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Chicken Divan

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Created by Dionna
Updated Oct 1, 2025
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Chicken Divan is a vintage casserole that’s truly deserving of a resurgence. Invented long ago in a French restaurant in New York City, Chicken Divan was created to be comforting and luxurious. This version takes shortcuts, but the soul of the dish—chopped chicken smothered in an indulgent cream sauce and studded with broccoli and cheese—remains. We top it with buttery breadcrumbs for an exciting textural contrast to the creamy casserole. The secret to this recipe is chopping the broccoli small so the casserole cooks quickly, making it incredibly convenient to throw together. Like any good casserole recipe, it’s a complete meal in itself, but it also makes a fabulous sauce to serve with crescents or biscuits on the side if you’re looking to stretch it.

Recipe Ingredients

Look here for the ingredients you’ll need to make Chicken Divan.

Cream of Mushroom Soup: Thick, creamy condensed soup is the base of the sauce, and mushroom adds savory depth to the finished casserole. Substitute with cream of broccoli or cream of chicken if you prefer.

Sour Cream: Substitute Greek yogurt if you have it on hand or prefer. 

Cheddar Cheese: Cheddar is the traditional choice, and we like the ease of pre-shredded. Substitute another semi-firm cheese like Swiss if you like.

Chicken: Any cooked chicken you have will work. Chop or shred, whichever you find easiest.

Broccoli: Make sure you chop this into 1/2-inch pieces or smaller, so they distribute well and cook through in the allotted time.

Progresso™ Plain Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs: Panko gives a light, crunchy texture to the topping. Don't use traditional breadcrumbs.

Other Ingredients You’ll Need: Milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, butter.

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How to Make Chicken Divan

Here’s a peek at how to make Chicken Divan. Follow the recipe for more.

1. Make the Sauce Base

Combine all the sauce ingredients, seasonings, and cheese; mix until combined.

2. Add the Mix-Ins

Mix in the chicken and broccoli; stir to coat.

3. Fill the Casserole and Add the Toppings

Pour the filling into the prepared casserole dish and smooth the top. Add the cheese; then, sprinkle the buttered panko.

4. Bake and Broil

Cover with foil and bake until the sauce is bubbly and the broccoli is cooked. Then, uncover and broil until browned.

5. Serve

Serve hot with crescents or biscuits or over rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes.

How to Store (and Reheat) Chicken Divan

If you have leftovers, here’s how to store and reheat them.

Refrigerator  

Transfer leftovers to an airtight food storage container, or tightly cover the entire casserole dish. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Refrigerate any leftovers within 2 hours of serving. 

Freezer

Freeze individual portions in an airtight food storage container. 

Reheating

Thaw any frozen portions in the refrigerator before reheating. 

To reheat, transfer casserole portions to a baking dish, and cover tightly with foil. If reheating in the casserole dish, cover tightly with foil. Heat in the oven at 325°F for 25 to 30 minutes for remaining casserole and 10 to 20 minutes for individual portions or until the food is hot and at least 165°F in the center of the filling (use a food thermometer). Remove the foil for the last 5 to 10 minutes for a crispy top.

Chicken Divan

  • Prep Time 15 min
  • Total 40 min
  • Ingredients 12
  • Servings 4
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Ingredients

  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
  • 2 cups shredded or chopped cooked chicken
  • 2 cups roughly chopped broccoli florets
  • 1/2 cup from 1 box Progresso™ Plain Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Instructions

  • Step 
    1

    Heat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.

  • Step 
    2

    In a large bowl, combine cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

  • Step 
    3

    Stir in cooked chicken and broccoli until evenly coated.

  • Step 
    4

    Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese over the top.

  • Step 
    5

    Mix the panko with the melted butter until fully combined. Sprinkle evenly over the cheese layer. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until sauce is hot and bubbly and the broccoli is tender.

  • Step 
    6

    Remove the baking dish from the oven and adjust the oven to broil. Remove the foil and return the casserole to the oven. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, or until topping is golden brown. Serve hot.

Nutrition

No nutrition information available for this recipe

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