Chicken Cordon Bleu Quinoa Casserole

First up for my leftover Easter ham was something that I had been wanting to make for a while, a casserole inspired by the flavours of chicken cordon bleu. Chicken cordon bleu is a dish when chicken is wrapped around ham or prosciutto along with a melty cheese, covered in breadcrumbs and baked or fried until the cheese has melted and the breadcrumbs are crispy. This recipe is pretty much like you would expect with chicken, ham, a tasty cheese sauce similar to a mac and cheese sauce and a crispy breadcrumb topping. Normally you would fill out a casserole like this with pasta or maybe even rice but I also like to go with quinoa every once in a while and it works really well in casseroles like this. You could of course also add some vegetables to the casserole to make i a one dish meal but it is great either way. If you are a fan of chicken cordon bleu, mac n cheese and quinoa then this is the casserole for you!


Lots of melted cheese!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Quinoa CasserolePrep Time: 10 minutesCook Time: 50 minutesTotal Time: 1 hourServings: 6

All of the flavours of chicken cordon bleu in a quinoa casserole with a crispy breadcrumb topping.

ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, well rinsed
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups swiss cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
• salt, pepper and cayenne to taste
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 1 cup cooked ham, diced
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

directions

1. Bring the quinoa and water to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes, before removing from heat and letting sit covered for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat and let it froth until it just starts to turn a light golden brown.
3. Sprinkle in the flour and let cook while whisking until it just starts to turn a light golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the milk and simmer while whisking until it thickens, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Mix in the cheese, mustard and worcestershire sauce, season with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste and remove from heat.
6. Mix the quinoa, chicken, ham and sauce, pour into a baking dish, top with the mixture of the butter, parsley and breadcrumbs and bake in a preheated 350F over until lightly golden brown on top and bubbling on the sides, about 20-30 minutes.

Option: Add vegetables like broccoli.

Nutrition Facts: Calories 548, Fat 28.3g (Saturated 16g, Trans 0g), Cholesterol 119mg, Sodium 598mg, Carbs 37g (Fiber 2.7g, Sugars 4.6g), Protein 35.4g Nutrition by:

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Posted by Hodie J