Cook pasta al dente, drain and place in a large mixing bowl. (Note: al dente means mostly done but had a little firm bite in the middle.)
(While pasta is cooking) Cut chicken breast in half, widthwise, to create two thinner chicken breast filets. Cook chicken with a little salt until completely done. Let cool until it can be handled.
Dice cooked chicken breast and add it to the bowl with pasta. Dice ham and add it to pasta as well. Mix until evenly combined. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350℉ and lightly grease a 1.5-2 quart casserole dish.
In a small sauce pot, melt butter and add chicken stock and heavy cream. Stir well and heat through.
Grate Monterrey Jack cheese into the sauce pot and slowly stir until melted. Season with some salt and pepper.
Pour cheesy sauce into the bowl with pasta and mix thoroughly. Transfer the mixture into prepared casserole dish and spread evenly. Spread mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Let casserole cool for a few minutes and drizzle with some ranch dressing if desired.
Notes
Tips and Tricks:
Cook your pasta al dente. Since you will be cooking the pasta twice, you want it to have a little under-cooked bite right in the center. It will finish cooking in the oven with the sauce.
You can use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken to make the process even easier. That’ll also cut down on cook time.
Feel free to use leftover ham from the holidays or get ham from your deli. If you’re getting ham from the deli, ask them to slice it in a dinner cut. That way, you can easily cut it into cubes at home.
For the best melted cheese consistency, you should grate the cheese off the block yourself. You don’t want any separators or additives affecting the texture.
Feel free to add veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions or green beans. Make sure to cut them into smaller bites. If you prefer softer vegetables, sear them for a few minutes first before adding.
You can easily make this dish gluten free by using gluten free twisty pasta! Make sure to check the box label on remaining ingredients but they should already be gluten free.