Chicken Divan
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This Chicken Divan is the chicken casserole of your dreams! Cheesy, creamy, made with chicken, and tender florets of broccoli topped with a crunchy panko topping. With 5 minutes of prep, you’ll have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes!
I’m still day dreaming about this chicken divan! All that cheese, the creamy sauce, and my favorite part: the broccoli. Sounds crazy? I know! Just hear me out. The florets soak up all that incredible sauce. Each bite gushing with flavor. Broccoli and cheese are a combination that hold such a special place in my heart.
Besides my undying love of sauce-soaked broccoli, this is a recipe I love to use when I have leftover chicken to use up. For these photos I used some cubed up chicken breast fried in a skillet, however I usually go for some leftovers from the night before. Shredded, diced, breast, thigh, meat from a drumstick- use whatever you have in the fridge.
What Is Chicken Divan?
Named after the restaurant it was created in, Divan Parisian, this dish was originally created with chicken, broccoli, and a classic bechamel sauce made with Gruyere cheese. It was served as their signature dish, being both incredibly delicious yet easy to make.
It’s hard to believe this classic casserole was such a coveted dish back in its day; we never see these delicious, filling, and simple casseroles served in restaurants anymore! It has since become a favorite in North American households.
Ingredient Notes
- Broccoli – Fresh or frozen.
- Chicken – Pre-cooked. I fried up some cubed chicken breast in a skillet, however this is a great opportunity to use up leftovers.
- Condensed soup – I used cream of chicken. Any “cream of” condensed soup flavor you like best will work.
- Sour cream – Or Greek yogurt.
- Cheddar cheese – Marble, Monterey Jack, Colby, Gruyere or Swiss will all work as well.
- Milk – Any type, even non-dairy alternatives.
- Salt & pepper – Season to taste.
- Breadcrumbs – I used panko to give a perfectly crisp top.
- Butter – Unsalted. Margarine or other alternatives can be used instead.
How To Make Chicken Divan
- Prep: Preheat oven to 450 F degrees. Place broccoli in a large pot boiling water and cook 3 to 5 minutes or just until tender crisp. Drain well.
- Mix: In a large bowl combine the cooked chicken, chicken soup, sour cream, 1 cup of the cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Stir in the broccoli.
- Dump: Transfer to a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
- Top: In a small bowl toss the breadcrumbs together with the butter. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the casserole.
- Bake: Place the casserole dish in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly.
Can I Use Different Veggies?
Of course you can! You can add a medley of veggies, or just one of these suggestions:
- Cauliflower
- Peas
- Green beans
- Carrots
- Corn
- Mushrooms
- Kale/ spinach
How To Serve
Since this recipe features chicken and broccoli, chicken divan is usually served all on its own. Bring some hot sauce or red pepper flakes to the table, a loaf of freshly baked bread, and dig in.
If you don’t mind adding some carbs and would like a bit more sustenance to the meal, this dish would be great over some rice or pasta. It’s nice to have something to soak up that cheesy sauce!
Leftovers
You can wrap your casserole dish well with foil, or transfer the leftovers to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Reheat either in the microwave, or you can use the oven. Preheat the oven to 400F. If not already in one, transfer the leftovers to a casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake for 8-10 minutes or until heated through.
Make Your Casserole Ahead
You can prep this recipe and keep it in the fridge 2-3 days ahead of time. Cover it well with plastic wrap or foil to store. My only piece of advice is to leave the breadcrumb topping off until right before baking to keep it nice and crisp.
This is one of those easy dinners that I will prep ahead of time, and freeze for an easy dinner. You can freeze it baked or unbaked.
Unbaked
- Prep the chicken divan in a casserole dish. Cover the dish well with both plastic wrap and foil.
- Freeze for 2-6 months.
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Remove the foil and plastic wrap from the casserole dish.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and heated through.
Baked
- Let the chicken divan fully cool down to room temperature. Cover the dish well with both plastic wrap and foil.
- Freeze for 2-6 months.
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Remove the plastic wrap from under the foil, the cover it back up with the foil.
- Bake for 20 minutes, remove the foil, then bake for another 5 minutes until bubbly and heated through.
More Great Recipes To Try
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Chicken Divan
Ingredients
- 1 pound broccoli (chopped)
- 2 cups chicken (cooked, cubed)
- 10.75 ounce condensed cream of chicken soup (1 can)
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese (shredded)
- ⅓ cup milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
Topping
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs (I used Panko)
- 1 tablespoon butter
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 450 F degrees. Place broccoli in a large pot boiling water and cook 3 to 5 minutes or just until tender crisp. Drain well.
- Mix: In a large bowl combine the cooked chicken, chicken soup, sour cream, 1 cup of the cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Stir in the broccoli.
- Dump: Transfer to a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
- Top: In a small bowl toss the breadcrumbs together with the butter. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the casserole.
- Bake: Place the casserole dish in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly.
Equipment
Notes
- You can wrap your casserole dish well with foil, or transfer the leftovers to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- Reheat either in the microwave, or you can use the oven. Preheat the oven to 400F. If not already in one, transfer the leftovers to a casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake for 8-10 minutes or until heated through.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
This recipe was delicious and a hit with the whole family!
So glad you guys liked it!
Added some extra seasoning, but otherwise followed the recipe. It was really good! Super rich, so I’m glad we made some rice as a side.
I had company for supper and took a meal to a sick friend. EVERYONE loved it! I have been asked to make it again already!
We are so glad you all enjoyed it!
Very good recipe! I changed it a bit by adding a small can of button mushrooms and a teaspoon of madras curry powder. Served it over jasmine rice! It was a hit…
Awesome!
This might be a silly question, but for the panko butter topping, do you toss the panko in melted butter and then sprinkle it on? Thanks!
You got it!
Really easy and good ended up adding 1c of sour cream and wish I omitted the salt. Will definitely make this again. Glad I found your site.
This was delicious!! So simple and easy! That’s my kind of dinner! Definitely will make again but might add rice next time! Thank you for all your great recipes! I’ve made many from your website and they never disappoint!
Could you freeze this? Looks delicious! Thanks!
There are instructions in the post on how to do that.
Thanks!! I must have missed that! Can’t wait to have this for dinner tomorrow night!! Looks delicious!
DELICIOUS! Had to have seconds! Glad I doubled it!
Hi Jo, is there anything I can use instead of the condensed cream of chicken soup? Can’t find it in my supermarket. Thanks!
You can use a condensed cream of mushroom or broccoli!
The kids loved it. They already asked when we can have it again!
A keeper!
In the introduction, you stated that Gruyere cheese was used in the original restaurant recipe for this dish, yet Gruyere is not listed in the possible cheeses to use. Will the recipe work with Gruyere and why didn’t you include it as a choice or even as the first choice?
Oh yes, Gruyere would definitely work.
Sorry for the stupid question, but how do you pre cook the chicken?
Under the ingredients section, I actually mention how I precooked mine. You have multiple options, you can use leftover rotisserie chicken, you can do it as I did, and just cube up some chicken breast and fry it in a skillet, you can boil some chicken breast, or if you have any leftover chicken use that. 🙂
Am unable to see the reviews on this recipe.
It was just posted yesterday evening! You might have to wait a little until someone makes it themselves 🙂