Chicken Divan

Easy Chicken Divan is a flavorful and cheesy chicken and broccoli casserole. With no mayo or cream of mushroom soup, this is a fresh spin on a classic.

Serve Chicken Divan on a bed of mashed potatoes or rice and alongside this simple fruit salad and these dinner rolls.

What is Chicken Divan?

Chicken Divan is a casserole originally created at the Divan Parisian Restaurant in New York’s Chatham Hotel. It typically contains chicken, broccoli, and sauce.

The Chicken Divan I grew up on was loaded with whole milk or cream, cream of chicken soup, and sometimes mayo. Today we’re tossing out all of those ingredients and making this casserole more flavorful than ever.

Ingredients

• Broccoli and Chicken: Broccoli adds a fresh, nutritious element, and cooked, cubed rotisserie chicken provides the main protein.
• Butter and Flour: These are used to make a roux, which thickens the sauce in the chicken divan.
• Milk and Chicken Stock: They create the base for the sauce, offering richness and flavor.
• Cheddar Cheese: Adds creaminess and a sharp flavor to the sauce.
• Sour Cream: Contributes to the sauce’s creamy texture and tanginess.
• Chicken Bouillon Powder, Dijon Mustard, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, and Dried Parsley: These seasonings enhance the overall flavor of the dish.
• Topping (Panko and Butter): Provides a crunchy texture contrast to the creamy casserole when toasted and sprinkled on top.

How To Make Chicken Divan

1. Preheat Oven: Set to 350°F.
2. Prepare Veggies and Protein: Boil broccoli florets for 3 minutes, then drain. Chop rotisserie chicken into cubes.
3. Make Sauce: In a pot, melt butter, mix in flour, gradually add milk and chicken stock, and stir in 1 cup cheese until smooth. Add sour cream, seasonings, and spices.
4. Assemble: Layer broccoli and chicken in a 9×13-inch dish. Pour sauce over, top with remaining cheese.
5. Prepare Topping: Toast panko in melted butter, then sprinkle over casserole.
6. Bake: Cover with foil, bake for 30 minutes until bubbly. Serve hot.

Variations

• Ritz Crackers: Substitute panko with crushed Ritz crackers for a different texture.
• Mayo: Replace sour cream in this chicken divan with mayo, adding 1-2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice.
• Different Veggies: Swap broccoli with asparagus or frozen peas.
• Curry Flavor: Add 1/4 to 1 teaspoon of curry powder to the sauce, plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice and swap the rotisserie chicken for chopped Grilled Curry Chicken.
• With Rice: To have rice already added into the casserole dish, try this similar recipe.

What To Serve With Chicken Divan

• Lemon Rice
• Mashed Potatoes or buttered egg noodles.
• Olive Garden Salad
• No-Knead Dinner Rolls
• Costco Kale Salad

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4.92 from 35 votes

Chicken Divan

By Chelsea Lords

Easy Chicken Divan is a flavorful and cheesy chicken and broccoli casserole. With no mayo or cream of mushroom soup, this is a fresh spin on a classic.

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 heaping cups fresh broccoli (2 florets; about 11 ounces)
• ▢ 3 cups prepared rotisserie chicken cut into small cubes
• ▢ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 1/3 cup white all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup low-fat milk (I use 1% to keep this healthier; skim or milk alternatives don't work well)
• ▢ 2/3 cup chicken stock or broth
• ▢ 1 and 1/2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese freshly grated, separated
• ▢ 2/3 cup fat-free sour cream (regular sour cream can be used)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
• ▢ 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ▢ 1 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, onion powder, and dried parsley
• ▢ Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Topping

• ▢ 3/4 cup panko (or crushed Ritz crackers)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions 

• BROCCOLI AND CHICKEN: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut broccoli into bite-sized florets. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add in chopped broccoli and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and let stand to thoroughly dry. Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces to make 3 cups.
• SAUCE: Melt butter in a small pot over medium heat. Once melted, gradually add in flour, whisking constantly until a thick paste forms. Whisk for one minute and then gradually add in 1/3 cup of the milk while continuing to whisk. Gradually whisk in 1/3 cup chicken stock or broth. Add in another 1/3 cup milk, the remaining 1/3 cup stock, and last remaining 1/3 cup milk. Whisk until completely smooth. Add in 1 cup of cheese and whisk again until completely smooth. Add in sour cream and whisk until smooth. Stir in the chicken bouillon powder, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, and salt and pepper to taste (I add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; add to taste preference).
• ASSEMBLE AND BAKE: Add the dry broccoli (if it's still wet, it will make the casserole soggy) to the base of a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle the chicken over top. Pour the sauce over everything, spread to evenly coat, and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese over top of sauce. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add the panko and toast, stirring constantly, until crumbs are light brown and toasted. Sprinkle topping evenly over cheese. Cover casserole with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly around the edges. Remove and serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 912mg | Potassium: 177mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 600IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 306mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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