Chicken Divan

Chicken Divan is the classic American casserole — creamy sauce over chicken and broccoli with a golden breadcrumb crust. It’s the kind of dish that’s been on dinner tables since the 1950s and never goes out of style.

Rotisserie chicken makes this come together in under an hour. The curry powder is traditional and adds a subtle warmth that makes you wonder what that secret ingredient is.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• The ultimate comfort food casserole. Creamy, cheesy, with a golden crunchy topping — every bite is satisfying.
• Use rotisserie chicken. Shred a store-bought rotisserie chicken and you’re more than halfway there.
• Make-ahead perfect. Assemble the night before, bake when ready.
• Feeds a crowd. One 9×13 gives you 8 generous servings.
• The secret ingredient. A touch of curry powder makes people ask what makes it taste so good.

Ingredients

• Cooked chicken (4 cups). Rotisserie chicken is the easiest option. Leftover roasted or poached chicken works great too.
• Broccoli florets (4 cups). Blanched for 2 minutes so they don’t come out raw or mushy after baking.
• Cream of chicken soup (2 cans). The classic binder. From scratch sauce works too — use 2 cups of béchamel seasoned with chicken stock.
• Mayonnaise + sour cream. Together they make the sauce extra rich and tangy.
• Cheddar cheese (1 cup). Half goes in the sauce, half on top.
• Curry powder (1 tsp). The traditional secret. It adds warmth without tasting like curry.
• Panko breadcrumbs + butter. Gives you that golden, crunchy topping.

How to Make Chicken Divan

Preheat oven to 350°F. Blanch broccoli briefly, then spread in a greased 9×13 dish. Top with chicken. Whisk the sauce — soup, mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, curry, half the cheese. Pour over everything. Top with remaining cheese and buttered breadcrumbs. Bake 35-40 minutes until golden and bubbly.

Tips and Variations

• Don’t skip blanching the broccoli. Raw broccoli goes in too firm and comes out with a raw texture after baking. Two minutes in boiling water is all it needs.
• From-scratch sauce. Make a simple roux with butter and flour, whisk in chicken broth and cream, season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Skip the canned soup entirely.
• Rice layer. Add 2 cups of cooked rice under the broccoli and chicken to make it a complete one-dish meal.
• Swap the protein. Leftover turkey works perfectly — this is a great post-holiday casserole.

Storage

• Refrigerator. Store covered for up to 4 days.
• Freezer. Assemble but don’t bake. Cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen covered at 350°F for 1 hour, then uncover for 15-20 minutes.

Print Pin

5 from 4 votes

Chicken Divan

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked chicken shredded or cubed
• 4 cups broccoli florets blanched
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup 10.5 oz each
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese divided
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon curry powder optional but traditional
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs Panko preferred
• 2 tablespoons butter melted
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Blanch broccoli florets in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, drain, and set aside.
• Whisk together cream of chicken soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, curry powder, and half the cheddar. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spread broccoli in the baking dish. Top with chicken. Pour the cream sauce over everything and spread evenly.
• Sprinkle remaining cheddar over the top. Toss breadcrumbs with melted butter and scatter over the cheese.
• Bake uncovered at 350°F for 35-40 minutes until bubbly and the topping is golden brown. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Rotisserie chicken makes this a true weeknight shortcut. The curry powder is traditional and adds a subtle warmth without tasting like curry.

Frequently Asked Questions