Chicken Cordon Bleu Lasagna takes the familiar combination of tender chicken, savory ham, creamy white sauce, and Swiss cheese and turns it into a comforting layered pasta casserole. Instead of the traditional tomato-and-meat filling, every layer is rich, cheesy, and packed with classic cordon bleu flavor.
This is a great recipe when you have cooked chicken waiting in the refrigerator. Rotisserie-style chicken works beautifully too and saves quite a bit of preparation time.
The creamy sauce is what brings everything together. Dijon mustard adds just enough tang to balance all that cheese, while Parmesan gives the sauce a deeper savory flavor.
Give the lasagna at least 10 minutes to rest once it leaves the oven. The cheese will still be wonderfully melted, but the layers will settle enough to cut into proper squares.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You get everything people love about Chicken Cordon Bleu without having to stuff, roll, bread, and cook individual chicken breasts.
Using already-cooked chicken also makes the recipe much more manageable. Once the sauce is ready, you’re mostly layering noodles, chicken, ham, sauce, and cheese.
It’s hearty enough for a family dinner but also works well when you’re feeding a larger group. Add a salad or green vegetable and dinner is complete.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need familiar Chicken Cordon Bleu ingredients plus lasagna noodles:
- Lasagna noodles
- Cooked chicken
- Thinly sliced cooked ham
- Swiss cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour
- Whole milk
- Chicken broth
- Dijon mustard
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
How To Make Chicken Cordon Bleu Lasagna
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Cook the lasagna noodles until just al dente, then drain and set them aside.
Step 2: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring continuously.
Step 3: Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, followed by the whole milk. Continue cooking until the sauce is smooth and has thickened enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon.
Step 4: Stir in the Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and grated Parmesan. Remove the sauce from the heat once the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth.
Step 5: Spread a thin layer of the creamy sauce across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange a layer of lasagna noodles over the sauce.
Step 6: Layer some of the cooked chicken and sliced ham over the noodles. Add Swiss cheese and mozzarella, then spoon more creamy sauce evenly over everything.
Step 7: Continue layering the noodles, chicken, ham, cheeses, and sauce until the ingredients are used. Finish with noodles, a generous layer of sauce, and the remaining Swiss and mozzarella.
Step 8: Cover the baking dish loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15–20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted with lightly golden areas.
Step 9: Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it rest for 10–15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Common Questions About Chicken Cordon Bleu Lasagna
What Chicken Works Best?
Any simply seasoned cooked chicken works well. Leftover roasted or baked chicken is great, while rotisserie-style chicken makes preparation especially convenient.
What Kind Of Ham Should I Use?
Thinly sliced cooked ham works particularly well because it creates even layers and is easy to cut through when serving.
Can I Make This Ahead?
Yes. Assemble the lasagna, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake. A cold casserole may need a little additional oven time.
Can I Use Oven-Ready Lasagna Noodles?
Yes. Make sure there’s plenty of sauce surrounding the noodles so they have enough moisture to soften properly.
Why Is My Lasagna Runny?
It may simply need more resting time. The sauce is much looser when bubbling hot and thickens noticeably during the 10–15 minute rest.
Can I Substitute The Swiss Cheese?
Yes. Gruyère is a particularly good alternative because of its nutty flavor and excellent melting texture.
Chicken Cordon Bleu Lasagna Variations
Extra-Cheesy Cordon Bleu Lasagna
Increase the Swiss and mozzarella slightly for especially cheesy layers and a thicker melted topping.
Gruyère Cordon Bleu Lasagna
Replace the Swiss cheese with Gruyère for a richer, nuttier cheese flavor.
Broccoli Chicken Cordon Bleu Lasagna
Add lightly cooked chopped broccoli between the chicken layers for an easy vegetable addition.
Spinach Chicken Cordon Bleu Lasagna
Add well-drained cooked spinach between the layers for extra color and texture.
Extra-Dijon Cordon Bleu Lasagna
Increase the Dijon mustard slightly when you want its tangy flavor to stand out more clearly in the creamy sauce.
Storing Chicken Cordon Bleu Lasagna
Let leftovers cool, then transfer individual portions to an airtight container and refrigerate within two hours. They’ll keep for about 3–4 days.
Reheat individual pieces in the microwave or cover several portions and warm them in a 350°F oven until thoroughly heated. A small splash of milk or chicken broth can help keep the sauce creamy during reheating.
What To Serve With Chicken Cordon Bleu Lasagna
- Green salad: A crisp salad with a tangy vinaigrette balances the rich white sauce, ham, and melted cheese.
- Roasted broccoli: The crisp browned edges work especially well alongside the creamy pasta layers.
- Green beans: Simply cooked green beans add something fresh without making dinner heavier.
- Roasted asparagus: Asparagus pairs naturally with chicken, ham, Swiss cheese, and Dijon.
- Garlic bread: Crisp garlic bread is perfect for catching any creamy sauce left on the plate.
- Roasted carrots: Their natural sweetness provides a nice contrast to the savory ham and cheese.
Don’t fully cook the lasagna noodles before assembling the casserole. Keeping them just al dente gives them room to finish cooking in the sauce without becoming overly soft.
And don’t skip the resting time. Those extra 10–15 minutes make a big difference when you want creamy layers that stay together instead of sliding apart as soon as you cut them.
Chicken Cordon Bleu Lasagna
Ingredients
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 4 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken
- 12 ounces thinly sliced cooked ham
- 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the lasagna noodles until just al dente, then drain.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and whole milk. Cook until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Stir in the Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and Parmesan.
- Spread a thin layer of sauce across the bottom of the baking dish and arrange lasagna noodles over it.
- Layer with chicken, ham, Swiss cheese, mozzarella, and additional sauce.
- Repeat the layers, finishing with noodles, sauce, Swiss cheese, and mozzarella.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 15–20 minutes, until bubbling and lightly golden.
- Rest for 10–15 minutes before cutting and serving.
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