Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup

I can't take full credit for this soup that I took to the Halloween lunch we had at work today...my sister came up with the idea years ago. I just re-tooled it so it isn't as thick. I wish I had an actual picture (the one above is stolen from the interwebs...), but by the time I thought about it, it had been gobbled up. People loved it!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup

4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

16 oz. diced ham

6 cups chicken broth

2 cups half and half

1 lb. swiss cheese, grated finely

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup margarine

In a large pot, melt the margarine on medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk for 2-3 minutes (it will be globby). Add the chicken broth a cup or two at a time and whisk between each addition until smooth. Simmer for 10-15 minutes on medium-low heat. Stir in the half and half and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add in the cheese, little by little, whisking it in to melt it after each addition. In the meantime, fry the diced ham for 3-5 minutes in a frying pan on medium-high heat. Add ham and chicken to soup mixture and simmer longer to let the flavors meld. Salt and pepper to taste.