Classic Creamy Chicken Divan: An Irresistible, Easy-to-Make Comfort Food Casserole
Chicken Divan is a cherished classic, a hearty chicken casserole that brings together tender chicken, fresh broccoli, and savory mushrooms, all baked in a rich, creamy sauce. This delightful sauce is infused with notes of sherry, a hint of Worcestershire, and a touch of warm nutmeg, creating a symphony of flavors. It’s an old-school, old-fashioned family recipe that has stood the test of time, celebrated for its ease of preparation, excellent freezing capabilities, and its ability to reheat beautifully, making it a perfect weeknight meal or a comforting dish to share.
Sometimes, what we truly crave is a comforting throwback recipe – something reminiscent of the 1970s, often featuring the convenience of condensed cream soup. Just like a beloved Tuna Noodle Casserole, which holds a special place in many hearts, Chicken Divan is another such iconic dish. It’s more than just a meal; it’s a taste of nostalgia, a warm embrace in casserole form that consistently delivers satisfying flavors and a feeling of home.
About Chicken Divan: A Timeless American Classic
Chicken Divan originated in the early 20th century at the Divan Parisien Restaurant in New York City’s Chatham Hotel. It quickly rose to popularity, becoming a staple in American homes for its comforting appeal and relatively simple preparation. The original recipe featured chicken and broccoli smothered in a rich Mornay sauce (a béchamel with cheese) and often topped with Parmesan. Over the decades, countless variations have emerged, with the condensed cream soup version becoming particularly popular for its ease and creamy consistency, especially during the mid-century casserole boom. Our recipe embraces this classic, comforting rendition, ensuring you get all the nostalgic flavors with straightforward steps.
This dish is a testament to the power of a good casserole: it’s hearty, feeds a crowd, and warms you from the inside out. Whether you’re gathering the family for a cozy dinner or preparing a meal for friends, Chicken Divan offers a delightful blend of textures and tastes. The tender chicken, slightly crisp broccoli, and earthy mushrooms are perfectly balanced by the luscious, savory sauce, making every spoonful a pure comfort experience. Its enduring appeal lies in its simplicity and the sheer joy it brings to the dinner table.
Key Ingredients for Your Perfect Chicken Divan
Creating an outstanding Chicken Divan starts with understanding the role each ingredient plays. While the recipe is straightforward, choosing the right components and preparing them properly makes all the difference in achieving that irresistible, classic flavor.
Casserole Ingredients
- Cooked Chicken: The foundation of this casserole. You can use either boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, but the key is to ensure they are cooked until juicy and tender. If your chicken is tough or dry, even the best Divan sauce can’t fully redeem it. Consider poaching, roasting, or even using a good quality rotisserie chicken for convenience and consistent tenderness. Once cooked, cube or shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- A Head of Broccoli: Fresh broccoli is preferred for its vibrant color and texture. Cut it into small, uniform florets to ensure even cooking. Blanching the broccoli before adding it to the casserole is a simple step that yields a dramatically brighter green color and a perfectly tender-crisp texture, preventing it from becoming mushy during baking.
- Sliced Mushrooms: Both white button or cremini (baby bella) mushrooms work wonderfully in Chicken Divan. Their earthy flavor complements the chicken and creamy sauce. It’s crucial to properly brown the mushrooms in butter before adding them to the casserole. This step develops their rich, umami flavor and prevents them from releasing too much water into your sauce, which can make the casserole watery.
- Unsalted Butter: Used for sautéing the mushrooms and forming the roux for the sauce. Unsalted butter allows you to control the overall sodium content of the dish.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: These Japanese-style breadcrumbs are celebrated for their light, airy, and extra-crispy texture, creating a fantastic golden-brown topping. Fresh breadcrumbs also work very well for this recipe, offering a slightly heartier crunch. For a different texture, you could even try crushed buttery crackers.
- Parmesan Cheese: Always opt for freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Its sharp, nutty flavor is far superior to pre-grated varieties and melts beautifully, forming a delicious, golden crust alongside the breadcrumbs.
Signature Divan Sauce Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter & All-purpose Flour: These two form the roux, the essential thickening agent for our creamy sauce. The butter is melted, and the flour is cooked in it to create a paste, which then serves as the base for the béchamel.
- Milk: Whole milk is recommended for a richer, more luxurious sauce, contributing to the overall creaminess and body of the Divan sauce.
- Mayonnaise: While it might sound a little unconventional to some, mayonnaise in the Divan sauce is actually the classic, traditional way to make it. It adds a subtle tang, extra richness, and a unique depth of flavor that defines this particular casserole. Don’t skip it!
- Worcestershire Sauce: A key flavor enhancer, Worcestershire sauce provides a savory, umami punch that rounds out the sauce and adds a layer of complexity. It’s a small addition that makes a big difference.
- Nutmeg: A touch of freshly grated or ground nutmeg is a traditional pairing with creamy, cheesy sauces. It provides a warm, subtle spice that elevates the overall flavor profile without overpowering the other ingredients.
- Sherry: I typically use cooking sherry, which is readily available at most grocery stores. Since I don’t cook with sherry often enough to keep a good quality drinking sherry on hand, the long shelf-life of cooking sherry makes it a practical choice. It contributes a distinctive nutty and slightly sweet note, adding depth to the sauce.
- Heavy Cream: For that extra touch of indulgence and a truly velvety texture, heavy cream is added. It ensures the sauce is incredibly smooth and rich.
- Condensed Cream of Celery Soup: This is where the classic 1970s casserole magic happens! We use this straight from the can, without diluting it. It provides a convenient, concentrated boost of savory flavor and contributes significantly to the signature creamy texture that Chicken Divan is known for.
Step-by-Step: Crafting Your Delicious Chicken Divan
Making Chicken Divan is a rewarding process that combines a few simple culinary techniques to create a truly spectacular dish. Follow these steps for perfect results every time.
First, prepare your vegetables: We begin by blanching the broccoli. While this step isn’t strictly required, it’s a quick and easy process that makes a huge difference in achieving a beautiful, vibrant green color and a tender-crisp texture for the broccoli. To blanch, simply drop the florets into a pot of rapidly boiling, salted water for about one minute, then immediately transfer them to an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. This shocks the broccoli, locking in its color and preventing it from overcooking later in the oven. Drain them well and set aside.
Next, brown the mushrooms: In a frying pan over medium-high heat, melt two tablespoons of unsalted butter. Add your sliced mushrooms in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook them without stirring too much until they release their moisture, and then continue cooking until they achieve a deep, golden-brown color. I’m a stickler for properly browned mushrooms because it concentrates their flavor and adds a wonderful depth to the casserole. If you’d like to master this technique, check out my detailed post on How to Brown Mushrooms. Once perfectly browned, set them aside with the broccoli.
Now, create the luscious Divan sauce: This sauce begins with the mother of all sauces: béchamel. In a saucepan, melt three tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in three tablespoons of all-purpose flour to create a roux. Cook the roux for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to cook out the raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in one and a half cups of milk, ensuring no lumps form. Continue to cook and stir until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Once the béchamel has thickened, add the rest of the sauce ingredients: the can of cream of celery soup (undiluted), ¾ cup of mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, and ½ teaspoon of nutmeg. Mix everything well until thoroughly combined and smooth. Finally, stir in 4 tablespoons of sherry and ¾ cup of heavy cream, mixing gently until the sauce is uniform and heated through. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Lastly, assemble and bake: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). In a 13×9 inch baking dish or casserole, evenly layer the blanched broccoli, followed by the cooked chicken pieces, and then the browned mushrooms. Pour the creamy Divan sauce evenly over all the ingredients, ensuring everything is well coated. For a delightful golden crust, generously dust the top with a mixture of Panko breadcrumbs and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the topping is golden brown and crispy. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set slightly.
Tips for the Best Chicken Divan
- Don’t Overcook the Chicken: Since the chicken will bake further in the casserole, ensure it’s cooked just until done initially to prevent it from becoming dry.
- Properly Brown Mushrooms: This step is vital for flavor. Don’t rush it; allow the mushrooms to get deeply golden.
- Control Sauce Thickness: If your sauce is too thin, cook it a little longer after adding the milk until it reaches a good consistency. If it’s too thick, thin it with a splash more milk or cream.
- Fresh Ingredients Matter: While convenience ingredients are used, opting for fresh broccoli and freshly grated Parmesan significantly enhances the flavor and texture.
- Cover if Necessary: If the breadcrumb topping starts browning too quickly during baking, loosely cover the casserole with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
Variations & Customizations
Chicken Divan is incredibly versatile, allowing for easy customization to suit your taste or what you have on hand.
- Vegetable Swaps: While broccoli is traditional, feel free to experiment with other vegetables like blanched asparagus, frozen peas, or even thinly sliced carrots.
- Cheese Choices: Beyond Parmesan, try adding Gruyere, sharp cheddar, or even a blend of Italian cheeses for different flavor profiles.
- Chicken Alternatives: This recipe is perfect for leftover turkey after Thanksgiving, or you can easily use store-bought rotisserie chicken for a quick shortcut.
- Spicy Kick: For those who enjoy a bit of heat, a pinch of cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce can be stirred into the Divan sauce.
- Lighter Version: To reduce calories, consider using low-fat cream of celery soup, reduced-fat mayonnaise, and skim milk. You can also increase the amount of vegetables to make it heartier and healthier.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken Divan is a complete meal on its own, but it pairs wonderfully with a variety of sides. Serve it over fluffy white rice, egg noodles, or creamy mashed potatoes to soak up every last bit of that delicious sauce. A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette makes for a refreshing contrast to the richness of the casserole, completing a truly satisfying dinner.
Make-Ahead and Freezing Instructions
One of the best qualities of Chicken Divan is its make-ahead and freezer-friendly nature, making it perfect for meal prep or busy weeknights.
To make ahead: You can assemble the entire casserole, including the breadcrumb topping, up to 24 hours in advance. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate. When ready to bake, remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking to allow it to come closer to room temperature, then bake as directed, potentially adding an extra 10-15 minutes to the baking time since it’s starting cold.
To freeze Chicken Divan, assemble the entire recipe in disposable aluminum pans. This makes for easy storage and baking without tying up your regular bakeware. Cover the pans tightly with a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. It can be frozen for up to 2 months. To cook, remove the pan from the freezer and allow it to thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight, or for several hours on the counter. Once thawed, bake as per the recipe directions. If baking from frozen (which is possible but will take longer), cover tightly with foil and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 60-75 minutes, then uncover and increase temperature to 400°F (200°C) for the last 15-20 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
While you technically can use canned chicken for convenience, for the best flavor and texture, freshly cooked chicken (like poached chicken breasts or thighs, or rotisserie chicken) is highly recommended. Canned chicken can sometimes have a different texture and saltiness that might alter the overall taste of the casserole.
The condensed cream of celery soup is a hallmark of the classic, old-fashioned Chicken Divan, contributing significantly to its unique creamy texture and specific flavor profile. While you could attempt to make a fully from-scratch cream sauce without it, the resulting dish would have a different taste and consistency. For an authentic “throwback” experience, it’s best to stick with the condensed soup.
Cooking sherry, found in the vinegar or condiment aisle of most grocery stores, is perfectly suitable for this recipe. Its longer shelf life and lower cost make it a practical choice for occasional cooking. If you prefer, a dry fino or amontillado sherry (a drinking sherry) can offer a more nuanced flavor, but it’s not necessary for a delicious result.
A watery Chicken Divan can happen for a couple of reasons. Ensure you thoroughly drain the blanched broccoli; excess water will thin the sauce. Also, when browning mushrooms, cook them until all their moisture has evaporated and they are truly golden-brown, not just softened. Finally, ensure your béchamel sauce is properly thickened before adding the other sauce ingredients.
Need a recipe for when someone is in need of hugs and a casserole? Check out my Chicken and Zucchini Casserole.
Chicken Divan
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Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs or 2 large chicken breasts cooked and cubed
- 1 head broccoli cut into florets
- 8 oz mushrooms sliced
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- fresh bread crumbs
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Divan Sauce
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cup milk
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 4 Tbsp sherry
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of celery soup
Instructions
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Heat oven to 400°F (200°C).
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Blanch the broccoli: add to boiling water for 1 minute, then move to an ice water bath to cool quickly. Drain well and set aside.
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In a large frying pan over high heat, brown the sliced mushrooms in the 2 Tbsp unsalted butter until deeply golden and all moisture has evaporated. Set aside.
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In a saucepan, prepare the white sauce: Melt the 3 Tbsp butter, add the 3 Tbsp flour, and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes to form a roux. Whisk in the 1 ½ cup milk gradually and heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Add the undiluted cream of celery soup, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, and nutmeg. Mix well until smooth. Stir in the sherry and heavy cream until combined.
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Assemble the casserole: Place the blanched broccoli in a 13×9 inch baking dish. Top with the cooked chicken and browned mushrooms. Pour the creamy Divan sauce evenly over all the ingredients. Dust the top generously with fresh breadcrumbs and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 30 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and the topping is golden brown and crispy. Let rest for a few minutes before serving.