Stovetop Chicken Cordon Bleu

My mother used to make Chicken Cordon Bleu when I was growing up and it always made me feel so special, because she put so much time into pounding out the chicken until it was really thin and then rolling it up with Swiss Cheese and Ham (and sometimes a sweet pickle in the very center!), then breading the outside and baking it in the oven until all of the sweet and salty flavors melded together! This easier and quicker version has all of the same delicious flavors, but without all of the pounding, rolling and baking...and it's Gluten-Free ;) Enjoy!

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Course Dinner, Main Dish

Servings 6 Servings

Ingredients

2 Cups Broccoli, chopped
3 Cups Dry Gluten Free Pasta I use Fusilli or Elbow
2 Tbsp Butter, salted
4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts rinsed, patted dry with paper towels and cut into bite-size pieces
½ Medium Vidalia Onion, chopped
2 large pinches Ground Pepper
2 Heaping Tbsp Dijon mustard Creamy or with seeds
2 Cups Skim Milk or 1%; 2%; Whole (I use Skim for a healthier version)
1 Heaping Cup Swiss Cheese, shredded
1 ½ Cups Ham, diced I use GF Honey Ham for a bit of sweetness
2-3 Tbsp Dried Parsley for serving to add a bit of color ;)
GF Italian Flavored Bread Crumbs for serving (I just sprinkle a little on top after plating)

Instructions

Gather all of the ingredients.
In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add the Broccoli, cooking for just about 3 minutes (you want the broccoli to be just tender and bright green). Remove broccoli from the boiling water (do not discard water) with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl; set aside.
Add the GF Pasta to the boiling broccoli water and cook as instructed on the package. Drain, rinse and add to the reserved Broccoli in the large bowl; set aside.
Note: I usually start this step while the pasta is cooking ;) In a very large, non-stick skillet (3.5-4 qt) melt the 2 Tbsp butter over medium-low heat.
Once the butter is melted, add the chopped onions and cook until translucent.
Next, add the bite-size Chicken pieces and Black Pepper; cook until no longer pink (about 8-10 minutes).
Add the 3 Tbsp GF Flour blend and the 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard to the Chicken and Onions; stir to evenly coat.
Next, add the 2 Cups of Milk and bring to a low boil, stirring often to prevent clumping; cook until the sauce begins to thicken (usually about 3-5 minutes).
Reduce the temperature to Low and add the Pasta and Broccoli to the Chicken mixture, stirring to mix well.
Add the shredded Swiss Cheese and Ham; mix until cheese is completely melted.
Serve with or without the GF Bread Crumbs sprinkled on top and Parsley. Yummy!!!

Notes

Note: If you want to make this dish ahead of time, turn it into a casserole! Just scoop the finished skillet ingredients into a 9 x 13 casserole dish (minus the Bread Crumbs or Parsley at this point) and refrigerate for 1-2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Once you are ready to heat it up, preheat the oven to 375 degrees; sprinkle the top with desired amount of Bread Crumbs (about 3/4 cup); cook for about 30 minutes or until bread crumbs are a golden brown (if cooking from frozen, add about 20-25 minutes); top with Parsley and serve!