Description
Chicken Divan is a creamy, comforting casserole featuring tender chicken cubes, broccoli florets, and a rich sauce made from cream of chicken soup, mayonnaise, and sour cream, topped with a buttery breadcrumb crust and baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Chicken and Broccoli
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 16 ounces frozen broccoli florets, thawed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
Sauce
- 2 (10.5 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Topping
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Dish. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
- Cook the Chicken. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken cubes, seasoning with salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Prepare the Broccoli. Thaw the frozen broccoli following package instructions, then drain thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Make the Sauce. In a large bowl, combine cream of chicken soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, milk, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well until smooth.
- Combine Chicken and Broccoli with Sauce. Fold the cooked chicken and the thawed, drained broccoli into the sauce mixture until evenly coated.
- Assemble the Casserole. Spread the chicken and broccoli mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- Prepare the Topping. In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with melted butter until combined.
- Add Topping and Bake. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top of the casserole. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling around the edges.
- Rest Before Serving. Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes to set before serving.
Notes
- Ensure broccoli is well-drained to prevent the casserole from becoming watery.
- For a crispier topping, you can broil the casserole for an additional 1-2 minutes after baking, watching closely to avoid burning.
- This dish can be prepared ahead and refrigerated before baking; just add a few extra minutes to the bake time if baking cold.
- Substitute plain breadcrumbs with panko for extra crunch.
- Use low-fat mayonnaise and sour cream for a lighter version of this casserole.
