Chicken Divan

I was looking for a nice inexpensive recipe to make for the family. I ran across a recipe for Chicken Divan and it looked wonderful. I nice one dish meal that I thought the whole family would love. Since I make a lot of chicken I thought this was a nice way to use it without it being a typical Chicken with a side dish meal.

I didn't put this in as a Bobbi on a Budget recipe just because some people don't have cooking sherry readily available. However, you can usually pick up a bottle for about $5.00 and it is a great thing to have around for recipes. It will last you forever. I keep sherry, white vermouth, Marsala wine, and white wine around just for cooking. But if you want a substitute for the sherry and don't have any of the above (or prefer a non alcoholic ingredient) you can use some apple cider vinegar. It will give it a different flavor profile but will give it a bit of that bite that the sherry gives it. Just taste it and adjust according to your preference. Other things in the recipe, like Parmesan cheese, are always in my fridge or pantry as well.

The consensus on this recipe was that it was a keeper. There were plenty of oohhh's and aahhhh's and OhhEmmGeee's. The sounds that make a food blogger very happy!

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Chicken Divan

2 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves 
   (about 1 lb.)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large head broccoli (about 2 lbs.), stemmed and 
   broken into 1"–2" florets
5 tbsp. butter
1⁄4 cup flour
1 cup Chicken Stock
1 cup milk
3 tbsp. sherry
1⁄8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1⁄2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1⁄2 cup heavy cream


Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook, turning once, until golden brown and just cooked through, 13–15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate; let cool slightly. Cut chicken lengthwise on the bias into 1⁄4"-thick slices and set aside.


Meanwhile, put broccoli into a large pot, cover with salted water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until barely tender, 2–3 minutes. Drain and set aside.


Preheat oven to 375°. Rub the inside of a 2-quart casserole dish with 1 tbsp. of the butter; set aside. Melt remaining 4 tbsp. butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually pour in stock and milk while whisking constantly. Cook until very thick, about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper, sherry, nutmeg, and 1⁄4 cup of the cheese; stir until cheese melts, about 1 minute. Remove cheese sauce from heat and let cool slightly.


Arrange broccoli in the prepared dish in a single layer ; sprinkle with remaining 1⁄4 cup cheese. Arrange chicken evenly over top. In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream to soft peaks; fold into sauce. Pour sauce over chicken. Bake, with a baking sheet underneath to catch any drips, until golden brown and bubbling, about 30 minutes.