Jake Harper
Chicken Divan is a creamy casserole dish traditionally made with chicken, broccoli, and a cream sauce. The sauce is typically made with milk, but some recipes call for heavy cream or a combination of both. The cream sauce is usually made by combining milk or cream with a cream of soup, such as cream of mushroom or cream of chicken, and other ingredients like sour cream, mayonnaise, or cheese. The dish is then baked in the oven and often topped with a crunchy topping, such as breadcrumbs or crushed crackers. While milk is the most common ingredient used in the sauce, heavy cream can be used as a substitute or in combination with milk to create a richer, more decadent dish.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main Ingredients | Chicken, Broccoli, Cheese |
| Sauce Base | Cream of mushroom soup, Cream of chicken soup, Milk, Sour cream, Mayonnaise, Chicken broth |
| Toppings | Ritz crackers, Panko, Cornflakes, Stuffing, Mashed potatoes, Rice, Egg noodles |
| Seasonings | Salt, Pepper, Paprika, Nutmeg, Garlic powder, Onion powder, Dry mustard, Cumin, Red wine, White wine, Sherry |
| Variations | Heavy cream, Half and half, Vegetable broth, Wine instead of sherry, Ham instead of chicken, Any shredded cheese |
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What You'll Learn
Chicken Divan with milk
Chicken Divan is a creamy casserole that is traditionally made with a combination of chicken, broccoli, and a creamy sauce. The sauce typically includes milk, cheese, and simple seasonings. Here is a step-by-step guide to making Chicken Divan with milk:
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts or thighs
- Broccoli
- Butter
- Milk
- Flour
- Chicken broth
- Salt
- Pepper
- Parmesan cheese
- Red wine (optional)
- Cheddar cheese
- Sour cream (optional)
- Mayonnaise (optional)
- Seasonings of your choice (e.g., garlic powder, onion powder, nutmeg)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chicken, onions, and celery, and sauté until the chicken is partially cooked.
- Add broccoli and continue cooking until the chicken is done.
- In a separate saucepan, make the sauce by melting butter and whisking in flour. Cook for a few minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste.
- Gradually whisk in chicken broth, and milk. You can also add some half-and-half or heavy cream at this stage if desired.
- Continue heating and stirring until the sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper, and any other seasonings you wish to include.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in cheese until melted. You can use a combination of cheddar, Parmesan, or any other shredded cheese you prefer.
- Optionally, whisk in sour cream or mayonnaise until blended.
- In a baking dish, arrange the cooked chicken and broccoli. Pour the sauce over the chicken and broccoli.
- Top with additional cheese and breadcrumbs or crushed Ritz crackers for a crunchy topping.
- Bake in the oven for 20-45 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.
Feel free to experiment with different ingredients and seasonings to create your own unique version of Chicken Divan!
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Chicken Divan with heavy cream
Chicken Divan is a creamy casserole that's traditionally made with a combination of chicken, broccoli, and a creamy sauce. The dish was first created at the Divan Parisien Restaurant in New York's Chatham Hotel, where it was served as a signature dish in the 20th century.
While there are many variations of the recipe, most include some form of dairy, such as milk, cream, sour cream, or mayonnaise. The original recipe used a Mornay sauce—a béchamel sauce with shredded or grated Gruyère cheese. However, modern versions often substitute the béchamel sauce for a mixture of cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup, milk, and other ingredients such as sour cream and/or mayonnaise.
Some recipes call for heavy cream specifically, and you can also use a combination of milk and heavy cream. For example, one recipe suggests using half milk and half heavy cream, along with other ingredients such as butter, flour, chicken broth, Parmesan cheese, red wine, broccoli, chicken, and shredded cheese. The heavy cream is added to the sauce, which is then poured over the chicken and broccoli and baked.
Another recipe mentions that any dairy product, such as cream, can be used instead of milk, depending on how decadent you want the dish to be. This recipe also includes options for adding sherry or white wine to the sauce, which is then poured over the chicken and broccoli, and baked until bubbly.
So, while milk is a common ingredient in Chicken Divan, heavy cream can absolutely be used as a substitute or in combination with milk, to create a richer, more decadent sauce.
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Chicken Divan with mayo
Chicken Divan is a creamy casserole that combines chicken, broccoli, and a creamy sauce. It is traditionally made with a combination of sour cream, cream of chicken soup, milk, cheese, and simple seasonings. However, some variations of the recipe call for mayonnaise instead of sour cream.
Ingredients:
- Chicken breasts or thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Broccoli, fresh or frozen
- Condensed or cream of chicken soup
- Mayonnaise
- Lemon juice
- Cheddar cheese, grated
- Butter
- Salt and pepper
- Optional: onion, celery, garlic powder, and other seasonings
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Spread broccoli in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. You can also add other vegetables like peas.
- In a separate bowl, combine the condensed or cream of chicken soup, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. You can also add milk or sour cream for extra creaminess.
- Top the broccoli with chicken pieces. You can season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook it beforehand if desired.
- Pour the soup and mayonnaise mixture over the chicken and broccoli.
- Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned.
- Remove from the oven and let it stand for a few minutes before serving.
You can also add a crunchy topping to your Chicken Divan. Mix crushed Ritz crackers or panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and sprinkle it on top before baking.
Chicken Divan is a versatile dish, and you can adjust the recipe to your taste. Some people prefer to use milk instead of mayonnaise, and you can also add various seasonings and vegetables to suit your preference.
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Chicken Divan with wine
Chicken Divan is a creamy casserole made with a combination of chicken, broccoli, and a creamy sauce. The sauce can be made with either sour cream or mayo, cream of chicken soup, milk, and cheese.
Ingredients:
- Chicken breasts or thighs
- Broccoli
- Butter
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Celery
- Chicken broth
- Milk
- Cornstarch
- Dijon mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- Chicken bouillon
- Spices and seasonings
- White wine
- Cheese (Cheddar, Parmesan, or a combination of shredded cheese)
- Ritz crackers or panko breadcrumbs
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chicken, onion, and celery, and sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add the broccoli and olive oil, and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- In a separate saucepan, melt butter and whisk in flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until the flour turns beige.
- Whisk in white wine, chicken broth, and heavy cream until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in the cheese until melted.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and broccoli, ensuring everything is coated.
- Top with crackers or breadcrumbs and additional cheese, if desired.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-45 minutes, or until heated through and golden brown.
Note: You can also add other ingredients to this recipe, such as peas, mushrooms, or almonds. Additionally, you can substitute milk with heavy cream or other dairy products, and use either white or dark meat for the chicken.
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Chicken Divan with cheese
Chicken Divan is a creamy casserole that combines chicken, broccoli, and a creamy sauce. It is traditionally made with a combination of sour cream or mayo, cream of chicken soup, milk, and cheese.
To make Chicken Divan with cheese, you can follow this recipe:
Ingredients:
- Chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Broccoli, fresh or frozen
- Butter
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Paprika
- Chicken broth
- Milk
- Cornstarch
- Cheese (Cheddar, Parmesan, or a combination of shredded cheese)
- Sour cream
- Optional: onions, celery, lemon juice, garlic powder, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, chicken bouillon, and other seasonings
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
Toss the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and paprika. Set aside. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and sauté briefly. Add chicken broth, cover, and steam the broccoli until tender. Remove the broccoli from the skillet and set aside.
In the same skillet, melt butter and sauté the chicken until cooked through. Add onions and celery (optional) and cook until tender. Remove from heat and add the broccoli back to the skillet.
In a separate bowl, combine condensed cream of chicken soup, milk, sour cream, and any desired seasonings. You can also add mayonnaise or lemon juice for extra flavour. Pour this sauce over the chicken and broccoli mixture and stir to combine.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with shredded cheese and any desired toppings, such as panko breadcrumbs or crushed Ritz crackers.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-45 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, milk is a common ingredient in chicken divan. It is used to make the sauce for the dish.
Chicken divan is a creamy casserole that’s traditionally made with a combination of chicken, broccoli, and a cream sauce.
The cream sauce can be made with milk, heavy cream, or sour cream. It is also common to use "cream of" soups, such as cream of mushroom or cream of chicken.
Yes, milk can be used as a substitute for heavy cream in chicken divan. The sauce may be less thick and fluffy, but it will still taste great.
