Two of the all-time-best comfort foods come together to make one amazing dish called Chicken Cordon Bleu Mac and Cheese! Ok, now that I have your attention…I was even able to give it a Becky’s Best Bite’s spin, making it healthier without sacrificing taste. If my sister, the new mama, put her stamp of approval on it…I know it was a winner:) She is a Mac and Cheese connoisseur.
I made a double batch of this scrumptious dish so that I could leave some for my sister for a quick and easy meal anytime that she needs it. I will warn you that these pictures are not my best…between all things Baby Z, I didn’t get this done until almost 8pm. There was absolutely no light left and I didn’t have my lighting kit, backdrops or the patience to compose a good shot. This was the batch that I am leaving my sister. To make this a freezer friendly meal, make the dish up to cooking it in the oven. It can be cooked frozen at 350 F for about 1 1/2 hours or until golden bubbly.
This recipe was adapted from this recipe and to be fair, the original recipe was pretty light. I only had to make minor adjustments to render the meal “Becky’s Best Bites” approved:)
- Non-stick cooking spray
- 2 large chicken breast cut into small pieces then seasoned with montreal steak seasoning
- 1 lb deli ham, sliced ½″ thick and cubed
- (2) 12oz boxes of Mueller's Hidden Veggie Small Penne Pasta
- 4 Tablespoons flour
- 2 cup low fat organic milk, divided
- 2 cup low-sodium organic chicken broth
- salt & pepper
- 2 cup (8oz) Shredded Natural Italian Five Cheese Blend, divided
- 8 slices swiss cheese
- Place a large pot of water over high heat to boil for the pasta.
- Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Add chicken pieces and cook until brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes. Add the ham and cook another 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Take the meat off the heat and keep warm.
- Once the pasta water is boiling add the pasta and salt generously. Cook until just shy of al dente, approximately 9-10 minutes. Drain and set aside, keeping warm.
- Combine 1 cup of milk with the flour in a small bowl and whisk throughly to combine. Add to a large sauce pan over medium heat and whisk continuously. Slowly add the remaining milk and the chicken broth and continue to whisk until the mixture thickens, approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Slowly add the shredded cheese blend to the milk mixture and stir in a figure eight motion to combine.
- Add the chicken, ham and pasta to the cheese mixture, stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with swiss cheese slices.
- Pour into two 8x8 or 8x13 baking dishes or aluminum pans (if freezing). If cooking one pan immediately, place under a broiler for a few minutes until golden brown. Watch it carefully as it can burn quickly.
- For the pan(s) that are being frozen, cover tightly with aluminum foil and place in the freezer, once cooled.
- To cook from frozen, place in a 350 degree oven for 1.5 hours or until cooked through and golden bubbly on top.
- Serve with a favorite green veggie or salad.
