My Scratch Made Chicken Divan is not your mother’s Chicken Divan. Nope, this is an updated, slimmed down version that still packs in the flavor. No canned soups, sour cream and half the butter of other versions. I made a new video to show you that dinner can be ready in 30 minutes!
Chicken Divan is a chicken casserole, typically made with broccoli, almonds, and Mornay sauce. With lofty intentions using a French name to add a bit of sophistication, this humble chicken casserole is an American classic.
I’m not using any canned condensed soup, or a cup of mayonnaise here and a cup of sour cream there. No Paula Dean salt and butter overload either, this is scaled down, lightened, and I think even better in flavor.
Where most recipes use potato chips crumbled on top, mine gets extra crunch appeal from Panko breadcrumbs.
I love the added flavor you pick up if you pan sear the broccoli prior to putting it in with the browned chicken pieces.
Levels of flavor going on in this dish and it doesn’t take that much time or effort.
The sauce it so darn good! Butter, shallots, flour and chicken stock get it going. Sherry, Worcestershire, half and half and Parmesan cheese finish it off.
This gets poured over the browned broccoli and chicken and a few minutes under the broiler to crisp up that cheese and Panko breadcrumbs for texture and you are ready to serve.
For other chicken recipes try my One Pan Creamy Chicken Stroganoff, Cheesy Prosciutto Stuffed Chicken with Pesto, Spanish Roasted Chicken and Potatoes or this Easy Baked Greek Chicken. Enjoy!
This Chicken Divan recipe first appeared on Kevin Is Cooking January 2018 and has been updated with a new video.
Scratch Made Chicken Divan
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breast chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 tbsp flour separated
- 2 tbsp olive oil separated
- 1 lb broccoli florets
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 shallot diced
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup dry sherry
- 3/4 cup half and half
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese plus 2 tbsp
- 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 lemon zest only (optional)
Instructions
- Slice chicken breast meat into bite size pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Dust with 2 tablespoons flour and set aside.
- Over medium high heat in a large skillet add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and brown the broccoli slightly, cooking for 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and cover. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add the other tablespoon of oil to the skillet and brown the chicken pieces over medium high heat. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Place chicken in a 13x9" baking dish seasoned with cooking spray. Sprinkle broccoli on top of chicken.
- In same skillet add the butter and over medium heat sauté the shallot for a minute. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons of flour in pan and stir to cook. Add the Worcestershire sauce, sherry, chicken stock and half and half. Stir and reduce for several minutes until thickened. Stir in Parmesan cheese and pour over chicken and broccoli.
- Sprinkle Panko breadcrumbs and more cheese (optional) if you like on top. Broil for 3-5 minutes until top is golden brown and bubbly. Serve with grated lemon zest over top (optional).
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
Hi Kevin, if I am using roasted chicken how much of it would you use? I made this before using the recipe as stated and loved it. But I have leftover chicken that id like to use. Thanks. Connie
2 lbs. It’s in the recipe
Hi. I love your recipes. I made this Chicken Divan last night. Super good! I’ll be making more recipes, too. I’m not sure how I stumbled onto your website, but I’m glad I did!
You’re the BEST. Thanks Laurie!
I made this tonight and it was wonderful. I put brown rice in the pan first, however, and baked it at 375 for 20 minutes (because my broiler is broken) and I tossed some shredded swiss and mozzarella on the top over the bread crumbs (that was hanging around begging to be used up) and it was superb! Warm, cozy, and delish. Thanks for the recipe.
Sorry, I meant I put brown rice in and then followed the rest of the recipe and baked the entire think at 375 for 20 minutes. (I realized after posting that it sounds like I just baked the rice in the pan and that is not the case. I’d edit my comment if I knew how! LOL!
No worries at all!
So happy you enjoyed this one Beverly. Thanks for coming back to let me know. 🙂
Any substitute for the sherry? I don’t like to buy something for just one recipe and alcohol is expensive here in Canada. Also do you think a little curry would be nice in this?
My best guess would be apple cider vinegar, same amount. Haven’t tried it myself, but when I Goggled sherry substitutes, that is what came up time and again. Try the curry, I have not. Would love to know. I would try the recipe as written first to gauge and then add the curry next time to compare? Up to you. Cheers Hannah! 🙂
Hi, just made this using the Apple cider vinegar instead of the Sherry and I world suggest using half of the vinegar. I added extra parmesan cheese and it turned out delicious. Thank you for a great recipe!
Thank you for stopping by! I am glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve made this with curry several times, I use cheddar cheese when I add curry. Also, if I don’t have Panko I sprinkle almonds on top. Even my grandsons liked it. Yum!
Sounds lovely and tempting Liz. Thanks!
Great Job, really a good cooking video. Thanks Kevin!
Thanks Greg, appreciate the feedback.
Made this for dinner and my husband and I loved it! Tweaked it a bit by putting cooked spaghetti on the bottom of the pan, then baked at 375 for about 15 minutes.
Oh and I bet that spaghetti soaked up all the sauce! Sounds quite tasty Jan. Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
I made this for dinner tonight and I have to say it was a hit! Thank you so much!
Yay! So happy you enjoyed this one Marianne. Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and let me know! 🙂
I’M SO EXCITED TO FIND THIS!! My mother in law’s signature dish is chicken divan and for 12 years I’ve been forcing myself to eat that slimy grossness. I’m so sorry, it’s freaking terrible, but my husband grew up with it so it’s his comfort food. I can’t wait to try this at home.
LOL. Now this literally made me laugh out loud! Sorry you have had to endure 12 years of that! My version here is NOT. Enjoy! 🙂
Do you use dry or sweet sherry?
I use a dry sherry. I’ll update the recipe to reflect. Thanks Debbie!
just made this for dinner, delish!!!! substituted pink champagne for sherry and made half and half from milk and heavy cream but followed the recipe otherwise. Fabulous and will definitely make again. Thank you, love your recipes. My husband made the balsamic pork tenderloin last week and we loved that one too.
Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and let me know Natasha. So happy you guys are enjoying the recipes. 🙂
We loved the recipe. I used Heavy whipped cream instead due to not having half and half available. I used red wine instead of Sherry. Upon my research on substituting sherry, we were happy with wine. It tastes good and light. You have the great recipe! The Pot Roast was great when cooking in a slow cooker all day.
So happy you enjoyed this one Judy. It never hurts to improvise when some ingredients are hard to get a hold of, but sounds like you did it!
Could I ask what half and half is for those of us in UK? I’m assuming it’s single cream?
Just made your balsamic roast pork tenderloin and it was lovely! My husband described it as restaurant quality!
It is basically equal parts milk and cream, sorry for any confusion Gaynor. So glad you enjoyed the other recipe and hope to hear more from you.
I did a little research and found this regarding your inquiry:
US:
Nonfat milk: 0%-1%
1% milk: 1%-2%
Lowfat milk: 2%-4%
Whole milk: 4%
Half-and-half: 12%-15%
Light cream: 18%-30% (generally unavailable)
Whipping cream: 30%-36%
Heavy whipping cream: 36%-44%
Manufacturer’s cream: 44%+
UK:
Skimmed milk: 0%
Low-fat milk: 2%
Homo milk: 4%
Half cream: 12%
Single cream: 18%
Whipping cream: 35%
Double cream: 48%