Chicken Divan

This comforting chicken casserole is easy to make but doesn't lack in complexity in flavor.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken divan, chicken divan casserole, easy chicken dish

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 315kcal

Preheat the oven to 400 F, and get a casserole dish, and mixing bowl.
Place the broccoli in a steamer (or in a pot with an inch of water) and steam for 5 minutes. You want the broccoli to be bright green and undercooked.
5 cups broccoli
Lay the broccoli in the bottom of the casserole dish. Add the cut chicken on the broccoli.
3 cups cooked chicken
Open the can of cream of broccoli soup and transfer it to the mixing bowl. Add the milk, cognac, chipotle powder, and cheese. (If you want a lot of sauce in your chicken divan, use two cans of soup.) I prefer it as written.
10.5 ounces cream of broccoli soup, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup shredded gruyere cheese, 1 tablespoon cognac, 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
Spread the soup mixture evenly over the chicken and broccoli. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and dribble it on the soup mixture. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the butter.
3 tablespoons butter, 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
Bake for 15 - 20 minutes. Check after 15 minutes. The divan should be bubbly and lightly browned.
Serve
Enjoy

Pre-Cooking Broccoli: Steam the broccoli just until it's slightly tender but still firm. Oversteaming can make it mushy when baked. Five minutes should be sufficient for a bright green and crisp-tender texture.

Chicken Preparation: Use cooked chicken that's not overly dry. If you're using leftover chicken, consider moistening it with some chicken broth before adding it to the dish to keep it juicy. I used the chicken breasts I kept out of my whole chicken soup recipe.

Soup Mixture Consistency: Ensure the soup mixture is not too thick when preparing it. The half cup of milk should help, but add more milk if it seems too thick. This helps create a creamy layer that doesn't dry out during baking. If you like a saucy chicken divan, add two cans of cream of broccoli soup and twice the milk.

Cheese Selection: Grate your cheese if possible. Pre-grated cheese often has anti-caking agents that can affect how it melts. Freshly grated cheese will melt more smoothly and evenly.

Breadcrumbs Topping: For the breadcrumb mixture, use good-quality breadcrumbs for better texture and flavor. The panko breadcrumbs sprinkled on the melted butter will keep the crumbs crunchy without making them too dry.

Baking Time Monitoring: Start checking your dish around the 15-minute mark. The top should be golden brown, and the sauce should be bubbling when it's done. Every oven is different, so adjust the time as needed.

Adding Personal Touch: Feel free to tweak the seasoning to your liking. If you enjoy more heat, a bit more chipotle powder can be added. Or, for a herbaceous note, consider adding some thyme or parsley.

Ingredient Quality: Use high-quality ingredients for the best flavor. This is especially true for the cheeses and the cream of broccoli soup.

No added Salt: I think there is no need to add salt to this recipe as the canned soup and cheese have ample amounts.