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
- 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
- 4 cups panko style crumbs (bread crumbs)
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 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.
- Remove chicken from pan, reserve the drippings in a large measuring cup.
- Dice chicken and place back in roaster and arrange ham evenly over chicken.
- In a large bowl, pour boiling water over bite sized broccoli, cover and let sit 10 minutes. Drain.
- Arrange broccoli evenly over the ham.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add flour and stir to combine.
- Slowly add the warmed milk and drippings to the combined butter and flour and whisk over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.
- Pour sauce over the ingredients in the roaster.
- Cover with cheese.
- Combine melted butter and panko style crumbs and sprinkle over the casserole.
- 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.