Now that the weather is starting to improve, I come in from the barn later in the evening and would rather have something convenient for dinner. Something that doesn’t end up being a handful of pretzels. I haven’t done this in a while, but it made sense to start trying out recipes for freezer meals (the challenge being they have to be adaptable for my diet – mostly stick to AIP). This was a winner that I took from several techniques to get something that worked. There is dairy in it, but cheese has been my hardest thing to give up, and I find if there is NO other dairy for a while, it works. This comes together quickly, it’s very good, will freeze well, and is modified for AIP.

For the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons butter substitute (I used Earth Balance soy free)
• 3 tablespoons gluten free flour (Bob’s Red Mill all purpose)
• 3/4 cup milk substitute (Planet Oat extra creamy is my favorite)
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons cooking sherry
• 1 tablespoon mustard (if you can up some other flavors, you may want to omit this)
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

Casserole ingredients:

• 2 cups swiss cheese (if you are avoiding dairy entirely, use your favorite cheese substitute)
• Uncured ham (uncured deli ham, leftovers from an uncured spiral ham)
• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1/2 cup gluten free panko bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter substitute, melted

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes stirring. Remove from heat and pour in chicken broth and milk.

Return to heat and stir while whisking until thick and bubbly. Add in sherry, mustard, garlic, thyme, and salt and pepper. Stir in swiss cheese.

Add the ham, chicken, and sauce in a casserole dish and stir. Combine melted butter and bread crumbs and sprinkle over the top.

Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until hot and top is lightly browned. Cool completely if planning to freeze. We find it freezes better if refrigerated for 24 hours and then divided.