Cheesy, creamy Chicken Divan Casserole is a classic dish every family will love. So easy to make, it’s perfect comfort food for busy weeknights. One pot dinner bliss.

Chicken Divan casserole on a white plate with a casserole dish in the background.


Chicken Divan

Does anyone remember the Welcome Wagon? You know, those people that stop by your home when you’re new to the neighborhood and then organize a meal train to bring you delicious casseroles to make your move even easier. I wish they were still around because I just LOVE a homemade casserole and this Chicken Divan Casserole is just classic comfort food.

Bursting with a creamy cheese sauce, tender chicken, rice and broccoli, this one dish casserole just screams family favorite dinner. It’s really simple to throw together with leftover roasted chicken breast or chopped rotisserie chicken.

Ingredients You Will Need

Most Chicken Divan recipes are, most often, made with canned soup like cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup for the base of the creamy sauce. We make our creamy white sauce with pantry ingredients and completely from scratch.

  • Chicken – Leftover chicken breast makes this classic chicken casserole come together in a snap. If you don’t have leftovers on hand, you can easily roast boneless skinless chicken breasts rather quickly to add to the dish.
  • Chicken Broth – The base of the mornay sauce is made with chicken broth or chicken stock. We love using homemade but your favorite store brand works well.
  • Dairy – I love using half and half for a rich but still light cream sauce. You can substitute with whole milk, heavy cream or even sour cream for a thicker consistency.
  • Broccoli – Fresh broccoli florets are my personal favorite but to keep things moving quickly, frozen broccoli florets are always a time save.
  • Rice – White rice soaks up the sauce beautifully and since you’re using cooked rice this is a great way to use up leftover rice. Brown rice is a great substitute and adds a great nutty flavor.
  • Bread Crumbs – To keep things light, I like to use Panko Bread Crumbs but regular breadcrumbs work in a pinch.
  • Sherry – A staple in the original chicken divan recipe, dry sherry makes this recipe sing with flavor.
  • Butter – Unsalted butter is used for the roux to create the sauce. If you don’t have it, regular salted butter will work, just taste the sauce for seasoning before adding kosher salt and black pepper.
  • Lemon – Using the lemon juice and lemon zest adds a fresh flavor to the creamy sauce.
  • Parmesan cheese – I love the salty, nutty flavor of parmesan in the sauce. If you prefer, you can add cheddar cheese for an extra cheesy sauce.

For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.

Chicken Divan Casserole in a white baking dish with a spoon in it.

How To Make Chicken Divan

This may not be a traditional Chicken Divan but it tastes just the same. My recipe is a little easier and can even be prepped in advance for a quick weeknight dinner where you just pop it in the oven.

  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Cook the mixture until golden brown, this is your roux that will thicken the sauce.
  2. Whisk in the chicken stock, half and half, sherry, lemon juice and zest stirring until smooth. Continue cooking until thickened.
  3. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  4. Arrange the broccoli in a prepared baking dish to cover the bottom.
  5. Cover with rice and half the sauce.
  6. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and arrange in a single layer on top of the sauce.
  7. Stir the cheese into the remaining sauce and stir until smooth.
  8. Pour the cheesy sauce over the casserole.
  9. Melt the remaining butter and toss with the panko breadcrumbs in a small bowl.
  10. Sprinkle the buttery breadcrumbs over the casserole.
  11. Bake in a preheated oven for 35 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown.
  12. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Spoon filled with chicken divan over a casserole dish.

What is Chicken Divan?

Chicken Divan is generally made with broccoli, chicken and rice baked in a rich mornay sauce. It’s named after the Divan Parisien Restaurant in the New York City Chatham Hotel where it was served as the signature dish in the early twentieth century.

Sounds fancy, but now it’s served up as a family chicken casserole that even the kids just can’t get enough of.

Sides to Serve with Chicken Divan

We love to keep it simple when serving up a casserole but here are some of our favorite ways to serve Chicken Divan.

Chicken divan on a white plate with a salad and a blue and white striped fork.

More Easy Chicken Casserole Recipes

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Chicken Divan Casserole in a white baking dish with a spoon in it.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Divan Casserole Recipe

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Tender chicken, broccoli and rice are baked in a rich, creamy sauce to create the ultimate Chicken Divan Casserole.
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Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup half and half
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry
  • zest and juice of one lemon
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 3 cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed
  • 3 cups cooked diced chicken breast
  • 1 cup cooked white rice
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter

Equipment

  • baking dish

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and stir in the flour. Cook the flour mixture until it becomes a deep golden brown.
  • Slowly whisk in the chicken broth cooking until the mixture begins to thicken. Whisk in the half and half, sherry, lemon zest and juice. Remove from the heat. Stir in the salt and pepper until smooth.
  • Place broccoli in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Cover with the rice and then half of the sauce. Top with chicken. Stir the shredded cheese into remaining sauce until smooth. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken.
  • Melt the remaining butter and toss with the bread crumbs. Sprinkle over the casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.
  • Serve immediately
Serving: 0g, Calories: 276kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 66mg, Sodium: 589mg, Potassium: 423mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 575IU, Vitamin C: 35.4mg, Calcium: 167mg, Iron: 1.3mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American