Need a delicious quick dinner? Make the best chicken divan recipe in under one hour! Or easily prep the dish ahead of time and pop it in the oven 30 minutes before you’re ready to eat. It is a fantastic family-friendly meal and is as delicious for a weekend dinner party as it is quick and simple to make for a weeknight family meal.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Allow leftover chicken divan to cool to room temperature before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F or the microwave until warm. This recipe also freezes well. Store in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Cook in the oven from frozen until warmed all the way through.
Definitely! You can substitute canned soups for an equal amount of my homemade cream of mushroom soup, or get an extra broccoli punch with my cream of broccoli soup. For a cheesy spin on chicken divan, make the sauce for the cauliflower gratin in place of the sauce in this recipe.
Yes! This is a great dish to prepare ahead of time – it only takes 15 minutes to prep! Prepare the recipe and place it in a disposable aluminum tray or a ceramic baking dish covered with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Or, tightly cover with aluminum foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, cook the dish in the oven according to the recipe. Optional: For an extra crispy topping, prepare the recipe ahead of time except for the breadcrumb and butter mixture. Add the breadcrumb topping to the casserole just before baking it.
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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!
Chicken Divan
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh broccoli florets (330g)
- 1 (10.5-ounce/298g) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- ¾ cup sour cream (180g)
- ½ cup whole milk (120mL)
- 2½ cups shredded cheddar cheese divided (210g)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 pounds cooked chicken cubed (900g)
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs (30g)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- 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.
- In a medium bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, and milk, and whisk together until smooth. Stir in 2 cups of the cheese, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, and pepper. Stir in the cooked broccoli and chicken. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan.
- In a small bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs and butter. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese and breadcrumb mixture over the casserole.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bubbly and the top is golden brown. Let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- 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.
