Chicken Divan is a classic casserole that's a creamy, cheesy, and comforting favorite! This easy recipe uses rotisserie chicken and broccoli layered in a baking dish, blended in a creamy sauce made with cream of mushroom soup, mayo, curry, and a splash of lemon juice.
The prep time and cook time have been shortened thanks to the rotisserie chicken and steam-in-bag broccoli. Simply layer the ingredients in a casserole dish, top with cheese, bread crumbs (or Ritz crackers), melted butter, and bake!
Have you tried Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole? My husband could eat the whole thing at one meal; it's that good!
This recipe was originally published in 2020 and was updated in 2025 with beautiful new photos, sample meal plans, and more helpful tips.
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Why You'll Love Chicken Divan Casserole
Quick? Yep. What I particularly like about this recipe is how quick and easy it is. I'm a huge fan of store-bought rotisserie chicken. It's a super time saver because it's already cooked and it tastes great, too!
Less prep? Yep Using microwave, steam-in-the-bag broccoli florets cut down on prep. Am I starting to convince you to make this fabulous casserole?
Dinner in under an hour? Yep. Your delicious dinner is ready in about 40 minutes and makes 6 servings. Need a side dish? Try these Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon!
Ingredients with Notes
Below the photo are some helpful notes about the key ingredients.
Rotisserie chicken - use the regular flavor for best results. I found a great YouTube video with some great tips on how to break down a rotisserie chicken.
Broccoli florets - use the steam in bag version for easy prep.
Mayonnaise and cream of mushroom soup - creates a velvety smooth sauce.
Curry powder - adds a warm, ever so light spiciness to the chicken divan. It adds a little something special to the richness of the sauce. I highly recommend using it!
Lemon juice - adds a fantastic little zing.
Shredded cheddar cheese - no casserole is complete without a cheese topping (wink). Try shredding your own cheese...the flavor and texture are much better than the pre-shredded stuff!
Panko bread crumbs - larger and crispier bits of bread crumbs than the regular kind! Use your leftover panko bread crumbs to make these Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders!
Butter - to make the pork rinds/breadcrumbs more crunchy.
Recipe Variations
- Instead of rotisserie chicken, you can use 3-4 cooked chicken breasts or thighs. You can also use leftover turkey.
- Frozen cauliflower can be used in place of the broccoli.
- Fresh broccoli can be used, but I recommend steaming it until it's crispy before using it.
- Use cream of chicken soup or cream of celery soup if you don't like mushrooms.
- Swap mayo with sour cream or Greek yogurt.
- Additionally, you can add sliced mushrooms or slivered almonds for extra texture and flavor.
- Replace bread crumbs with crumbled Ritz crackers or potato chips!
- To lower the carbs, use crushed pork rinds instead of bread crumbs.
How to Make Chicken Divan
For the absolute best results, follow the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: Lay the broccoli and chicken on bottom of dish.
Step 2: Whisk the soup, mayo, and lemon juice then pour on top.
Step 3: Sprinkle the seasonings on top. Stir to blend everything together.
Step 4: Sprinkle cheese and bread crumbs on top. Pour melted butter over the top and bake uncovered at 350F for about 30 minutes.
Alternatively: You can mix the soup, mayo, lemon juice, curry powder, black pepper, and salt in a bowl, add the cooked chicken, stir, then pour into the casserole dish.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure any excess liquid from steaming the broccoli is discarded (we don't want soupy chicken divan!).
- Use a box grater to shred your own cheese for the best flavor and texture. Tip - lay it on its side to keep the cheese from falling out! Watch this video tutorial for some great Box Grater Tips and get the most out of your box grater -- they're not just for cheese!
- Make sure to evenly distribute the ingredients in your casserole dish. Also, keep an eye on the baking time to avoid overcooking the dish, which could lead to dryness.
Serving Tips
While I love to eat chicken divan all by itself (it's so good!), you can serve it over cooked white rice or wild rice.
To lower the carbs, you can serve it with a simple green salad dressed with a light vinaigrette. You can also serve it with cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or a spinach salad.
Steamed asparagus or Roasted Brussels Sprouts also work beautifully for a well-rounded meal.
Presentation Tips
Individual portions: Serve in small cast-iron skillets or ramekins for a cozy, restaurant-style presentation.
Mini bread bowls: Hollow out small dinner rolls or crusty bread bowls, then spoon in the hot Chicken Divan. The bread soaks up the sauce and becomes a delicious part of the meal.
Mason jars: Spoon the casserole into stemless wine glasses or mason jars, then garnish with a little parsley or a lemon twist. This makes it feel like an upscale, layered dish.
How to Make Ahead
You can make chicken divan casserole up to two days in advance. Assemble the casserole, without the cheese and breadcrumbs or pork rinds. Cover the casserole dish and place in the refrigerator. Then, when ready to bake, take it out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature (20 to 30 minutes). Bake as directed.
Easy Meal Plan Ideas
Meal Plan 1: Cozy Comfort
Starter: A small cup of creamy potato leek soup
Main: Chicken Divan served in ramekins or mini bread bowls
Side: Garlic butter green beans with toasted almonds
Dessert: Skillet Apple Crisp with vanilla ice cream
Meal Plan 2: Fresh and Light
Starter: Citrus salad with fennel and a citrus vinaigrette dressing
Main: Chicken Divan served with wild rice
Side: Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
Dessert: Greek Yogurt Parfaits with cream cheese and mixed berries
Meal Plan 3: Casual Family Night
Starter: A simple veggie tray with ranch or hummus for dipping
Main: Chicken Divan served in a cast-iron skillet, family-style
Side: Cheddar and chive biscuits with soft butter
Dessert: Peanut Butter Cookies with cold milk
Recipe FAQs
You can use cream of chicken soup instead of cream of mushroom soup. If you don't have any condensed soups, or don't want to use them, I suggest using the same easy, base homemade sauce that I use for my chicken alfredo: Melt 2 tablespoon of butter in a pan, add 2 tablespoon of cornstarch and stir to combine. Slowly add 2 ½ cups of milk. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Pour on top of chicken & broccoli, proceed with steps 4 - 5 of the recipe card.
While this recipe is traditionally baked in an oven, you can adapt it for a slow cooker. Spray the inside of a slow cooker with non-stick spray. Follow the recipe card instructions (except for the oven/bake references) and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
Store any leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I prefer to use BPA-free glass containers with locking lids. Check out this 18-piece set of glass food storage containers with locking lids. You can also freeze leftovers - be sure to use an airtight container to prevent ice crystals from forming. When you're ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then heat in a 350F oven (or heat in the microwave) until piping hot.
More Chicken Dinner Recipes to Try
Recipe
Quick and Easy Chicken Divan
Equipment
- Sharp kitchen knife
- large mixing bowl
- Casserole dish
- whisk
- measuring spoons
- measuring cup(s)
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken (all meat removed and chopped or shredded) OR use about 1-½ pounds of cooked chicken breasts, shredded or chopped
- 10 ounces frozen broccoli florets, steamed-in-bag, excess liquid discarded
- 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs or plain crushed pork rinds
- 1-2 tablespoon(s) melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Steam the broccoli in the microwave per the package directions, till tender-crisp (drain excess liquid).10 ounces frozen broccoli florets, steamed-in-bag, excess liquid discarded
- Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray. Lay the broccoli and chicken at bottom of dish.1 rotisserie chicken (all meat removed and chopped or shredded)
- With a whisk, mix the soup, mayo, and lemon juice in a bowl.2 cans cream of mushroom soup, 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Pour the soup and mayo mixture on top.
- Sprinkle the seasonings on top. Blend well.½ teaspoon curry powder, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Sprinkle cheese and then the bread crumbs (or pork rinds) on top. Drizzle melted butter on top and bake uncovered at 350F for about 30 minutes or until the topping is slightly browned.1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, ½ cup Panko bread crumbs, 1-2 tablespoon(s) melted butter
Notes
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- Instead of rotisserie chicken, you can use 3-4 cooked chicken breasts or thighs. You can also use leftover turkey.
-
- Frozen cauliflower can be used in place of the broccoli.
-
- Fresh broccoli can be used, but I recommend steaming it until it's crispy before using it.
-
- Use cream of chicken soup or cream of celery soup if you don't like mushrooms.
-
- Additionally, you can add diced mushrooms or slivered almonds for extra texture and flavor.
-
- Replace bread crumbs with crumbled Ritz crackers or potato chips!
-
- To lower carbs, use crushed pork rinds instead of bread crumbs.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in 2020 and was updated in 2025.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy to my readers. I'm not a nutritionist and I don't guarantee the accuracy of this data. The data may differ according to the brands I used versus the brands you use. To calculate the data yourself using your brands, try using an online nutrition calculator or app.
Kathie Mace says
Chicken divan with curry was delicious even my grandkids loved it!
Anne Clark says
That's great, Kathie! I love it when the grandkids enjoy a meal at our house; it makes me happy! I'm glad you and your grandkids enjoyed this recipe. Thank you so much for letting me know, and for the 5 stars!!