Chicken Sandwich with Cordon Bleu Twist

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup diced smoked ham
• ½ cup diced onion
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 cup diced cooked chicken breast
• ¼ cup diced dill pickles
• 4 (1/2 inch thick) slices toasted French bread
• 1 tablespoon melted butter, divided

Step 1

Warm your oven to 425°F (220°C) and lining a baking sheet with heavy-duty foil. In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs with a teaspoon of melted butter and set it aside.

Step 2

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the ham and onion, cooking and stirring until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the thyme and cook for another minute. Stir in the flour and keep stirring for about 3 minutes until the raw flour smell disappears. Take the pan off the heat and slowly whisk in 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of milk. Return the pan to medium heat and keep stirring until the sauce thickens, which should take a minute or two.

Step 3

Once the sauce is thick, remove it from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of shredded Gruyere cheese, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, a pinch of cayenne, and some nutmeg. Then fold in the cooked chicken and diced pickles until everything is well combined.

Step 4

Place the toasted bread slices on your prepared baking sheet. Brush one side of each slice with about 3/4 teaspoon of melted butter, then flip them over and spread a generous quarter of the cheese and chicken mixture on each. Sprinkle a tablespoon of shredded Gruyere on top, then finish with the buttery bread crumb mixture.

Step 5

Pop the sandwiches in the oven and bake until the cheese is bubbly and the filling is hot, around 15 to 20 minutes. Enjoy!