Chicken Divan
Easy and incredibly tasty, this mouthwatering Chicken Divan is so satisfying and perfect to make during the colder months of the year.
Ingredients
CASSEROLE
- 1 lb. (about 6 to 6 1/2 cups) broccoli florets
- 4 tbsp. butter, divided
- 2 tbsp. olive oil tips & tricks
- 2 large (1 1/2 lbs.) chicken breasts, cubed
- ground Himalayan pink salt, to taste and divided
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste and divided (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 1 cup white onions, diced
- 4 cups (8 ounces) button mushrooms, washed and sliced
- 2 large cloves garlic, pressed
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 1/2 cups half-and-half
- 1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp. cooking sherry
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- 2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/2 tsp. hot paprika optional
TOPPING
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
- 3 tbsp. butter, melted
- 1 1/2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley, for garnish tips & tricks
Directions
- In a pot of boiling water, blanch broccoli for 3 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp. butter and oil.
- When it starts sizzling, working in batches, add chicken cubes; season with salt and pepper. Sauté until light golden, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a bowl while cooking the remaining cubes.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add onions; season with salt. Sauté for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the skillet to dislodge any brown bits.
- Add mushrooms, 1 tbsp. butter and season with black pepper. Stir until butter is melted before adding the remaining 2 tbsp. butter. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle in flour, stir until the ingredients are coated and cook for 2 minutes.
- Slowly pour in chicken broth and scrape the bottom to release any stuck ingredients. Add heavy cream and stir to blend.
- Add Dijon mustard and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sauce thickens and coats the back of the spoon.
- Preheat oven to 375ºF and grease 3-quart baking dish and set aside.
- Add sour cream, cooking sherry and lemon zest; stir to blend.
- Add cheese and stir until melted. Stir in hot paprika.
- Add cooked chicken cubes including any accumulated juices and broccoli florets; mix until blended.
- Remove from the heat and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish; set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine panko, cheese and melted butter; stir to combine. Evenly sprinkle topping over the chicken mixture.
- Transfer to the preheated oven and bake until the top is golden brown, about 23 to 25 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes before sprinkling on some chopped parsley. Serve over egg noodles or rice.