Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake

Okay, so I lied about sharing a Thanksgiving-related recipe with you today. I was planning to make a sweet little snack for a potluck that my son's daycare is having today, but it turns out that his class isn't even participating, so I decided to skip it this year. But the recipe that I'm sharing today instead could actually be a really great use for your Thanksgiving leftovers (if you replaced the chicken with turkey, that is), so maybe it is sort of appropriate.

I know everyone has an opinion about casseroles. Some people love them, some people hate them, some people turn up their noses at anything containing cream-of-something soup. Me, personally? I love them. To me there's just nothing as comforting as a bunch of ingredients mixed together in a creamy sauce and baked until bubbly. And this chicken cordon bleu bake has rocketed right to the top of our family-favorite casserole recipes.

I adapted the recipe from one I found on Recipezaar, and all three of us absolutely loved it. It's very simple to make, and the end product is incredibly creamy, flavorful, and delicious. It hits all the same notes as traditional chicken cordon bleu, but it's much more convenient for a weeknight dinner. Between the three of us, we ate the whole casserole, and Joe's only suggestion for next time is that I double the recipe so there are plenty of leftovers. This is definitely a recipe I'll be coming back to again and again. Don't let the boring photo deceive you -- it's really wonderful!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake
source: adapted from Recipezaar

2 cups cooked chopped chicken (a rotisserie chicken works great)
1 package small-diced ham
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 box stuffing mix for chicken
Butter and water called for on stuffing box

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook stuffing according to package directions; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, ham, cream of chicken soup, and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Go light on the salt, since the cream of chicken soup and ham are pretty salty on their own.) Pour mixture into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.

3. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the chicken mixture. Carefully add stuffing in an even layer on top of the cheese.

4. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.