This broccoli chicken divan is a classic weeknight dinner. Juicy chicken and tender broccoli are cooked in a creamy cheese sauce that is as comforting as it is divine!
More cozy dinners to try include include chicken pot pie with biscuits, chicken and rice soup and chicken noodle casserole.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make: Broccoli chicken divan recipe is budget-friendly and easy to make, and much like my other casseroles, it’s an entire meal in one dish!
- Fresh and flavorful: Real chicken and fresh vegetables are covered in a tangy cheese sauce, it’s a chicken dinner recipe you’ll put on repeat.
- A classic: It has a lot in common with poppy seed chicken, chicken pot pie and Instant Pot chicken and dumplings; simple ingredient covered in a sauce or gravy!
Divan Chicken Broccoli Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Broccoli. Fresh broccoli florets have the perfect texture for the casserole.
- Chicken. Either chicken breast or chicken thighs will work, you just have to cut them up into small pieces.
- Spices. Use your favorite spices to enhance the flavor of the chicken and broccoli. The most common ones are garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning.
- Chicken broth. Thins out the cheese sauce a bit which helps make it pourable but also gives it even more flavor.
- Sour Cream. This adds an incredible tanginess to the cheese sauce. It also gives the consistency a little extra creaminess.
- Cheese. There is a lot of room for creativity with the cheese. Most people use cheddar cheese, but you can use mozzarella and even pepper jack cheese if you’d prefer.
- For the topping. A combination of Panko breadcrumbs and melted butter for a crispy topping. Swap bread crumbs for Ritz crackers if you would like.
How to Make Broccoli Chicken Divan
Add chopped broccoli to bottom of baking dish.
Combine ingredients for the cheese sauce and heat until thickened. Add sour cream and 1/4 cup of the cheese and continue stirring until combined.
Cut up chicken, brown slightly then place chicken on top of the broccoli. Pour cheese sauce over everything, top with remaining cheese and breadcrumb mixture and bake until bubbly.
Tips and Variations
- Making the cream sauce. If you don’t want to make your own cream sauce, instead, mix, 1 can cream of chicken soup or cream of mushroom soup with 1/2 cup sour cream and cheese.
- Cooking the chicken. Use pre-cooked shredded chicken or leftover rotisserie chicken to speed up the prep time.
- Other vegetables: Broccoli chicken divan is my favorite but you could try it with cauliflower. Want to omit the chicken? Try this broccoli cheese casserole instead.
- Serving chicken divan. Add it on top of rice, mashed potatoes, or your favorite type of pasta or egg noodles. My family loves it with some flaky biscuits.
More comfort food recipes include easy salisbury steak recipe and creamy chicken pasta.
More Chicken Casserole Recipes
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Broccoli Chicken Divan Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Topping
- ¼ cup panko crumbs
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
Chicken with Broccoli and Sauce
- 1 1/2-2 cups chopped raw broccoli , cut into bite-sized pieces
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter , divided
- 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts , cut into bite-sized pieces
- Kosher salt , to taste
- Ground black pepper , to taste
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ teaspooons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese , divided, plus more if desired
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray an 8×10-inch dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add broccoli. Add 2 cups broccoli to the pan. For a more tender broccoli, pre-steam it a couple minutes.
- Brown chicken. In a large skillet, melt 1 Tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Season the 1 1/2 pounds chicken with salt and pepper. Add in a single layer and cook until 1 side is golden brown on the edges. Do not fully cook, it will finish cooking in the oven. Spread chicken over the broccoli.
- Make creamy sauce. In the same skillet, melt the remaining 4 Tablespoons butter over low heat. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup flour and mix until well combined. Cook 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Stir 3 to 5 minutes, or until thickened. Whisk in the 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup cheese until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Topping. In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup panko with 2 Tablespoons butter. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
- Assemble. Pour sauce over the top of the broccoli and chicken. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and panko toppings over the top.
- Bake broccoli chicken divan casserole uncovered 20 minutes, or until bubbly. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Place in a dish that can go in both the oven and the freezer. I like foil pans for freezing. Make the recipe up until baking. Instead of baking you’re going to cover the dish with foil. Make sure that the casserole is stored in a flat, level spot in the freezer.
- To thaw, place in the refrigerator the night before serving.
- Once ready to bake, remove the foil and bake at 350°F until it’s warm all throughout (about 30 minutes).
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
Chicken divan is a classic American casserole dish that usually includes chicken, broccoli, and a creamy sauce. Then, it is all baked together and topped with cheese and breadcrumbs. It’s a comfort food favorite that, like chicken broccoli rice casserole has been popular for many years.
Divan is from the place of its origin – the Divan Parisien Restaurant at Chatham Hotel in New York City.
Replace the crackers or breadcrumbs on top with either low carb pork rind crumbs or some crushed almonds. You can also keep it simple and use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Make the recipe right up until you bake it. Then, cover it with aluminum foil and transfer it to the freezer. To avoid freezer burn, make sure it’s sealed tight. You can even start with a layer of plastic wrap if you’d like. Once you’re ready to bake it, thaw it in the fridge the night before. Place it in the oven at 350°F until it’s warm throughout (about 30 minutes).
Keep any leftover broccoli chicken divan in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave until warm.
Categorized as: American, Casseroles, Dinner, Freezer-Friendly, Kid-Friendly, Meal Prep, Nut-Free
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Awesome sauce! I’m in awe of the sauce that made this dish delicious! Prepped everything ahead & near supper I just followed the directions! I definitely will repeat this recipe again! I’m glad I got fresh broccoli because frozen would have been not as good!
My family loves chicken divan!! The cheesier, the better!! It has a ton of flavor, the broccoli is nice & tender, & I get no complaints!!