Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

high-protein comfort food casserole packed with chicken, ham, broccoli, and cheesy goodness.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded

• ¾ cup Swiss and Gruyère cheese, shredded

• 1 lb Barilla Protein Elbow Pasta

• 16 oz chicken bone broth

• ¼ cup heavy cream

• 1 bag frozen broccoli florets

• 1 lb cubed ham

• 1 (16 oz) container low-fat cottage cheese

• ¼ cup Italian breadcrumbs (instead of garlic & herb crumbs)

• ½ fl oz olive oil spray (about 5 sprays)

• Garlic powder, to taste

• Onion powder, to taste

• Smoked paprika, to taste

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Cook the protein pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot.

3. While the pasta cooks, steam or microwave the broccoli until just tender.

4. In a blender, combine the cottage cheese, chicken bone broth, heavy cream, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.

5. In a large bowl, combine:

   • Cooked pasta

   • Chicken

   • Ham

   • Broccoli

   • Cheese

   • Cottage cheese sauce

6. Stir until everything is evenly coated.

7. Transfer mixture to a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish.

8. Sprinkle the Italian breadcrumbs evenly over the top.

9. Lightly spray the breadcrumbs with olive oil spray.

10. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly and the topping is lightly golden.

11. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Optional Cordon Bleu Touch: For even more classic Chicken Cordon Bleu flavor, stir 1–2 tablespoons Dijon mustard into the sauce before mixing everything together.