Chicken Divan
This great recipe was given to me by a friend years ago, and it's been a family favorite ever since. My daughters enjoy making this dish in their own homes and get the same enthusiastic compliments I always do! For a change, I sometimes substitute frozen carrots for half of the broccoli.
This great recipe was given to me by a friend years ago, and it's been a family favorite ever since. My daughters enjoy making this dish in their own homes and get the same enthusiastic compliments I always do! For a change, I sometimes substitute frozen carrots for half of the broccoli.
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup butter divided
- 1 1/2 cup half-and-half
- 1/2 cup cooking sherry or water
- 2 can (12 oz) (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken so or sub crem of broccoli
- 2 pkg (10 ounces each) frozen cut or chopped broccoli, t
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 3 cups cubed or shredded cooked chicken
- 1 cup soft bread crumbs
- Carbohydrate 28.5529312652614 g
- Cholesterol 243.680625176704 mg
- Fat 82.3125094351099 g
- Fiber 0.357468762010613 g
- Protein 19.5680093837458 g
- Saturated Fat 51.6316281627095 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (432g)
- Sodium 677.595625380545 mg
- Sugar 28.1954625032508 g
- Trans Fat 4.9283912536538 g
- Calories 920 calories
Step-by-step
- In a small saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter. Add flour, stirring until blended. Stir in the cream and cooking sherry or water; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 more minutes. Blend in soup until smooth; remove from the heat and set aside.
- Place broccoli in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Cover with rice and then half of the sauce. Top with chicken. Stir shredded cheese into remaining sauce; pour over the chicken.
- Melt the remaining butter and toss with bread crumbs. Sprinkle over the casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 350? for 35-45 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 8-10 servings.
Making a rich casserole featuring poultry, cheese, and cream requires careful attention during the initial flour and butter roux stage. Whisking the half-and-half and cooking sherry into the pan requires continuous motion for two full minutes after bubbling begins to eliminate any raw starch taste. Achieving the right balance on the table requires bright, acidic pairings that cut through the heavy dairy and cheddar richness. Simple crisp green salads dressed with lemon vinaigrette or tart pickled vegetables provide the necessary contrast to the heavy bake. Steamed bitter greens like endive or arugula tossed with sharp vinegar balance the dense profile of the main dish.
Assessing doneness relies entirely on visual and textural cues rather than internal probing with a thermometer. The casserole is fully cooked when the cheese topping bubbles actively at the edges and the internal temperature reaches the proper heat through the center, indicated by steam escaping from the middle. Baking typically takes between 35 and 45 minutes inside a 350 degree oven until the bread crumb topping turns deeply golden brown. Allowing the dish to rest for ten minutes before serving helps the sauce set properly on the plate.
