Broccoli Chicken Divan Recipe

This chicken divan stands out as a comforting meal that satisfies all palates. Juicy chicken and tender broccoli baked in a creamy cheese sauce.

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 30

Cool Time: 5

Total Time: 50

Servings:

Prep. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray an 8x10-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.

Topping: If you prefer more topping, feel free to double it.

Note: If you don't want to make your own cream sauce, you can omit making the sauce (4 Tablespoons butter, flour, chicken broth).

Instead mix together: 1 (10-ounce) can cream of chicken soup with 1/2 cup sour cream and cheese. Then salt and pepper to taste.

Freezer instructions:

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).