A flavorful homemade creamy, cheesy sauce is tossed with pasta, chicken, and ham. It’s all topped with buttery breadcrumbs and baked until bubbly.
Ingredients :
Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ cup milk
1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons cooking sherry
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese or shredded white sharp cheddar cheese
Casserole ingredients
8 ounces cooked chopped chicken about 2 cups
4 ounces ham diced, about 1 cup
12 ounces penne or other medium size, cooked al dente
Topping ingredients
½ cup Panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter melted
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
Directions :
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Whisk in chicken broth and milk a little bit at a time until smooth. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens, about 7 minutes. Let boil 1 minute.
Add in sherry, Dijon, Worcestershire, garlic powder, thyme, and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in Swiss & Monterey Jack cheeses.
Meanwhile, cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Do not overcook. Combine pasta, chicken, ham, and sauce. Pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Combine melted butter, Panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese & parsley. Sprinkle over top of casserole.
Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until hot and the top is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
