This recipe combines diced chicken, ham, Swiss and Parmesan cheeses and mushrooms for a rich flavour and wondeful texture.
Photo by Michael Olson
ingredients
directions
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
In a large sauté pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the onion, sautéing for about 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they are cooked through, about another 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and the flour and stir, coating the vegetables completely and cooking for about 2 minutes, until you just feel the flour begin to stick to the pan.
Add the milk in 3 additions, stirring or whisking after each addition. Bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring constantly, and then add the diced chicken and ham, returning the sauce to a simmer. Add the Swiss and 1/3 cup of the Parmesan cheeses and stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth. Stir in the vermouth (if using) and season to taste. Spoon the mixture into a casserole dish (or you can simply bake in the skillet if it is ovenproof).
Stir the breadcrumbs and remaining 1/3 cup of Parmesan and sprinkle this over the casserole. Bake it uncovered for about 30 minutes, until it is bubbling around the edges. Allow the casserole to sit 10 minutes before serving.
The casserole can be served on its own, over cooked pasta, potatoes or rice, or with toasted garlic bread.