The Best Chicken Divan Recipe (2024)

Published: Mar 5, 2024 · By: Kylie · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

This creamy chicken divan recipe is filled with tender broccoli and shredded chicken in a creamy cheese sauce. Then it's topped with melty cheese and crispy Ritz crackers for a little extra flavor and crunch. The best part is you can make it all in one pan!

Easy Chicken Divan Recipe

• This cozy, comforting, classic chicken casserole is a delicious meal that the whole family will look forward to. It's a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken or grilled chicken and you can prep the ingredients in about 10 minutes!
• Most chicken divan recipes are made with condensed soup but this recipe uses butter and flour combined with cream and shredded cheese to create that rich creamy sauce, without condensed soup! You can feel good about serving this chicken divan casserole to your family because you know exactly what's in it!

Ingredients forEasy Chicken Divan

• Fresh Broccoli: I prefer the flavor and texture of fresh broccoli for this chicken divan recipe. You can also use frozen broccoli.
• Butter: Butter is going to add flavor and combine with the flour to create a roux that will thicken the creamy sauce.
• Onion & Garlic: Yellow onion and freshly minced garlic are my favorites for this chicken divan.
• Herbs & Spices: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder combine with the onion and garlic for a delicious, aromatic flavor based in this creamy chicken broccoli divan.
• Flour: All-purpose flour works best in this recipe.
• Chicken Stock: You can also use chicken broth or veggie broth in place of the chicken stock.
• Heavy Cream: Heavy cream is going to give you the best flavor and texture. Half and half will create a considerably thinner sauce and won't give you the same rich flavor.
• Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard adds some depth of flavor but don't worry you won't taste the mustard in the cream sauce.
• Rotisserie Chicken: Shredded rotisserie chicken is my favorite shortcut for getting this easy chicken divan recipe on the dinner table in no time. You can also use leftover grilled chicken if you like.
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar is going to add tons of flavor. You can sub with mild cheddar or your favorite melty cheese.
• Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan adds a delicious nuttiness. You can use all sharp cheddar if you prefer or again, replace it with your favorite melty cheese.
• Ritz Crackers: Ritz crackers create the perfect crispy crust on top of the melty cheese and creamy chicken casserole.

How to Make Chicken Divan at Home

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add a couple heaping teaspoons ofKosher saltand the broccoli. Cook for 3 minutes, drain, and set aside.

Melt 3 tablespoonsbutterin alarge saute panover medium heat. Add diced onion along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 4 minutes. Add minced garlic,Italian seasoning,garlic powder,onion powder, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute.

Sprinkle flour over the veggies and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in a few large splashes of chicken stock until it cleans the bottom of the pan, scraping all those yummy bits off the bottom.

Whisk in the remaining chicken stock and heavy cream until it's smooth and creamy.Whisk inDijon mustard.Cook over medium heat until it comes to a gentle simmer. Gently simmer over medium to medium-low heat for about 4 minutes until it thickens. Remove from the heat and let sit for about a minute. Slowly whisk in half the shreddedsharp cheddarcheese and the shredded Parmesan cheese.

Stir in blanched broccoli and shredded rotisserie chicken.

Mix until combined.

Top casserole with remaining shredded cheddar cheese, cover tightly with foil or a lid, and bake for 20 minutes or until warmed through.

See Also

The Polish Sorrel Soup Recipe I Make Over and Over Again

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons ofbutterand pour it over the crushed Ritz crackers in a bowl. Mix until thebuttercoats the crushed crackers. Sprinkle buttery Ritz crackers over the melted cheese and turn the oven to broil.

Broil for 1-2 minutes or until the Ritz crackers are just slightly dark golden brown. Serve with white rice and enjoy!

Tips for Making Chicken Divan

• I recommend using my favorite large saute pan for this recipe. That way it can go straight from the stovetop, to the oven, to the dinner table! If you don't have an oven-safe pan that you can use on the stove, you can make the sauce on the stove and then transfer everything to a 9x13 baking dish and bake!
• The sauce will thicken slightly as the broccoli chicken divan bakes in the oven so if you want a saucier dish, just add a bit more heavy cream or broth. If you're serving it with rice or mashed potatoes, sometimes a thinner texture will help stretch it further and coat the rice or create a gravy for the potatoes.
• Switch up the veggies to suit your family's taste. If your family prefers cauliflower, use that instead of broccoli. This would also be delicious with chopped asparagus, carrots, or Brussels sprouts! Just be sure to blanch whatever veggie you use so that it's partly cooked and can finish cooking in the casserole while it bakes.

FAQ

What does Divan mean in chicken divan?

The word Divan comes from the Divan Parisian restaurant in New York where this chicken casserole was first served in the early 20th century. Chicken Divan became a popular dish in the 50's, so it's steeped in nostalgia and has a lot of hallmarks of a classic casserole dish of that time.

What to serve with chicken broccoli casserole?

I like to serve chicken divan over rice, egg noodles, or mashed potatoes. I love to serve it alongside easy garlic bread, roasted baby potatoes, slow cooker mac and cheese, twice-baked potatoes, and air fryer green beans.

Make-Ahead Instructions

You can make this casserole up to 48 hours in advance. Assemble the casserole through step #11 and store it in the fridge, tightly covered. Leave it out on the counter for one hour before baking. Then bake at 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes until heated through. Top with buttery crackers and broil for a minute or two!

Storing Leftover Chicken Divan

Store leftover chicken divan in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Freezing Chicken Divan

Freeze chicken divan casserole in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating Chicken Divan

Reheat chicken casserole in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes or until heated through. You can also microwave it in 30-60 second increments until warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

Try these easy chicken recipes next!

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Chicken Divan

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5 from 2 reviews

This creamy chicken divan casserole is filled with tender broccoli and shredded chicken in a creamy cheese sauce. Then it's topped with melty cheese and crispy Ritz crackers for a little extra flavor and crunch. The best part is you can make it all in one pan!

• Author: Kylie
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Stove Top/Oven
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

UnitsScale

• 6-7 cups broccoli chopped into bite-sized pieces (about a pound)
• 5 tablespoons butter, divided
• ½ small yellow onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• ¾ cup crushed Ritz crackers
• Kosher salt
• fresh cracked pepper
• cooked white rice for serving

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add a couple heaping teaspoons of Kosher salt and the broccoli. Cook for 3 minutes, drain, and set aside.
3. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large saute pan over medium heat.
4. Add diced onion along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 4 minutes.
5. Add minced garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute.
6. Sprinkle flour over the veggies and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
7. Slowly whisk in a few large splashes of chicken stock until it cleans the bottom of the pan, scraping all those yummy bits off the bottom. Whisk in the remaining chicken stock and heavy cream until it's smooth and creamy.Whisk inDijon mustard.
8. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a gentle simmer. Gently simmer over medium to medium-low heat for about 4 minutes until it thickens.
9. Remove from the heat and let sit for about a mintue. Slowly whisk in half the shredded sharp cheddar cheese and the shredded Parmesan cheese.
10. Stir in blanched broccoli and shredded rotisserie chicken.
11. Top casserole with remaining shredded cheddar cheese and cover tightly with foil or a lid.
12. Bake for 20 minutes or until warmed through.
13. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and pour it over the crushed Ritz crackers in a bowl. Mix until the butter coats the crushed crackers.
14. Sprinkle buttery Ritz crackers over the melted cheese and turn the oven to broil. Broil for 1-2 minutes or until the Ritz crackers are just slightly dark golden brown.
15. Serve with white rice and enjoy!
16. If you loved this recipe, please be sure to leave a 5-star rating and review below!

Equipment

large saute pan

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Notes

• I recommend using my favorite large saute pan for this recipe. That way it can go straight from the stovetop, to the oven, to the dinner table! If you don't have an oven-safe pan that you can use on the stove, you can make the sauce on the stove and then transfer everything to a 9x13 baking dish and bake!
• The sauce will thicken slightly as the broccoli chicken divan bakes in the oven so if you want a saucier dish, just add a bit more heavy cream or broth. If you're serving it with rice or mashed potatoes, sometimes a thinner texture will help stretch it further and coat the rice or create a gravy for the potatoes.
• Switch up the veggies to suit your family's taste. If your family prefers cauliflower, use that instead of broccoli. This would also be delicious with chopped asparagus, carrots, or Brussels sprouts! Just be sure to blanch whatever veggie you use so that it's partly cooked and can finish cooking in the casserole while it bakes.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: ⅛ of the casserole
• Calories: 401
• Sugar: 2.8 g
• Sodium: 471.6 mg
• Fat: 28 g
• Saturated Fat: 15.4 g
• Carbohydrates: 11.7 g
• Fiber: 1.9 g
• Protein: 25.8 g
• Cholesterol: 108.9 mg