Chicken Divan is on those recipes that has been around for ages. It’s a classic in church cookbooks. In fact, I found this recipe in my grandmother’s. One of the things I like about it is that, unlike some other chicken divan recipes, it adds curry powder. Honestly, a little shocking given the community my grandmother lived in. Just a few tweaks set this recipe apart. The curry powder addition to this, along with my homemade cream of chicken soup, will have everyone in your family raving. Finally, you can even make this dinner the night before, making it a total win.
How to Make Chicken Divan
Parboiling Broccoli
In order to cut down on cooking time of the casserole, we are using cooked chicken and parboiled broccoli. Parboiling a vegetable is simply cooking it in boiled water for a few minutes. This is done in five minutes in this recipe, and can be done while you are making the sauce.
Chicken Divan with Curry
As mentioned above, this chicken divan recipe has curry powder in it. This isn’t a common ingredient found in Chicken Divan, but it adds so much. Curry is a mixture of spices, often used in Indian cooking, that usually has turmeric, cumin, ginger, and black pepper in it. I always keep some on hand because it is delicious in so many recipes. Buy a jar for this and then make my Beef Curry next.
Homemade Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
If you are looking to make recipes completely from scratch, I highly suggest you acquaint yourself with my Homemade Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup. It is made in just 25 minutes on the stovetop, and can be stored in your refrigerator for up to three days. The thing that I like about this recipe is that you can completely control the ingredients. If you have a gluten intolerance, you can swap the flour for almond flour. If you need to eat low sodium, you can cut the salt, and if you cannot eat dairy, you can replace the butter with vegan butter and the milk with soy milk.
Cooking Chicken for Chicken Divan Casserole
We are calling for cooked chicken in this recipe. It helps it to cook faster in the oven, but it is a step that needs to take place before hand. To cook the chicken: Larger breasts will need the full 15 minutes. Use an instant read thermometer for best results. Alternatively, you can use rotisserie chicken that you buy from the store. Or you can use cooked shredded chicken that you keep in the freezer.
Making Ahead
There is nothing better than coming home from a long day of work, and having dinner already done. This Chicken Divan casserole can be made up to 24 hours in advance and then thrown in the oven when you are ready to eat. To make this ahead, make the recipe up to the point of putting it in the oven. Cover it in foil and then put it in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to bake, uncover it and put it in the oven. You will need to add 5 to 10 minutes at the end of the baking time. If the breadcrumbs start to brown too much, put the foil back on for the very end of baking.
Storing Leftover Chicken Divan
Leftover Chicken Divan can be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days. To reheat, take out just the amount that you plan on eating. Heat it for 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven, while covered.
What to Serve with Chicken Divan
This recipe is great as a meal on it’s own, but if you want to round out your table a little, here are a few ideas.
Dinner RollsCreamed CornRoasted Baby Potatoes
If you make this Chicken Divan recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
