This chicken and ham pasta bake is loaded with meat, cheese, and a creamy sauce—perfect for using leftover ham from holidays or any meal. It’s comforting, easy to prepare, and ideal for a family dinner.
I love simple, flavorful pasta dishes, and this recipe is almost a one-pot meal—the only extra pot needed is for the pasta. Using a pan that goes from stovetop to oven makes the process quick and reduces cleanup. A cast iron skillet works especially well for that.
Short pasta like rotini is my top choice because the twists hold sauce and bits of ham and chicken. If you prefer macaroni, shells, or penne, those work great too.
Flavor profile
This bake was inspired by Chicken Cordon Bleu: the combination of chicken, ham, and Swiss cheese gives similar familiar flavors. The creamy sauce and melted Swiss paired with seasoned chicken and diced ham make this a hearty, satisfying dish.
What You’ll Need
4 cups uncooked pasta (rotini recommended)
2 tablespoons butter
1½ cups cooked ham, diced
1½ cups chicken breast, uncooked, diced
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup cream
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup panko bread crumbs, plain
1 teaspoon marjoram or oregano (dried)
1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
How to Make
Preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat on the stovetop. Melt the butter, then add the diced chicken, marjoram (or oregano), onion powder, and garlic powder. Cook about 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
While the chicken cooks, boil the pasta in a separate pot according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Reduce the skillet heat to low–medium and add the diced ham. Cook for about 5 minutes to heat the ham through.
Turn the heat to low. Stir in the cream cheese, shredded Swiss cheese, cream, and black pepper. Add the drained pasta and stir until the cheeses melt and everything is evenly coated, about 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Top the pasta mixture with the panko bread crumbs, then transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake about 10 minutes, or until the top is browned and the casserole is bubbly.
Tips
If you have leftover cooked chicken, you can use it instead of raw chicken. Add cooked chicken at the same stage you would the raw chicken, but start the pan at low–medium heat and only heat the cooked chicken through. You can add ham at the same time.
Using cooked chicken will shorten the total cooking time by roughly 10 minutes. If you skip the breadcrumb topping, the dish will still be creamy and delicious, but the breadcrumbs add a nice crunchy contrast that enhances the cordon bleu-like experience.
I hope you and your family enjoy this creamy chicken and ham pasta bake. It’s a great way to transform leftovers into a satisfying, cheesy dinner.
More Pasta Recipes to Love:
Homemade Hamburger Helper (quick & easy)
Chicken & Bacon Pasta Bake
Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel (easy & cheesy)
Pepper Jack Mac & Cheese (zesty & creamy)
Salmon & Shrimp Pasta
Panera Broccoli Mac & Cheese (delicious copycat recipe)
📋 Recipe
Chicken and Ham Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ½ pound chicken breast uncooked, chopped (about 1½ cups)
- 1 teaspoon marjoram or oregano (dry)
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 cups pasta uncooked
- 1½ cups cooked ham chopped
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup Swiss cheese shredded
- 1 cup cream
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup bread crumbs Panko style
Instructions
-
Preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and melt the butter.
-
Add the diced chicken, marjoram (or oregano), onion powder, and garlic powder.
-
Cook about 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
-
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a separate pot according to package directions and drain.
-
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
-
Reduce heat to low–medium and add the diced ham. Cook 5 minutes to warm the ham.
-
Lower the heat to low, then stir in the cream cheese, Swiss cheese, cream, black pepper, and the cooked pasta. Heat until the cheeses melt and the sauce is smooth, about 3–5 minutes, stirring often.
-
Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top, then bake in the preheated oven about 10 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the casserole is bubbly.
Nutrition
Don’t Forget to Pin For Later!
