Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 12 slices of smoked ham
• 12 slices of Swiss cheese
• 1 t. ground pepper

Sauce:

• 4 T. butter
• 4 T. flour
• 1 c. chicken broth
• 2 T. Dijon Mustard
• 1 t. pepper
• 1 t. salt

Topping:

• 2 c. saltines, crushed
• 1/4 c.  grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 T. garlic powder
• 1 T. onion powder
• 2 T. basil
• 3 T. butter, melted

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease a 13 X 9 casserole pan.

In a saucepan melt the butter and whisk in the flour until well combined.

Add the broth, stirring continuously. Let simmer uncovered until the sauce starts to thicken. Add the mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir and set aside.

Spread a little bit of the sauce on the bottom of the pan. Arrange the chicken strips and season them with the salt and pepper.

Drizzle them with a little bit more of the sauce.

Cover with a layer of  ham slices and a layer of the Swiss cheese.

Spread the sauce over the cheese evenly.

Mix all of the topping ingredients together except the butter. Cover your casserole with the mixture and drizzle the melted butter on top.

Bake for 35 minutes, making sure the chicken strips are thoroughly cooked and the topping has browned.