Chicken Divan
Easy, quick chicken divan! The creamiest chicken and broccoli casserole topped with a buttery, crunchy topping. The coziest weeknight meal!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- ½ medium sweet onion, diced
- 1 rib celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 ¾ cups chicken stock
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 4 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 4 cups small broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
for the topping
- 30 buttery crackers, lightly crushed, such as Ritz
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Season chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Working in batches, add chicken to the skillet in a single layer and cook until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes; set aside.
- Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Add onion and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
- Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Stir in chicken stock, heavy cream and Dijon; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until reduced and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat; stir in cheeses until melted.
- Stir in broccoli and chicken until well combined. Sprinkle with topping.
- Place into oven and bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 30-35 minutes. Let cool 10-15 minutes.
- Serve, garnished with parsley, if desired.
for the topping
- In a small bowl, combine crackers and butter.
Notes
- Use white or dark meat. Chicken breast, tenders and thighs will all work well here.
- Shorten prep time. Use leftover rotisserie chicken (skipping step 1 and 2) or substitute frozen broccoli to cut down on prep time even more.
- Choose a wine you will drink. A dry white wine (pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc) is great here – it does not have to be anything fancy or overpriced. Just something you don’t mind sipping on since you will have an open bottle.
- Use good-quality stock. The better quality your stock, the better your casserole. Many brands love to pack in the salt so always opt for unsalted or a lower-sodium variety. Homemade stock is even better.
- Freshly grated cheese goes a long way. Although pre-shredded cheese can save a few minutes in the kitchen, pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents to prevent clumping – this can hinder its ability to melt properly. Freshly grated cheese will not only have a better flavor profile, but it will also melt more smoothly and evenly, yielding a far more superior chicken divan.
- Top with buttery round crackers. Some recipes call for potato chips or breadcrumbs, but crushed crackers (we love Ritz) tossed with melted butter is a long-time tradition, resulting in that favorited crispy, buttery goodness.
- Mix it up. Swap out the broccoli for different vegetables such as cauliflower, zucchini, carrots and peas.
- Use a cast iron skillet. For the best texture and flavor, use a large, heavy-bottomed skillet that holds heat evenly. Added bonus: a cast iron skillet is oven-safe, and can go directly from the stovetop to the oven.
- Serve with crusty bread. Serve with all the homemade crusty bread for dipping, sopping and dunking!
- Freeze before baking. This will help preserve the texture and prevent sogginess. Always use a freezer-safe baking dish, label, date and freeze up to 2 months.