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Chicken Divan is what I make when I want comfort food that still feels a little put-together. You get tender chicken, crisp-tender broccoli, and a creamy sauce bubbling under the most delicious golden, crunchy topping!
The Secret to a Truly Divine Divan
- Easy to customize. Swap in rotisserie chicken, use fresh or frozen broccoli, and adjust the cheese/topping to your taste.
- Make Ahead Friendly. Make it ahead for a stress-free dinner later.
- The topping actually stays crunchy. You get a golden, crisp finish that holds up instead of disappearing into the sauce.
- Weeknight-friendly. Simple steps, common ingredients, and flavors everyone loves!
Chicken Divan Ingredients
- Broccoli: Use frozen broccoli instead of fresh, thaw and pat dry before using.
- Crunchy Topping: Use panko bread crumbs instead of Ritz crackers.
- Sour Cream Swap: You can use mayonnaise in place of sour cream.
- Variation: Add ½- 1 tsp of curry powder for a vintage 1950’s flavor.
How to Make Chicken Divan
We ate this chicken divan recipe all the time as kids. I loved the crispy topping, and it was my mom’s sneaky way of getting us to eat broccoli. Your family will love it too, and it’s so easy! Serve it over rice for a complete meal!
- Prep & Steam: Preheat the oven to 350°F, then grease a 13 x 9-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Steam or blanch broccoli florets until tender crisp.
- Broccoli: Layer the broccoli evenly on the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Chicken: Layer cooked diced chicken evenly over the broccoli.
- Sauce: In a bowl, combine cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and shredded cheddar cheese.
- Spread: Pour the sauce over the chicken and broccoli, spreading it out evenly.
- Top & Bake: In a bowl, mix crushed Ritz crackers and melted butter. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Bake chicken Divan for 40-45 minutes, until hot and bubbly, and the cracker topping is golden brown.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Prep & add Chicken: Spray the crockpot with nonstick cooking spray. Add 1 ½ pounds of raw chicken breasts.
- Sauce: Mix the sauce ingredients, then add them to the crockpot.
- Cook: Cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or HIGH for 2-3.
- Add: Shred the chicken, add the broccoli, and stir. Top with shredded cheese and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes.
- Toast, Top, & Serve: Toast the cracker crumb and butter mixture in a pan, then add it to the top of the chicken divan when ready to serve.
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Chicken Divan
Easy to prep, family-friendly, Chicken Divan with tender chicken and broccoli baked under a golden, crunchy topping.
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked, diced, or shredded chicken
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers or panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 13 x 9-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Steam or blanch 3 cups broccoli florets until tender and crisp. Layer the broccoli evenly on the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Layer 4 cups cooked, diced, or shredded chicken evenly over the broccoli.
- In a bowl, combine 1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of chicken soup, ¾ cup sour cream, ½ cup milk, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, salt and pepper, and 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and broccoli, spreading out evenly.
- In a bowl, mix 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until hot and bubbly, and the cracker topping is golden brown.
Notes
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Fridge: Once cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- Reheat: Microwave or oven at 350ºF until warmed through.
- Freezer: Assemble the unbaked casserole, then wrap it tightly, without the crumb topping. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, add topping, and bake.
- Make Ahead- Assemble the casserole ahead of time, without the crumb topping. wrap tightly, and store in the fridge up to 2 days. Add topping when ready to bake.
Nutrition
Calories: 523kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 37gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 141mgSodium: 815mgPotassium: 497mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1118IUVitamin C: 42mgCalcium: 377mgIron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
My family loves this recipe. I grew up eating chicken divan and this version is my favorite.
Is this something that can be made ahead of time and frozen? My father passed away recently and I would like to make some meals to bring my mother for when she isn’t up for cooking.
I enjoy cooking your recipes for my family. Keep them coming
Yes, this is great to make ahead and warmup. I am sorry for your loss. That is very thoughtful of you to do for your mom.
I added poultry seasoning, garlic powder, and paprika. I also broiled the casserole after baking it to make the Panko golden brown and delicious ?
Good easy recipe for a night when there is not a lot of energy on the cooking side of things. The butter amounts are a little confusing as “the” butter is mentioned three times in the directions, but there are only two amounts of butter listed in the ingredients. Thanks for this recipe!
Hello! This looks delicious. Plus it contains nothing that I, as the pickiest eater in my family, would have to leave or pick out! 1 question: how much butter did you use for the breadcrumbs?
1 teaspoon. 🙂