Chicken Divan is a classic, creamy chicken and broccoli casserole topped with melted cheese and buttery breadcrumbs or Ritz crackers. My quick and easy version uses rotisserie chicken and steam-in-bag broccoli, so there's very little prep work!
The creamy sauce is made with cream of mushroom soup, mayo, curry powder, and a splash of lemon juice. Just layer everything in a baking dish, add the topping, and bake until hot and bubbly. Dinner is ready in about 40 minutes!
Quick Look: Quick and Easy Chicken Divan
- ⏲️Ready in: 40 minutes
- 👪Serves: 4-6
- 🥘Key Ingredients: Rotisserie chicken, broccoli, cream of mushroom soup, mayo, cheddar cheese
- 🍳Method: Oven
- ⭐Difficulty: Easy
- 👩🍳Texture/Flavor: Creamy, cheesy chicken and broccoli with a hint of curry flavor and a buttery, crunchy topping
- ☀️Best For: Busy weeknights and family dinners
- ✅Why You'll Love It: Rotisserie chicken and steam-in-bag broccoli save time and prep work
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Have you tried Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole? My husband could eat the whole thing at one meal; it's that good!
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Why You'll Love Chicken Divan Casserole
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"Chicken divan with curry was delicious even my grandkids loved it!" - Kathie
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 4-6 servings (depending on portion sizes). My husband will eat half the casserole at one sitting; I kid you not! Need a side dish? Try these Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon!
Key Ingredients
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 - mix with the breadcrumbs to make that buttery, crunchy topping.
Substitutions and Variations
Chicken: Leftover cooked chicken works in place of rotisserie chicken. You can also use leftover turkey.
Broccoli: Fresh broccoli works, too. Steam it until tender-crisp before adding it to the casserole.
Condensed soup: If you don't like mushrooms, you can use cream of chicken or cream of celery soup.
Crunchy topping: Use crushed Ritz crackers instead of panko breadcrumbs for a buttery, crunchy topping.
How to Make Chicken Divan
For the absolute best results, follow the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Photo 1: Lay the broccoli and chicken on bottom of dish.
Photo 2: Whisk the soup, mayo, and lemon juice then pour on top.
Photo 3: Sprinkle the seasonings on top. Stir to blend everything together.
Photo 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 and broccoli, stir, then pour into the casserole dish.
Anne's Tips
- Make sure 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!
- Make sure to evenly distribute the ingredients in your casserole dish.
- 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.
- My Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread is a great side when you're looking for heartier meal.
- For a great roasted vegetable side, my Roasted Sweet Potato Halves are the quick and easy way to prepare sweet potatoes.
How to Make Ahead
You can make chicken divan casserole up to two days in advance. Assemble the casserole, without the cheese and breadcrumbs. 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.
Chicken Divan FAQs
Chicken Divan was named after the Divan Parisien restaurant at the Chatham Hotel in New York City, where the dish originated. The original featured chicken, broccoli and a rich cheese sauce. My version uses rotisserie chicken and condensed soup to make this classic casserole much easier!
Some recipes include curry powder, while others don't. I highly recommend it in my Chicken Divan! It adds just a hint of curry that goes wonderfully with the creamy sauce, chicken, and broccoli.
Broccoli can release quite a bit of water, especially after steaming. Be sure to drain it well before adding it to your casserole. That's why I always discard the excess liquid from my steam-in-the-bag broccoli.
More Chicken Dinner Recipes to Try
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Recipe
Quick and Easy Chicken Divan
Equipment
- Sharp kitchen knife
- large mixing bowl
- Casserole dish
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
- Preparing your ingredients ahead of time? You can shred the rotisserie chicken and cheese before you begin assembling the casserole.
- Make a double batch: This recipe can be doubled to serve 12. Use a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and check that the casserole is heated through before serving.
- Don't forget the curry! It might seem like an unusual ingredient, but I highly recommend it. Just a little gives the creamy sauce that special flavor.
- Let it rest: If the sauce looks a little loose when you take the casserole out of the oven, let it sit for a few minutes before serving.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in 2020 and was updated in 2026.
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.
Deborah Dirks says
This recipe does not include how much of each ingredient I need for the recipe.
Anne Clark says
Hi Deborah. The ingredient measurements are in the “recipe card” towards the bottom of the post. You actually scrolled right past it to leave me a comment 🙂
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!!