Chicken Divan Recipe
This Chicken Divan features tender chunks of chicken enveloped in a creamy sauce, combined with broccoli, and finished with a buttery Ritz cracker topping. You can prepare it entirely from scratch or use a can of cream of chicken soup for convenience!
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Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts see notes
- Salt/Pepper to taste
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 stick celery diced
- 4 cups broccoli florets about ½ lb.
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 10.5 oz. cream of chicken soup
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- ½ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- 2 ½ cups cheddar cheese shredded
Topping
- ½ cup crushed Ritz crackers or panko breadcrumbs
- 2 Tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Cut the chicken into small, bite-sized pieces and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and chicken pieces, tossing to coat evenly. Sauté for about 3 minutes until the chicken is partially cooked. Then, add the broccoli florets and a tablespoon of olive oil. Continue cooking for an additional 3-5 minutes until the chicken is thoroughly cooked through. Remove from heat.
- Stir in the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, and half of the shredded cheddar cheese. Mix well to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
- Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased 9x13-inch casserole dish, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the top.
- Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Afterward, remove the foil and increase the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C).
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter with the crushed Ritz crackers or panko breadcrumbs. Sprinkle this mixture over the top of the casserole. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and crispy.
- Allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- This dish is perfect when served over rice, biscuits, or mashed potatoes.
Notes
- When diced, 2 lbs. of chicken equals approximately 4 cups or about 3 medium-sized chicken breasts.
- If using pre-cooked chicken, you can skip sautéing it. However, it's still beneficial to soften the onions and celery for about 5 minutes, and the broccoli for about 3-4 minutes to enhance their flavors.
- To completely avoid sautéing, you can omit the onions and celery. Simply combine uncooked, diced chicken, fresh broccoli, and the sauce ingredients in a baking dish. Cover and bake at 375°F for 40 minutes. After that, remove the cover and proceed with adding the Ritz topping as specified in the original recipe.
- If you opt for frozen broccoli, ensure it's thawed and patted dry before use. Sautéing it with the chicken is optional since it’s already partially cooked; this step is recommended if you prefer very soft broccoli.
- To achieve ½ cup of crushed Ritz crackers, you'll need about 14 crackers or roughly half a sleeve.