Vargr
Vargr
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A very easy meal with fantastic flavor! Wuffy was amazed at how tasty this was. Using boxed stuffing and canned soups along with crockpot cooking makes this a simple process with only minimal "cooking effort" and kitchen time needed.
The key to the best flavor is use of a good quality ham. Splurge a bit on some ‘Black Forest’ or dry-cured ham from your deli if you can get it. Sliced prosciutto, or some ‘spiral sliced bits & pieces’ (often available at Walmart food aisles) are also great for this. Even a good deli "honey smoked" will do. Use one (or more) of those an you’ll turn an already good dish into something really spectacular.
You can also ‘kick this up’ with creative substitutions on the cheese. Add some creamy Havarti for richness, and Gruyere or Jarlsberg for nutty/buttery Swiss flavor, for example. You can also use grated instead of sliced cheese if you desire. As always, quality ingredients make noticeable differences, even for a simple dish like this.
Crockpot Chicken "Cordon Bleu" Casserole
Ingredients:
2 Large boneless skinless Chicken Breasts (or more if smaller)
1 Can (14oz) Cream of Mushroom soup
1 Can (4oz) “stems & pieces†mushrooms (with liquid)
1/2 C Milk
1/2 C Chicken broth/stock
1Tbs Dijon Mustard
8 slices (approx.) good deli ham (Black Forest, Honey smoked, “country†dry-cured ham, prosciutto)
6-8 slices (approx.) Swiss cheese (Gruyere, Jarlsberg, etc.)
Spices:
1 tsp Onion Powder (or 1 Tbs Minced dried onion)
1/2 tsp Granulated Garlic (or Garlic Powder)
1/2 tsp Paprika (or Smoked Paprika) (optional)
1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper (to taste)
1/4 tsp Salt (to taste)
1/4 tsp Thyme (optional)
1/4 tsp Ground Savory (optional)
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper (optional)
For Stuffing
1 Box “Stovetop†Chicken flavored stuffing mix
1 Can (4oz) “Stems and Pieces†mushrooms w/liquid
1 C Chicken Broth
4 T Butter
Make Stuffing: In a medium saucepan; bring Chicken Broth, butter, 1 can mushrooms and liquid to boil. Add contents of Chicken-flavored stuffing pouch. Stir briefly to combine ingredients. Cover, and remove from heat.
Make Sauce: In a microwave-safe medium bowl, combine mushroom soup, chicken broth, milk, and Dijon mustard. Heat for ~90 seconds. (Heating makes combining easier.) Stir together until evenly mixed. If necessary, heat another 30 seconds.
Prepare Chicken: Slice into 1 inch cubes. (Slices easier if still just a bit frozen.)
Assemble in Crockpot: Add chicken to pot. Sprinkle with spices (stir to coat all sides if desired, but not really needed as crock cooking will meld flavors). Pour in sauce. Layer on ham bits/slices. Layer on half of cheese slices. Add prepared stuffing mix on top layer.
Cook at Low setting for 4 hours (Don’t over-cook; cubed boneless/skinless chicken breast cooks quickly and can dry out). Uncover and cook on high for about 20 minutes to thicken slightly. Layer remaining cheese slices on top of stuffing and replace cover. Continue cooking on high until cheese begins to melt (about 10-20 minutes).
Makes 4-6 servings
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