Sometimes, a casserole is more than just a casserole; it’s chicken Divan. This chicken Divan recipe is decadent, delicious and requires very little prep time, thanks to some already-prepared ingredients such as condensed chicken soup, cooked chicken and cooked rice. Even the broccoli is already cut. Easy broccoleasy.

What is chicken Divan?

Chicken Divan, sometimes called chicken broccoli casserole, is a casserole concoction of broccoli, chicken, sherry, a bechamel-style sauce and cheese, created generations ago by Chef Anthony Lagasi of the Divan Parisien restaurant in the former Chatham Hotel in New York City. (The building has since been razed.) No one’s certain exactly when this bubbling-hot casserole was first offered, but it’s listed on a 1943 version of the restaurant’s menu. Lagasi never divulged the exact ingredients, yet the recipe has lived on in countless iterations in cookbooks and kitchens for the past 80 years.

Ingredients for Chicken Divan Casserole

• Butter : Butter and flour cook together to make a roux that is the base for a bechamel sauce.
• All-purpose flour: The flour provides thickness to the roux.
• Half-and-half cream: Cream makes the bechamel sauce richer than one made with milk. If you don’t have cream, milk may be used.
• Cooking sherry or water: Cooking sherry adds a roasted, slightly sweet aroma to the chicken Divan sauce. If you’d prefer not to use sherry, water can be used instead.
• Canned condensed cream of chicken soup: Undiluted condensed soup equals even more flavor for this delicious casserole.
• Frozen broccoli: The chopped broccoli saves you the time of having to cut the florets yourself. Feel free to use fresh broccoli instead, if you prefer.
• Rice: Rice absorbs the wonderful flavors of the decadent Divan sauce as the dish bakes. If you prefer, serve the dish over rice rather than including rice directly in the casserole.
• Chicken: Since the chicken is already cubed and cooked, it’s a major time-saver. It’s also the protein in this casserole.
• Cheddar cheese: Cheddar is one of those cheeses that pairs really well with both broccoli and chicken. What’s not to love?
• Bread crumbs: Bread crumbs saturated in butter serve as a lovely golden-brown topping for this chicken Divan casserole.
• Fresh parsley (optional):  A fresh parsley garnish gives this a homemade-with-love look.

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