Get new recipes delivered by email and receive my 12 Most Loved Recipes eBook - for FREE! Sign up now!

Lovely Little Kitchen

Delicious Made Simple

Navigation
  • Home
  • About
    • Meet Julie
    • FAQ
    • Contact
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
      • Dips
    • Bread
      • Quick Breads
      • Rolls
      • Sourdough
    • Breakfast
      • Donuts
      • Pancakes / Waffles
    • Dessert
      • Bars
      • Brownies
      • Cakes
      • Cheesecakes
      • Chocolate
      • Cookies
      • Cupcakes
      • Ice Cream
      • Pies
    • Drinks
      • Floats
      • Smoothies
    • Healthy
    • Holidays
      • Christmas
      • Easter
      • Fourth of July
      • Halloween
    • Main Dish
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Fish
      • Pasta
      • Pizza
      • Pork
      • Sandwiches
      • Tacos
    • Salads
    • Sauces
    • Sides
      • Potatoes
    • Slow Cooker
    • Snacks
    • Soup
  • Bits & Pieces
  • Press

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Bake

July 1, 2014

Save
Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Bake in a baking dish, with cloth napkins and spoons next to it.

I am NOT on a diet.  Really and truly, I DO NOT like that word.  It reminds me of powdery meal replacement shakes, translating your food into numbers, and then gaining it all back the next week.  So instead of labeling it as a diet, I just tell myself I’m cutting back.

I’m being careful.

I’m watching what I eat.

I’m making healthy choices.

I’m only eating when I’m hungry.

I’m stopping when I’m full.

So in other words, I’m pretty much on a diet!  But let’s not call it that okay?

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Bake in a bowl.

I sure love this little job of mine, but writing a food blog is a little hard on your waistline, just so you know!  I wondered when it would catch up to me.  (um, apparently TODAY).

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Bake in a baking dish with a serving spoon in it.

I’m realizing as I type this that I’m setting myself up for a little scrutiny.  So if you run into me at Costco and see a giant box of ice cream sandwiches in my cart, IT’S FOR THE KIDS!  Promise. It’s just a few pounds, but they happen to be the very pounds that have made my shorts a little snug, and I really don’t want to buy new ones.  Too cheap for that.  No worries, I realize you probably aren’t on a “not a diet” like I am, so I’ll still be posting my typical variety of recipes – fresh, simple, and delicious!   I just might need to train myself to eat one and then pass the rest along to others whose shorts are not so snug.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Bake in a baking dish with a serving spoon in it.

Don’t let all this diet talk deter you from making this dish! My Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Bake is a total winner!  It’s creamy pasta, melty Swiss cheese, chicken, and ham all baked together and topped with homemade breadcrumbs.  I’m not a big mustard person, so I kept that flavor on the lighter side, but you can feel free to add more if you want.  I’ve tested this one out on the family a few times and everyone loved it.  I always know I’ve got a good one when Little Boy #1 polishes off the leftovers for breakfast!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Bake in a baking dish, with cloth napkins and spoons next to it.

This recipe calls for Better Than Bullion Chicken base, which you can find next to the regular canned chicken broth.  I like having it on hand because you can add a lot of flavor to sauces with it, but only have to store a tiny jar in the fridge.  So handy!

Eat up friends!  I’ll just be over here enjoying some celery sticks.

Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #lovelylittlekitchen

Can't get enough?

Subscribe and I'll send all my recipes right to your inbox!  You can also keep up to date by following me on Pinterest, Instagram,  Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Bake

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Julie
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

It’s creamy pasta, melty Swiss cheese, chicken, and ham all baked together and topped with homemade breadcrumbs. Add it to your menu this week!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups rotini pasta (measure uncooked)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon Better Than Bullion Chicken Base
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (add up to 1 teaspoon more if you want the mustard flavor stronger)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup cooked cubed chicken (I used a rotisserie from the deli)
  • 3/4 cup cooked cubed ham
  • 4–5 slice swiss cheese
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs*

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Prepare a 1 1/2 quart baking dish by spraying with nonstick spray. Set aside.
  3. Boil water for pasta in a large pot, and cook pasta according to directions. While you are waiting for the pasta to cook, you can start on the sauce.
  4. In a medium pan, melt butter over medium high heat.
  5. Whisk in flour and cook for a few minutes. The flour will be bubbly.
  6. Gradually whisk in the milk, and whisk frequently until it comes to a gentle boil.
  7. Whisk in chicken base, dijon mustard, Worcestershire, and salt.
  8. Whisk for a few more minutes until the sauce starts to thicken slightly.
  9. When the pasta is cooked, drain the water and return to the pan. Stir in the sauce, chicken, and ham and mix to combine.
  10. Pour half of the pasta mixture into your prepared baking dish. Place slices of swiss cheese evenly over the pasta. Pour the rest of the past over the cheese and spread evenly.
  11. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top of the pasta.
  12. Bake for 20-25 minutes. The top will be golden brown and the edges bubbly.
  13. Allow to set for a few minutes before serving.
  14. * To make your own breadcrumbs, place a crusty dinner roll or large slice of french bread torn into pieces in a blender or food processor, and pulse. I like to keep a few dinner rolls in the freezer so I can take out one at a time if a recipe calls for breadcrumbs. I added 1 teaspoon of dried parsley to mine.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Serving
  • Calories: 696
  • Sugar: 12g
  • Sodium: 1037mg
  • Fat: 28g
  • Saturated Fat: 14g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 10.8g
  • Trans Fat: 0.6g
  • Carbohydrates: 71g
  • Fiber: 3.6g
  • Protein: 38g
  • Cholesterol: 101mg

Keywords: chicken cordon bleu pasta bake, chicken cordon bleu, pasta bake, homemade breadcrumbs

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Save

Filed Under: Chicken, Main Dish, Pasta

« Lovely Little Bits & Pieces
Glazed Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bread »

Comments

  1. Valerie | From Valerie's Kitchen says

    July 1, 2014 at 11:29 am

    This looks wonderful! I’m in complete agreement with you on the dieting thing. I recently tried to do low carb to try to drop just a few pounds for summer and it only took me 5 days to realize it wasn’t going to work for me. I’m back to what I’ve always done – sensible choices, variety, portion control. Love how you’ve lightened this dish up. You’d only need a little to feel so satisfied!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      July 1, 2014 at 2:58 pm

      So true Valerie! I think food bloggers should get an extra calorie allowance without weight gain

      Reply
      • Melissa webber says

        January 13, 2016 at 5:12 pm

        How many calories are in a 1 cup serving?

        Reply
    • Billie Pearson says

      September 27, 2017 at 8:00 pm

      This was dinner tonight. Husband and I both agree its a thumbs up! I did use 2% milk and I didn’t have reg breadcrumbs so I used the Italian breadcrumbs. Instead of using the chicken base, I used 3 heaping tablespoons of creamy chicken. I used 2 layers of swiss cheese and then I sprinkled Italian shredded cheese on top of it before I added the last half of the mixture. Thank you for a another wonderful recipe!

      Reply
  2. Consuelo - Honey & Figs says

    July 2, 2014 at 1:18 am

    Your comment above ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    You’re so right haha.
    Anyway, you’ve done a fabulous job lighening up this dish – it looks so delicious!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      July 2, 2014 at 7:35 am

      Thanks Consuelo!

      Reply
  3. Katie says

    July 4, 2014 at 12:36 am

    This looks amazing, I can’t wait to try it!

    Quick question – what can one substitute for Better Than Bullion? I’ve never heard of it and rural as I am things are a bit hard to come by!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      July 4, 2014 at 1:30 pm

      Hi Katie, I’m hesitant to suggest a substitute for the Better Than Bullion chicken base because I haven’t actually tried it out, but you could do a can of cream of chicken soup instead of the flour, butter, and 1 cup of the milk. I’m assuming that is something you have access to? Hope this helps!

      Reply
      • Katie says

        July 6, 2014 at 3:35 am

        Thanks, Julie, I will have to give that a try when I make it!!!

        Reply
        • Jan says

          October 27, 2016 at 2:35 pm

          Better Than Bullion comes in Veggie, Beef, Chix and has great flavor!

          Reply
  4. PAMELA says

    July 9, 2014 at 1:45 pm

    This looks really, really yummy. Takes me back to the tuna casseroles my mom made while growing up. Speaking of, you could substitute tuna, yes? P.S. The Better Than Bullion chicken base is available at that big box store that starts with a “C”. They also have the beef, which is the best in winter soups 🙂

    Reply
    • Julie says

      July 9, 2014 at 1:58 pm

      Hi Pamela! Tuna would be really good too, and yes I’ve seen the Better Than Bullion there too (even low sodium, organic). Haven’t tried the beef yet, but thanks for the tip!

      Reply
  5. Emily says

    July 21, 2014 at 6:38 pm

    I wonder about the salt ingredient? I don’t see it used in the Directions section? Curious.

    Reply
    • Julie says

      July 21, 2014 at 6:45 pm

      Thanks for catching that Emily. The salt should be added to the cream sauce after the milk.

      Reply
  6. Leah Bush says

    September 2, 2014 at 2:45 pm

    Just popped this into the oven. It looks and smells delicious! Hope my 6 kids like it 🙂 So easy to put together that I have a feeling this is going to be on the menu from now on!

    THANKS!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      September 2, 2014 at 8:22 pm

      I’m so glad! Hope you all enjoy!

      Reply
  7. jani says

    February 8, 2015 at 6:42 pm

    Easy & yum tastic! I am not a fan of cream of chicken soup at all … you could just make the gravy base with a portion of milk & another portion if chicken stock.
    Chicken stock is easy to make & easy to find in stores.
    I make gravy with it all the time.

    I also put shredded swiss cheese in the sauce … added a little extra because I am addicted to cheese.

    Reply
    • Julie says

      February 9, 2015 at 8:50 am

      Great! Glad you liked it!

      Reply
  8. Kim says

    March 15, 2015 at 6:48 pm

    Mine turned out dry. Did anyone have to double up on the sauce?

    Reply
  9. ambie says

    June 5, 2015 at 12:59 pm

    really want to make this tonight but don’t have Rotini noodles. Wondering if elbow noodles or egg noodles would work?

    Reply
    • Julie says

      June 5, 2015 at 1:01 pm

      I would use the elbow pasta, should be just fine Ambie!

      Reply
      • ambie says

        June 5, 2015 at 1:04 pm

        thank you!

        Reply
  10. Anderson says

    March 22, 2016 at 8:56 pm

    This recipe has delicious flavor. For my family, I think I need to add twice the amount of sauce. We would also like more cheese. I don’t think that the recipe needs so much pasta. Regardless, this is a great dish! Thank you.

    Reply
    • Julie says

      March 23, 2016 at 7:33 am

      You’re welcome, thank you for the feedback.

      Reply
  11. Katie says

    April 4, 2016 at 10:13 am

    hey Julie! I was wondering if I could use 2% milk, or does the whole milk add some thickness?

    Thanks!!!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      April 4, 2016 at 11:42 am

      Hi Katie, I think 2 percent milk should be fine. I always cook with whole milk because that’s what my boys drink so it’s just what we have on hand. Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  12. Erin says

    February 28, 2017 at 8:25 am

    Thank you! I made this last night. The sauce is ah-mazing (as in, I could have eaten it by the spoonful). For us, and for others who like things saucy, I will definitely need to double the sauce in the future because what sauce there was soaked into the noodles while it baked. Delicious! This will be part of our regular rotation.

    Reply
    • Julie says

      March 1, 2017 at 11:41 am

      Thank you for the feedback Erin, glad you all enjoyed!

      Reply
  13. Rhonda Martin says

    January 6, 2019 at 4:52 pm

    Can you freeze this?

    Reply
    • Julie says

      January 6, 2019 at 8:53 pm

      I don’t see why it couldn’t be frozen, but I haven’t tested that out to know specifics. Let me know what you think if you give it a try.

      Reply
  14. Jen says

    December 26, 2021 at 3:20 pm

    Very good. Whole family approved!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  15. Paula C. says

    July 11, 2022 at 4:38 pm

    I’ve made this twice and we all loved it. I used gluten free pasta, gluten free flour, and lactose free milk. Swiss cheese isn’t heavy in lactose so i can used it as is. I also used left over smoked ham we cooked and cooked my own chicken vs. rotisserie. It’s a yummy dish and my whole family eats it!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Welcome!

Hi I'm Julie, and I spend a lot of time in my lovely little kitchen. I love gathering my family around simple delicious food. This is how I do it. Learn more →

Stay Connected

Don't Miss a Recipe

Get new recipes delivered by email and receive my 12 Most Loved Recipes eBook - for FREE!

Sign Up Now!

Copyright © 2023 · Lovely Little Kitchen · Privacy Policy