This Chicken Divan recipe is a favorite quick and easy dinner! Chicken and broccoli florets are smothered in a rich and creamy sauce, topped with cheese, and baked until warm and bubbly.
My favorite way to serve it is over perfectly fluffy rice, with mashed potatoes or egg noodles coming in a close second.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Chicken Divan
Chicken Broccoli Divan is an easy casserole originating in the Divan Parisien restaurant in New York. This version uses broccoli in a shortcut sauce.
- Difficulty: Since the sauce starts with condensed soup, it’s quick and easy to prepare.
- Time Saving-Tip: If you’re short on time, buy a bag of fresh broccoli florets that are already washed and ready to go. Rotisserie chicken is great in this recipe too.
- Make It From Scratch: You can replace the canned soup in this recipe with homemade condensed soup.
Total Time: 35 Mins (15 Mins Prep) Servings: 6 Cooking Method: Oven
Ingredient Notes
- Broccoli: Fresh broccoli gives the best tender-crisp texture, so cook it briefly and drain it well. Frozen broccoli works too, but will have a softer texture. You can also add well-drained cooked mushrooms, cauliflower, or peas.
- Cooked Chicken: Use chopped or shredded chicken. Rotisserie chicken is the quickest option and adds plenty of flavor, while leftover poached chicken or baked chicken breasts work too. This is also a great way to use leftover cooked turkey.
- Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar adds plenty of flavor without needing extra cheese. For the smoothest melt, shred cheese from a block, or replace some of the cheddar with Swiss for a slightly nuttier flavor.
- Condensed Soup: Use store-bought or homemade cream of mushroom soup. Or replace with cream of chicken soup for a more chicken-forward flavor.
- Sour Cream: Adds richness and a touch of tang while keeping the sauce smooth and creamy. Plain Greek yogurt can be used instead for a slightly tangier flavor, though the finished sauce may be a little less rich.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Panko gives the topping a light, crispy crunch, while seasoned breadcrumbs create a finer, more savory crust. Either works well, so use whichever you prefer or have on hand.
How to Make Chicken Divan
- Cook the broccoli. Combine the condensed soup, sour cream, milk, cheddar, and seasonings.
- Stir in the broccoli and chicken.
- Add the remaining cheese (full recipe below).
- Sprinkle with buttered breadcrumbs and bake.
Save It For Later
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container. For the best texture, freeze before adding the breadcrumb topping. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- To reheat, cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until heated through. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes to crisp the topping. If the edges seem dry, add a splash of milk around the edges before reheating.
Easy Dinners for Leftover Chicken
Did you enjoy this Chicken Divan? Leave a comment and rating below.
Chicken Divan
Chicken divan is a cozy casserole filled with tender chicken and broccoli in a creamy cheddar sauce. Buttery breadcrumbs add the perfect crisp finish.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds broccoli florets cut into bite size pieces
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup or condensed chicken soup
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- ½ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon seasoned salt
- 3 cups cooked chopped chicken
Topping
- 3 tablespoons Panko bread crumbs or seasoned bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender-crisp. Drain well and set aside.
- In a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish, combine 1 cup cheddar cheese, condensed soup, sour cream, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, pepper, and seasoned salt.
- Stir in drained broccoli and chicken. Top with the remaining cheese.
- In a small bowl, mix the butter and bread crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the chicken mixture.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are lightly browned and the mixture is bubbly and hot.
- Serve over rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes, as desired.
Video
Notes
Frozen broccoli: Frozen broccoli can be used; however, the texture is a bit softer. Cook according to package directions and drain well.
Store leftover chicken divan in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat with a bit of milk on the stovetop, oven or in the microwave.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 399 | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 791mg | Potassium: 685mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1275IU | Vitamin C: 101mg | Calcium: 326mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole, Chicken, Main Course
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Thank you for another Fantastic meal. My husband absolutely loved it. Simply easy & no way of messing it up. Looking forward in finding another meal that I know will be just as perfect. Thank you again 🤗
Easy and delicious! I cut the salt and broiled for the last 2 mins to toast it up. Yummy!
Hi Holly.., I’ve always loved your recipes. I have three questions. Can I substitute turkey for the chicken? Is the nutritional info for the entire dish? Can I make a half recipe and put it in an 8 x 8 glass pan? I’m ready to try this tonight.
Yes, turkey should work just fine. The nutrition is for 1 serving (which is ⅙ of the dish). Yes, you can make a half recipe in a 8 x 8-inch pan. I would check it early so it doesn’t overcook.
Enjoy Joanne!
I wanted to get back with you on the recipe. There are only two of us and I’m on a salt restricted diet. So I made the full amount and put half in the freezer for another time. I changed the condensed soup to No salt Campbell’s Cream of Chicken soup. This took the sodium from 2175 mg sodium to 150 mg sodium per can. Although it was a little bland, I’m sure it was due to the lack of sodium in the dish. Served it over rice. Will be sure to make it again! Thanks for a great, easy recipe!
This was so good! My family, dinner guest and myself all give you double thumbs up. Didn’t have sour cream so I used Duke’s mayo and Ritz for topping. I will definitely be making this again
Thank you for sharing.
Thank
Great recipe! Easy and we really enjoyed it!
My husband and I enjoyed this broccoli and chicken casserole. It has onion and garlic powder which I have never used in Chicken Divan, but I liked it. The panko did not get brown (as expected) so I used the broiler to do so.
This recipe was easy and delicious! Served over rice. It has the perfect amount of spice. I’ll definitely make it again.
I didn’t see any chicken being cooked prior, so I’m just curious do the chicken cubes get added raw or did I miss a step?
Andreen, add cooked chicken. To make it easier you can use a precooked rotisserie chicken. Or try this shredded chicken recipe.
Very easy to make and everyone LOVED it!!!
We love this but I make a little different. Use half baby carrots with the broccoli then put chunks of turkey in spaces. Mix 1 soup with 1/2 can, cup, mayo, 1 tsp lemon juice and 1 tsp yellow curry, spread over all to soak down in. Cover with shredded sharp cheddar cheese then the layer of crumbs. You can adjust the curry and cheese to suit your self. My mother was British so the curry was not the hot stuff. Freeze before using if you must. Bake till bubbly and browned.
Love it !
could not have been an easier dish to make on a cold night! Easy and so good. Only change I made was I used cream of chicken soup as that’s what I had in the house….One dish of deliciousness. Thanks!!
I have an ancient recipe for Chicken Divan, that calls for a 1/2 tsp. of curry powder to be added to the cream sauce before pouring onto the broccoli and chicken. It really gives it a boost. It was my five year old’s favorite dish, but the whole family (7 of us) loved it too.
I love the addition of curry in this recipe!
I made this dish recently. It was really easy, quick, and tasty! Will make again.
I would like to make this for pot luck. Would it be okay to add egg noodles, and should this be done after it cooks in the oven and then pop back in with the bread coating?
Love your website.
Thank you
Hi Fay, I have never made this with egg noodles. If you do, let me how it turns out.
I served this over egg noodles and it was great!!
it was a hit ill make again didn’t change anything
I use Pepperidge Farm Stuffing to top mine….so good!
I have made several of your recipes, but I think this one is my favorite. This dish was excellent. I first satueed chopped onions and mushrooms and then added left over rotisserie chicken & broccoli. I didn’t have dry mustard, so I used regular yellow mustard and heavy cream instead of milk. It was full of flavor and was just so delicious. Everyone loved and asked for seconds. I will definitely make this again on a regular basis.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. Robin