Filled with comforting goodness, this delicious recipe for Chicken Divan can be ready, from prep to plate, in just 30 minutes. Made with juicy, succulent chicken, tender broccoli florets, and savory cream sauce, this dish will be a new family favorite.
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Best Chicken Divan Recipe
Chicken divan is one of the most popular, timeless classics that’s been a favorite in households for years. With its creamy sauce, tender chicken, fresh broccoli, and crispy and buttery topping, it’s a huge hit with kids and adults alike. It’s also a super versatile dish that is perfect for any occasion, from busy weeknight dinners to special occasions and holidays.
And here’s the best part, you won’t believe how quick and easy it is to whip up. In just thirty minutes, you’ll have a cozy and comforting creamy casserole on the table. It’s wonderful served as a standalone meal, or you can serve it over pasta, rice or for a healthy option you can spoon it over cauliflower rice. If you love this easy chicken divan recipe, you may also want to try this Chicken and Rice Casserole or this Chicken Tetrazzini.
Why You Will Love this Broccoli Chicken Divan
- 30-minute meal – You’ll have a hot and delicious broccoli chicken divan on the table in 30 minutes or less.
- Kid-friendly – The cheesy chicken and creamy sauce will be a hit with the kids.
- Easy to make – This recipe for chicken divan requires just a few basic ingredients and a few easy steps.
Chicken Broccoli Divan Ingredients
Chicken Mixture
- Cooked chicken, cubed or shredded – we used boneless, skinless chicken breasts but you can also use chicken thighs.
- Fresh broccoli – cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Sour cream, milk, can cream of chicken soup – used as the base for the chicken divan sauce. You can use a can of cream of mushroom soup if you prefer.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – we used mild cheddar, but sharp cheddar cheese works well also.
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, kosher salt and black pepper.
Topping
- Crushed Ritz crackers and butter – you can use panko bread crumbs instead of the crackers if you’d like.
How to make Chicken Divan Casserole
Step One: Cook the Chicken and Broccoli
- If you’re not using leftover chicken, cook chicken and either shred it or cut it into small cubes.
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add broccoli florets to the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes or until just tender. Drain well and set aside.
Tip: 1 ½ pounds of chicken is equal to about 3 cups.
Step Two: Make the Cream Sauce
- In a medium bowl, whisk sour cream, milk, cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, salt, and pepper.
Step Three: Combine Chicken, Broccoli and Sauce
- Stir the broccoli and chicken into the creamy cheese sauce and spread into a 9×13 casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
Step Four: Add Topping, Bake and Serve
- In a small bowl, mix the crushed crackers and butter to make a breadcrumb mixture. Scatter the mixture over the casserole.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden brown and the mixture is bubbly and hot.
- Serve and enjoy
Best Chicken Divan Recipe Variations
- Chicken – if you need a dinner time shortcut, you can use leftover cooked chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Broccoli – If you’re not a fan of broccoli, simply omit it, but you can swap it for asparagus tips.
- Other vegetables – feel free to add other tender veggies like cauliflower, mushrooms, corn, peas, and carrots.
- Spices – you can add a kick of heat with a dash of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne pepper. You can also add a little curry powder to give it extra flavor.
- Cream sauce- Swap sour cream with plain Greek yogurt. You can also add extra richness by swapping the milk with heavy cream.
- Topping – You can use French fried onions on top instead of panko breadcrumbs.
- Cheeses – Add extra cheesiness by mixing in some parmesan cheese or some Gruyère cheese.
- Soup: We keep this easy dinner recipe super simple with canned soup, but if you have a favorite homemade cream of chicken soup recipe, you can certainly use it.
How to Store This Recipe for Chicken Divan
Leftover chicken divan can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze it. To do so, wrap the baking dish with a couple of layers of plastic wrap then with a layer of aluminum foil. It should freeze well for about 3 months.
What is Chicken Divan?
It’s a classic recipe made with cooked chicken and cooked broccoli that’s baked in a rich cream sauce. Some recipes use a béchamel sauce, while others, like this one, use canned soups to create the sauce. It’s an easy main dish that’s a cozy comfort food that the whole family will love.
What to Serve with Chicken Divan
You can serve it over pasta or rice but if you’re looking for a hearty side dish that pairs well with this casserole, here are some great choices:
- Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Zucchini Fritters
- Air Fryer Cheddar Biscuits
- Texas Roadhouse Rolls
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Homemade Coleslaw
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
Chicken Divan Recipe FAQs
Chicken Divan is named after the Divan Parisien Restaurant in the New York City Chatham Hotel, where it became their signature dish. It was created by chef Louis Deveau, who worked at the hotel in the early 20th century.
You can use either. If using frozen broccoli, thaw it first and pat dry. You want to remove most of the moisture before adding to the milk mixture.
Sure. This recipe can be made in advance by preparing the 9×13 casserole dish. Then just cover it with plastic wrap or foil, and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
More Casserole Recipes
- Leftover Turkey Casserole
- Tuna Noodle Casserole
- Pizza Casserole
- Hamburger Casserole
- Frito Pie Casserole
- Ham and Cheese Casserole
Chicken Divan
Ingredients
- ½ pound fresh broccoli cut into bite-sized pieces
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- ½ cup milk
- 10.5 ounces can cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups cooked chicken cubed or shredded
Topping:
- ½ cup crushed Ritz crackers or panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add broccoli to the boiling water and cook for 2-minutes or until just tender. Drain well and set aside.½ pound fresh broccoli
- In a medium bowl, whisk sour cream, milk, cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, salt, and pepper.⅔ cup sour cream, ½ cup milk, 10.5 ounces can cream of chicken soup, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon mustard powder, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Stir in broccoli and chicken and spread into a 9×13 casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.3 cups cooked chicken, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- In a small bowl, mix the crushed crackers and butter. Sprinkle the topping over the casserole.½ cup crushed Ritz crackers or panko breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons butter
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the mixture is bubbly and hot.
- Serve over noodles or mashed potatoes.
Notes
Nutrition
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