Chicken and Ham Casserole For a Crowd

This comfort meal will be sure to be a hit when you need a main dish for 25 people. 

The meat is all cooked ahead of time so the casserole just needs heating through before serving.

• 7 pounds chicken thighs (with skin and bone)
• 1 1/2 pounds  (750 grams) sliced or diced ham
• 1 pound (500 grams) sliced swiss cheese
• 2 pounds broccoli, diced and flowers cut into bite sized pieces

Sauce

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• drippings from baking chicken (about 2 cups)
• enough warm milk to make 5 cups with the drippings of the chicken 

Crumbs

• 4 cups panko style crumbs  (bread crumbs)
• 1/2 cup melted butter

1. Put the chicken in a roasting pan with a cover and roast about 40 minutes at 350.  Allow to cool and then remove the bones and the skin. 
2. Remove chicken from pan, reserve the drippings in a large measuring cup.  
3. Dice chicken and place back in roaster and arrange ham  evenly over chicken.
4. In a large bowl, pour boiling water over bite sized broccoli, cover and let sit 10 minutes.  Drain.
5. Arrange broccoli evenly over the ham.
6. Melt the butter in a large saucepan.  Add flour and stir to combine.  
7. Slowly add the warmed milk and drippings to the combined butter and flour and whisk over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.
8. Pour sauce over the ingredients in the roaster. 
9. Cover with cheese.
10. Combine melted butter and panko style crumbs and sprinkle over the casserole. 
11. Bake uncovered in a 350 F oven for 1 - 1 1/4 hours or until  hot and bubbly in the center.  

Serve over hot rice.