Chicken Divan is a classic casserole made with chicken and broccoli, baked with a sour cream and cream of mushroom soup mixture with a hint of curry and dry white wine, then topped with cheddar cheese and panko bread crumbs. Dinner is ready in about 40 minutes and makes 6 servings.
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Welcome to My Kitchen Serenity! Are you a casserole fanatic (like me)? I mean, who doesn't love the delicious comfort food combination of a creamy casserole! This easy family dinner meal will please everyone at the dinner table.
In fact, you may notice that I have several chicken and beef casserole recipes on the blog. They're just so delicious and comforting!
My other casserole recipes include:
Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo with Penne Pasta
Rotel Chicken Spaghetti (#1 recipe on the blog)
What I particularly like about this recipe is how extremely easy it is. First, I'm a huge fan of store-bought rotisserie chicken. It's a super time saver and tastes great, too! The only prep work needed is to simply pull the meat off the bones and rough chop. Some grocery stores go a step further and sell the rotisserie chicken already pulled from the bones. I hope you enjoy this easy chicken divan!
We use frozen broccoli florets that you steam in the bag. Super simple! Do you like crunch? Add some slivered almonds for a delightful nutty crunch.
Panko bread crumbs are popular as a topping because they're more crunchy and hold up better than regular bread crumbs. They're widely available at grocery stores. If you do your shopping online, you can find panko bread crumbs on Amazon.
I hope you enjoy this easy dinner recipe as much as we do. Chicken broccoli divan is creamy and flavorful and hits the spot whether it's a home cooked meal, pot luck, or for a party. Most people love casseroles!
Ingredient List
please scroll down to the recipe card for more detailed information
Rotisserie chicken
Broccoli florets
Sour cream
Cream of mushroom soup
Milk
Curry powder
Salt
Pepper
Dry white wine (optional)
Lemon juice
Shredded cheddar cheese
Panko breadcrumbs
Butter
Optional:
Cooked white rice
Cooked noodles
Kitchen Tools Needed
Sharp kitchen knife
Large mixing bowl
Medium mixing bowl
Casserole or baking dish
Whisk
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups
Substitutions and Variations
You can use 3-4 cooked chicken breasts instead of the Rotisserie chicken.
Use leftover turkey instead of the chicken. Use cauliflower or asparagus instead of broccoli. Throw in some sliced mushrooms for a wonderful addition!
It's perfectly fine to leave out the dry white cooking wine. You can use cream of chicken soup instead of the cream of mushroom soup. If you don't have any condensed soups, or don't want to use the soups, scroll down for an easy and delicious alternative.
Variations for the topping include regular bread crumbs or crushed crackers instead of panko crumbs. I've also seen people using crushed corn flakes.
Looking for a low carb dinner option? Simply omit the panko topping or replace the panko bread crumbs with crushed pork rinds.
Easy Directions
STEP 1. Preheat oven to 350F. Gather all your ingredients. Pull meat from chicken and rough-chop or shred. Steam the broccoli in the microwave per the package directions, till tender-crisp. With a whisk, mix the soup, sour cream, milk, lemon juice, and wine in a bowl.
STEP 2: Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray. Lay the broccoli and chicken on bottom of dish.
STEP 3: Pour the soup and sour cream mixture on top.
STEP 4: Sprinkle the seasonings on top. Blend well.
STEP 5: Sprinkle cheese and bread crumbs on top. Pour melted butter over cheese and bread crumbs and bake uncovered at 350F for about 30 minutes or until the topping is slightly browned.
Side Dish Suggestions
This casserole is pretty filling as is, but if you need to stretch it further, it's wonderful served on top of rice or mashed potatoes. In addition, you can serve this casserole with a simple green salad and garlic bread. For a change of pace, serve with my Creamy Corn Salad.
Make-ahead Tips
You can make this casserole up to 2 days in advance. Assemble the casserole, without the cheese and panko crumbs. 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). Proceed to Step 5 of the recipe card.
No Canned Soup Version
You can certainly leave out the condensed soup and sour cream but you'll need to replace them with something! I suggest using the same easy, base homemade sauce that I use for my chicken alfredo. You'll need:
- Butter (2 Tbsp)
- Cornstarch (2 Tbsp)
- Whole Milk (2-½ cups)
Instructions: Melt butter in a pan, add cornstarch, and milk. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Pour on top of chicken & broccoli, proceed with recipe steps 4 - 5.
Storing Leftovers in the Refrigerator
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.
Storing Leftovers in the Freezer
Be sure to freeze in 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.
If you try this delicious chicken divan, please let me know in the comments below.
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Easy Southern 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 3-4 cooked chicken breasts, shredded or chopped
- 10 ounces frozen broccoli florets, steamed-in-bag
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 8 ounces sour cream
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine (optional)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
- 2-3 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Gather all your ingredients. Pull meat from chicken and rough-chop or shred. Steam the broccoli in the microwave per the package directions, till tender-crisp. With a whisk, mix the soup, sour cream, milk, lemon juice, and wine in a bowl.
- Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray. Lay the broccoli and chicken at bottom of dish.
- Pour the soup and sour cream mixture on top.
- Sprinkle the seasonings on top. Blend well.
- Sprinkle cheese and bread crumbs on top. Pour melted butter over cheese and breadcrumbs and bake uncovered at 350F for about 30 minutes or until the topping is slightly browned.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional data source: happyforks.com
Lori smith
Delicious recipe but when do you put the milk in? I’ve made this a few times but it seems watery. I did put in milk with sour cream/soup mixture. Used 1% also light sour cream. Not sure if that’s the problem. Thanks!
MyKitchenSerenity
Hi Lori! Thank you so much for getting in touch with me. I have corrected the recipe card to include the milk! Sorry about that; you definitely did the right thing mixing the milk in with the sour cream and soup. I'm really not sure why it's coming out watery for you. I actually made this recipe again tonight, and it turned out fine. The only thing I did differently was to use fresh broccoli instead of frozen. I steamed it in the microwave and had to drain it very well as it was quite watery. I don't think using light sour cream would make any difference in the consistency however, I read online that non-fat sour cream can make a difference in baking. Sorry you had less than a great experience with this recipe but thank you for trying it several times, and thank you for letting me know.