Chicken Divan
Chicken Divan is the classic American chicken-and-broccoli casserole: tender poached chicken and crisp-tender broccoli folded into a silky cheddar sauce spiked with Dijon, a splash of sherry, and a whisper of curry powder, all under a golden panko crust. Making the sauce from scratch takes ten minutes longer than opening a can, and it pays off with a casserole that bakes up creamy instead of gluey. Blanching the broccoli briefly and draining it well keeps the finished dish rich and never watery.
Blanch 700 g broccoli florets in salted boiling water for 2 minutes, drain, and pat dry. Poach 750 g chicken breasts in simmering salted water 12 to 15 minutes until 74 C (165 F), then shred (or use 4 cups rotisserie chicken). Melt 56 g butter, cook 2 minced garlic cloves briefly, whisk in 30 g flour for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in 480 ml chicken broth and 240 ml milk; simmer until it coats a spoon. Off heat, stir in 150 g cheddar, 25 g Parmesan, 2 tbsp sherry, 2 tsp Dijon, and 1/2 tsp curry powder. Fold in the chicken and broccoli, scrape into a buttered 23 x 33 cm dish, top with buttered panko and more cheddar, and bake at 190 C (375 F) for 25 to 30 minutes until bubbling and golden. Rest 10 minutes before serving.
- Blanch the broccoli only 2 minutes and dry it thoroughly; wet or overcooked florets are the number-one cause of a watery, drab casserole.
- Simmer the sauce until it visibly coats the back of a spoon before adding cheese, and stir the cheese in off the heat so it melts smooth instead of breaking.
- Bake just until the edges bubble and the crumbs brown; the chicken is already cooked, so longer baking only dries it out.
Equipment
- 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) baking dish
- Large pot
- Large saucepan or deep saute pan
- Whisk
- Colander
- Box grater
- Instant-read thermometer
食材
Chicken and broccoli
- 700 g broccoli, cut into bite-size florets, about 2 medium heads; peeled, sliced stems work too
- 750 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 550 g / 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken to skip poaching
- 6 g fine salt, for the poaching and blanching water
Cheddar sauce
- 56 g unsalted butter
- garlic cloves, minced
- 30 g all-purpose flour
- 480 ml low-sodium chicken broth
- 240 ml whole milk, or half-and-half for a richer sauce
- 30 ml dry sherry, optional but classic; substitute extra broth
- 10 g Dijon mustard
- 1 g curry powder, a warm background note, not a curry flavor
- 150 g sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, shred it yourself; pre-shredded melts less smoothly
- 25 g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 3 g fine salt, plus more to taste
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Topping
- 60 g panko breadcrumbs
- 28 g unsalted butter, melted
- 50 g sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
步驟
- 步驟01
Heat the oven to 190 C (375 F) and butter a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) baking dish. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with half the salt, drop in the broccoli florets, and cook just 2 minutes; they should still be bright green with a little snap. Drain in a colander, rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking, then spread on a clean towel and pat thoroughly dry.
- 步驟02
Return the pot to the stove with fresh water and the remaining salt and bring to a bare simmer. Add the chicken breasts, adjust the heat so the water barely bubbles, and poach 12 to 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer hits 74 C (165 F) in the thickest part. Transfer to a cutting board and, when cool enough to handle, shred or cube into bite-size pieces. (If using rotisserie chicken, skip this step and start the sauce.)
- 步驟03
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook the garlic for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute to lose the raw taste. Gradually whisk in the broth, then the milk, whisking out any lumps as you go. Simmer, whisking often, for 4 to 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- 步驟04
Pull the pan off the heat and stir in the cheddar and Parmesan a handful at a time until smooth. Stir in the sherry, Dijon, curry powder, salt, and pepper. Taste; the sauce should be slightly saltier than seems right on its own, because the chicken and broccoli will dilute it.
- 步驟05
Scatter the broccoli evenly over the bottom of the buttered dish and layer the chicken on top. Pour the sauce over everything and nudge it into the gaps with a spatula so every floret is coated.
- 步驟06
Toss the panko with the melted butter until evenly coated, then mix in the remaining cheddar. Sprinkle the topping over the casserole and bake on the middle rack for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges bubble and the crumbs are deep golden. If the topping browns before the filling bubbles, tent loosely with foil.
- 步驟07
Let the casserole stand 10 minutes before serving; the sauce thickens as it cools so each scoop holds together instead of running. Serve hot over rice, noodles, or on its own with bread.
Make ahead
Assemble the casserole (without the panko topping) up to 24 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Store the buttered crumbs separately so they stay crisp, scatter them on just before baking, and add 10 to 15 minutes to the bake time when starting from cold, until the center reaches 74 C (165 F) and the edges bubble.
Storage
Cool leftovers within 2 hours, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in a 160 C (325 F) oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or microwave individual portions with a splash of milk to loosen the sauce. You can freeze baked leftovers for up to 2 months, though the broccoli softens noticeably after thawing; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Variations
Retro curry-mayo Divan
For the tangy mid-century version, whisk 60 g (1/4 cup) mayonnaise and 1 tbsp lemon juice into the finished sauce off the heat, and bump the curry powder to a full teaspoon. It bakes up richer, with a gentle curried edge that is the signature of many older recipe-box versions.
Gluten-free
Skip the roux: whisk 2 tbsp cornstarch into the cold milk, add it to the simmering broth with the garlic softened in butter, and cook, whisking, until thickened. Replace the panko with gluten-free panko or crushed gluten-free crackers tossed in butter. Everything else stays the same.
One-dish rice-bottom Divan
Spread 550 g (3 cups) cooked long-grain rice in the buttered dish before adding the broccoli and chicken, and thin the sauce with an extra 120 ml (1/2 cup) broth. The rice drinks up the sauce as it bakes, turning the casserole into a complete meal.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
常見問題
Can I use frozen broccoli in this chicken divan recipe?
Yes. Thaw it completely, skip the blanching step, and squeeze or pat it very dry before layering it in the dish. Frozen broccoli was blanched before freezing, so it only needs the oven time. The drying matters more than fresh versus frozen; excess water is what thins the sauce.
What is chicken divan, and where does the name come from?
It is an American casserole of chicken and broccoli in a creamy, cheesy Mornay-style sauce, created in the early 20th century at the Divan Parisien restaurant in New York City. Home versions spread mid-century, often with canned soup and mayonnaise; this chicken divan recipe goes back to the original idea of a quick scratch-made sauce.
Do I have to use the sherry and curry powder?
No. Both are traditional accents rather than dominant flavors: the sherry adds a nutty depth and the half teaspoon of curry powder adds warmth you sense more than taste. Replace the sherry with an equal amount of broth plus a squeeze of lemon, and simply omit the curry powder if you prefer.
Why did my casserole come out watery?
Almost always one of three things: the broccoli went in wet or overblanched, the sauce was pulled off the heat before it coated a spoon, or the casserole was cut immediately out of the oven. Dry the florets well, simmer the sauce a full 4 to 5 minutes, and give the dish its 10-minute rest so the sauce can set.
Can I substitute canned soup for the homemade sauce?
In a pinch, two 295 g (10.5 oz) cans of cream of chicken soup whisked with 240 ml (1 cup) milk, the Dijon, and the cheddar will work, but taste before adding any salt since canned soup is already salty. The scratch sauce takes about 10 minutes and gives a noticeably silkier, fresher-tasting result.
Cooked this? Rate it.
Real ratings from real cooks. We only show a score once enough of you have weighed in — no fabricated stars.