Chicken Divan

This creamy casserole is a modern twist on the signature dish from the Divan Parisien Restaurant at the Chatham Hotel in New York City. It is full of flavor and makes a great dinner or filling lunch. If you’re looking for more casserole recipes, try my squash casserole, tuna casserole, or corn casserole recipes.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Broccoli Florets – fresh broccoli is best for the best flavor and texture. I don’t recommend using frozen broccoli because it can make the dish watery, but you can use it in a pinch. Thaw it and pat it dry before incorporating. Chicken – you will need pre-cooked chicken for this recipe. I used 2 pounds (or about 4 cups when cubed) of cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Cream of Chicken Soup – use condensed cream of chicken soup to make an extra-creamy sauce for the hot dish. Milk – whole milk gives this dish a rich, creamy texture and flavor. Alternatively, you can use half-and-half or 2% milk. Cheese – freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese adds a tasty tanginess and robust flavor. Alternatively, you can try Gruyère cheese, parmesan cheese, or Swiss cheese. Breadcrumbs – I recommend using plain panko breadcrumbs. The flakier texture of the breadcrumbs absorbs less oil than regular bread crumbs, resulting in a perfect light crunch when baked. Butter – use unsalted butter so the recipe is not too salty. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over the stove over low or medium heat, or warm it in a small bowl in the microwave.

How to Make Chicken Divan

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray or butter. Boil the broccoli in a large pot of salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain well.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, and milk, and whisk together until smooth.
3. Stir in 2 cups of the cheese, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, and pepper.
4. Stir in the cooked broccoli and chicken until well combined.
5. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan, smoothing it out with a spatula to create an even layer.
6. In a small bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs and melted butter until the breadcrumbs are well coated.
7. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese over the casserole.
8. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the casserole. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and golden brown. Let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Pro Tips For Making This Recipe

Salt the water. Don’t skip salting the water when boiling the broccoli. Add a teaspoon per quart of water once boiling. This enhances the flavor of the broccoli and makes it perfectly tender. Drain the broccoli well. After cooking the broccoli, make sure to drain as much water as possible. This will prevent watering down the creaminess of the dish when you mix the broccoli with the other ingredients. Use freshly grated cheese. Not only will it have the best flavor, but freshly grated cheese also melts much better than pre-shredded cheeses. You can also mix different types of shredded cheese to switch up the flavor profile. Optional variations. Instead of broccoli, you can substitute it for another veggie in equal quantity, like zucchini, peas, asparagus, or cauliflower. If you want to save time, use a store-bought rotisserie chicken instead of cooking your own – simply pull off the chicken in pieces and chop it up! Swap the breadcrumbs for crushed Ritz crackers in the topping. Jazz up the flavor of the sauce by adding lemon juice and zest of 1 lemon, or a teaspoon or two of curry powder.

If you’ve tried this Chicken Divan recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!