinkle the remaining Swiss over the top, then finish with the buttered breadcrumbs.
Bake uncovered until the pasta is tender, the cheese has melted, and the crumbs are golden.
For a little crunch swap, crushed Ritz crackers tossed with melted butter make a great stand-in for the breadcrumbs.
Step 6: Garnish and Serve
Finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and serve warm.
Want to stir in a vegetable? Add a handful of frozen peas during the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking.
Try it another way
Prefer this one over rice instead of pasta? My Chicken and Rice Cordon Bleu Casserole uses the same classic flavors with a tender rice base.
What to Serve Alongside
This casserole is rich and creamy, so a simple green vegetable or crisp salad is the perfect counterpoint. A basket of warm bread never hurts either. Any of these easy sides round out the meal:
Storage & Reheating
This one keeps and reheats well, which makes it handy for leftovers or a make-ahead meal.
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
Freeze: The casserole freezes fine. Let it cool completely, then wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Just be aware that the texture of the pasta may be different when thawed and reheated.
Reheat: Warm individual portions in the microwave, or reheat a larger amount in a 325°F oven until heated through. If the top starts to brown too quickly, tent it with foil until it’s warmed all the way through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
You can, with a couple of caveats. Watch it closely, because pasta goes from perfect to mushy quickly in a slow cooker, especially if you’re away from the house. The breadcrumbs also won’t toast without heat from above, so either toast them separately in a skillet and add at the end, or leave them off to avoid a soggy top.
What can I use instead of Swiss cheese?
Any good melting cheese works well. Provolone is a natural fit for the cordon bleu flavor, and cheddar is a great everyday option if that’s what you have on hand.
Can I add vegetables?
Yes. Stir a handful of frozen peas into the pasta during the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking, or serve the casserole alongside a simple roasted vegetable to keep things easy.
More Dump-and-Bake Chicken Dinners
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Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
Equipment
- 9 x 13-Inch Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 1 (22 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce (about 2 ½ cups)
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup white wine (or substitute with an additional 1 cup of chicken broth)
- 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked rotini pasta
- 1 cup grated Swiss cheese, divided
- 1 cup diced, cooked chicken
- 1 cup diced, cooked ham
- ½ cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs combined with 1 tablespoon melted salted butter
- Garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- In the prepared dish, whisk together the Alfredo sauce, chicken broth, and wine until completely smooth and combined.
- Stir in the uncooked pasta, ½ cup of the cheese, chicken, and ham. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and give the pasta a good stir. It should be almost al dente but still quite firm, and there will still be liquid in the pan. That's fine. If the pasta is still very hard, re-cover and return it to the oven until almost al dente before moving on. Some readers find this takes about 10 minutes longer.
- Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese over the top, then finish with a layer of buttered breadcrumbs.
- Bake uncovered for 5 to 10 more minutes, or until the pasta is tender, the cheese melts, and the breadcrumbs are lightly toasted.
- Garnish with parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Ham and chicken are flexible. Use equal parts, or lean on just one. If you have lots of leftover ham, use 2 cups of ham and omit the chicken.
- Alfredo sauce: Use a large jar of store-bought, or 2 ½ cups of homemade.
- Skip the wine and use additional chicken broth if you prefer. The casserole is just as good without it.
- Shortcut protein: A store-bought rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked diced chicken works well here.
- Ritz topping swap: Instead of breadcrumbs, crush Ritz crackers into ½ cup of crumbs, toss with 1 tablespoon melted butter, and use in place of the panko.
- Add vegetables: Stir in frozen peas during the final 5 to 10 minutes of baking.
- Cheese swap: Provolone or cheddar can stand in for Swiss.
- Cooking for a smaller family? Halve the ingredients and bake in an 8-inch square pan. The instructions and baking time stay the same.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat in a 325°F oven, tenting with foil if the top browns too fast.
Nutrition
Originally published in March, 2018, this post was updated in August, 2026.
Appreciate this post. Wiill try it out.
Tried it for the first time tonight. It’s currently in the oven. When I make another one, can it be frozen? If so, how would you reheat. Thanks.
Hi Lisa! We haven’t tried but think it would freeze well. We recommend letting it thaw in the fridge and warming it in the oven at about 325 F. If it begins to brown too quickly, cover it with foil until your desired temperature is reached. Hope this helps!
Ooh, this would be a huge hit in our house! Yum!
Thanks, Kristy!
I love your recipes – they are simple and sophisticated, as well! My husband doesn’t eat ham. Is there anything I can substitute?
Why don’t you try canned chicken or tuna? Make it a tuna/cheese or chicken/cheese casserole?
Yep! Those would work as well! Thanks, Lindy!
Hi, Betsy! You can just use additional chicken in place of the ham. It will still be delicious! 🙂
Can this be frozen , thawed and baked latter?
Hi, Paula! Yes, I think that it would work well as a freezer meal. I haven’t tried it myself, though, so I can’t vouch for the frozen version. 🙂
You have the best recipes! Most of the ones I save and use are yours.
Thanks so much, Sylvia!
This is the 4th dump-and-bake recipe I have made in as many weeks. Easy, quick, delicious … Not just for families; I live alone, and make and eat these casseroles for the week. Reheat well, too.
That’s awesome, Amanda! I’m so glad to hear that the recipes have been helpful and that you’ve found some new favorites. Thanks so much for taking the time to come back here and let me know!
Sounds delicious!! My husband doesn’t like Swiss cheese. Is there another cheese you could recommend? Provolone maybe?
Yes, any good melting cheese will work! Provolone would be great, or even just cheddar. 🙂
Can this be done in a crock pot? Dump and “GO” is the game in our home!
Hi, LJ! Yes and no. I think it would work in the slow cooker, with a few caveats. First, you’ll want to keep a very close eye on the slow cooker, since pasta can quickly turn from perfect to overdone and mushy. If you’re out of the house and you’re not there to turn off the slow cooker, it might be gummy and overcooked by the time you get home. The other warning I’d mention is that the breadcrumbs will not get toasted on top, since there’s no heating element over the slow cooker. I would toast them in a skillet or omit them altogether if you’re using a Crock Pot (otherwise they’ll get soggy from the condensation).
Hope that helps!
This is super yummy! I doubled the chicken and ham and used whole wheat pasta. It took an extra 20 minutes to cook because of the whole wheat pasta and it was definitely worth it.
Great tips, Scarlett! Thank you!