Chicken cordon bleu pasta is a creamy, dreamy, (almost) one-pan dinner made extra delicious with the rich flavors of chicken, ham, and cheese. It’s on the table in less than 45 minutes!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time28 minutesmins
Total Time43 minutesmins
Course: Chicken, Main Course, Main Dish, One Pan, Pasta
Measure out 1 cup of heavy cream and leave it out of the refrigerator so it can come to room temperature while you’re prepping the meal.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet (with lid available) over medium-high heat. Add the cut-up chicken to the pan, sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Discard any accumulated juices.
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
In the same pan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil; add the chopped onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for another minute, stirring.
½ cup finely diced onion, 2 cloves garlic, minced
Add the chicken broth and pasta to the pan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium.
3 cups chicken broth, 8 ounces pasta
Cover the skillet and continue to cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the pasta is tender. Add more broth or water as needed, but the majority of the liquid should be absorbed by the time the pasta has finished cooking.
Once the pasta is cooked, reduce heat to low, and stir in the cream, Swiss cheese, and Dijon mustard. Return the chicken to the pan; add the diced ham, and cook over medium-low heat until sauce has thickened slightly and ham is heated through.
1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 8 ounces diced ham
Remove the skillet from the heat and cover, while you prepare the bread crumb topping.
In a small skillet, melt butter. Add breadcrumbs and cook, stirring constantly, until breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove to a plate immediately to cool so the breadcrumbs don't scorch.
1 tablespoon butter, ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
Stir pasta once more, taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper, if desired. Serve pasta sprinkled with breadcrumb topping.
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Notes
Cooking tip: If you don't want to wash an extra skillet, you could toast the breadcrumbs in the same large skillet you're going to use for the chicken. Toast the breadcrumbs first, remove them from the skillet, wipe it out with a paper towel, and proceed with the recipe as instructed.
Breadcrumb topping: You can omit the topping if you like; however, we tested it both ways and decided that the crispy breadcrumbs really make this pasta dish outstanding.
Storage & reheating: Although this creamy pasta dish is best eaten immediately, if you have leftovers, transfer them to a covered container and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave, adding more broth, half & half, or water to loosen up the sauce, if necessary.