Amazing 6-Serving Chicken Divan Casserole

If you need a dish that wraps you up like your favorite cozy blanket, then you absolutely must try this recipe for the ultimate Chicken Divan. Forget those dry, sad casseroles you might have tried before—this one stays creamy, cheesy, and totally satisfying every single time. I’m Anna, and I’m obsessed with making everyday cooking feel joyful and achievable, even on the busiest weeknights.

My mission here is simple: to share straightforward, flavorful recipes that deliver big comfort without demanding hours in the kitchen. This Chicken Divan recipe is proof that a fantastic one-dish meal can come together quickly. We’re talking tender chicken, perfectly crisp-tender broccoli, and a homemade cheese sauce that makes you want to grab a spoon before you even get it into the oven. Trust me, once you make this version, it’ll become your go-to family favorite!

Gathering Your Ingredients for Chicken Divan

Getting ready for this amazing Chicken Divan is half the fun! Since this recipe yields six generous servings, accuracy matters, especially when building that incredible cheese sauce. I always lay everything out before I start—it keeps me calm and prevents those frantic moments searching for the garlic powder! For the full list of what you need, please refer to the ingredient table below.

This list ensures we have the perfect balance of protein, fresh veggies, and that decadent, creamy base that makes this casserole legendary.

Essential Components for the Chicken Divan Casserole

We need solid foundations here. Start with 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut about 3/4-inch thick, so it cooks evenly in the oven. For the green stuff—and you need plenty of it—grab 4 cups of fresh broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces. Don’t skimp on the sauce base ingredients either: we need 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, one small yellow onion (finely diced, please!), 2 cloves of garlic minced, 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour for thickening, 1.5 cups of whole milk, and 3/4 cup of low-sodium chicken broth. Don’t forget the 2/3 cup of sour cream that brings the tang!

Creating the Flavorful Topping for Chicken Divan

The topping is non-negotiable for a proper Chicken Divan experience! It needs crunch! You’ll combine 3/4 cup of panko breadcrumbs with 3 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter. We also use a final sprinkle of cheese to get that beautiful golden crust, so make sure you have that extra 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar ready to go on top.

Ingredient	Quantity	Preparation
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast	1.5 lbs	About 3/4-inch thick
Fresh Broccoli Florets	4 cups	Cut into bite-size pieces
Olive Oil	2 tablespoons	Divided
Salt	1 teaspoon	Divided
Black Pepper	1/2 teaspoon	Divided
Unsalted Butter	6 tablespoons total	3 Tbsp for sauce, 3 Tbsp melted for topping
Small Yellow Onion	1	Finely diced
Garlic Cloves	2	Minced
All-Purpose Flour	3 tablespoons
Whole Milk	1.5 cups
Low-Sodium Chicken Broth	3/4 cup
Sour Cream	2/3 cup
Garlic Powder	1/2 teaspoon
Onion Powder	1/2 teaspoon
Mustard Powder	1/4 teaspoon
Sharp Cheddar Cheese	2 cups total	1.5 cups for sauce, 1/2 cup for topping, shredded
Panko Breadcrumbs	3/4 cup

Step-by-Step Instructions for Baking Chicken Divan

Okay, this is where the magic happens! Making a fantastic Chicken Divan doesn’t require any fancy gadgets, just good old-fashioned timing. First things first: get your oven preheated to 375°F. Grab that 9×13-inch baking dish and give it a light grease so nothing sticks later. This whole process, from start to finish, is designed to be straightforward.

Preparing and Cooking the Chicken

We have to cook the chicken first, and I prefer baking it right in the dish we’ll use for the casserole—less cleanup! Take your 1.5 lbs of chicken breasts, drizzle them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and season both sides really well with half of your salt and pepper. Pop that into the preheated oven for about 20 to 22 minutes. The absolute key here is checking the temperature! It *must* hit 165°F internally; use a thermometer, please! Once it’s done, pull it out, let it rest for five minutes—this keeps the meat juicy—then cube it into nice 3/4-inch bites. While that’s happening, steam your 4 cups of broccoli florets until they are tender-crisp, maybe 3 to 4 minutes covered with a bit of water, then drain it super well. Nobody wants a watery casserole!

Making the Rich Cheese Sauce Base

Now for the heart of the dish: the sauce! Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss in your diced onion and let it soften up for about 3 or 4 minutes. Then add the minced garlic and cook it until you can really smell it—that’s usually just 30 seconds. Be careful not to burn the garlic, or the whole sauce tastes bitter! Next, sprinkle in your 3 tablespoons of flour and whisk constantly for a full minute. This cooks out that raw flour taste. Slowly, slowly, whisk in the milk and chicken broth—if you dump it all at once, you get lumps, and we don’t want lumps! Keep whisking until the sauce bubbles and thickens nicely, about 6 to 8 minutes. Take it off the heat, and then stir in the sour cream, all your powders (garlic, onion, mustard), the rest of your salt and pepper, and that big scoop of 1.5 cups of cheddar cheese until it’s silky smooth.

Assembling and Baking the Chicken Divan Casserole

Time to layer! Spread your drained broccoli evenly across the bottom of your prepared baking dish. Top that with all your cubed, cooked chicken. Pour that gorgeous cheese sauce evenly over the chicken and broccoli layer. For the crunchy finish, mix your 3/4 cup of panko with the 3 tablespoons of melted butter and sprinkle that mixture right over the top. Finish it off by scattering the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese over the crumbs. Bake this masterpiece uncovered at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes. You are looking for bubbly edges and a beautifully golden brown topping. When it comes out, let the Chicken Divan rest for 5 minutes before you dig in!

Tips for Making Exceptional Chicken Divan

Even with a straightforward recipe like this amazing Chicken Divan, a few little tricks can take it from good to absolutely unforgettable. I learned these lessons the hard way—usually involving scraping burnt bits or dealing with a sauce that looked like cottage cheese! But hey, that’s how we get better, right? Follow these pointers, and you’ll be serving up perfect comfort food every time.

Achieving the Best Sauce Texture

Lumps happen when you try to rush the roux! Remember, when you add the flour to the melted butter and onions, you need to cook that mixture—that’s your roux—for a full minute before you add *any* liquid. When you start adding the milk and broth, do it gradually! Pour in about a third of the liquid while whisking like crazy. Once that’s totally smooth, add the next third. It sounds tedious, but this slow introduction is the secret weapon against lumps. If you still end up with a few tiny ones, just take the sauce off the heat right before you add the cheese and use an immersion blender for three quick pulses—it smooths everything right out!

Broccoli Preparation for Chicken Divan

The absolute biggest pitfall in any creamy vegetable casserole is excess water, and steamed broccoli is a major culprit! If you don’t drain it completely, that water seeps out while baking, turning your rich cheese sauce thin and soupy. After steaming your broccoli for those 3 to 4 minutes, drain it, and then I always give it a little press between a few paper towels just to wick away any lingering moisture. You want the broccoli tender, but definitely not soggy. This small step ensures your Chicken Divan stays thick and cheesy right down to the last spoonful.

Quick Answers about Chicken Divan

I get so many questions about tweaking this recipe, and that’s wonderful! It means you’re excited to bring this comforting Chicken Divan into your own rotation. Here are the most common things people ask me when they are planning their bake!

Can I use pre-cooked chicken in this Chicken Divan recipe?

Absolutely! If you have leftover rotisserie chicken or baked chicken breast on hand, you can totally jump ahead. Since the chicken isn’t raw, you skip the initial 20-minute baking step entirely. Just make sure you have about 1.5 pounds of cooked, cubed chicken ready to go. When you assemble the casserole, you might not need to bake it quite as long—maybe shave off 5 minutes from the final bake time since everything is already cooked through. It’s a great time-saver for a busy weeknight!

What kind of cheese works best for this chicken casserole?

For the best flavor in this chicken casserole, you need sharp cheddar. I mean it—sharp! Mild cheddar just gets lost in the sauce. The recipe calls for 2 cups total, split between the sauce and the topping. My biggest piece of advice? Shred your cheese yourself! Pre-shredded cheese has additives to keep it from clumping in the bag, but those same additives can make your sauce grainy. Freshly shredding that block of sharp cheddar guarantees you get that silky, perfect broccoli cheese sauce we are aiming for.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

Yes, you totally can assemble the entire Chicken Divan casserole—broccoli, chicken, and sauce—in the baking dish, cover it tightly with foil, and stick it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to bake, let it sit on the counter for about 20 minutes to take the chill off, and then add the breadcrumb topping right before it goes into the oven. You might need to add 5 extra minutes to the baking time since it’s starting cold.

Storing and Reheating Your Leftover Chicken Divan

One of the best things about a hearty casserole like Chicken Divan is that it tastes just as good the next day! Seriously, sometimes the flavors meld overnight and it’s even better. I always make sure I have leftovers because lunch the next day is already sorted. It’s comfort food that keeps giving! You can find more great ideas for saving and sharing recipes like this one over on Pinterest.

When you’re done enjoying the first round, you need to make sure you store it right so it stays creamy. I’ve put together a quick reference table below so you know exactly how to handle any extras you might have.

Storage Item	Guideline
Refrigeration Time	Up to 3 days
Covering	Store tightly covered

Proper Storage Guidelines

If you have any remaining Chicken Divan, make sure you cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or foil before putting it into the refrigerator. Because this casserole is so rich, it keeps really well. You can safely store leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. I’ve never had it last longer than that in my house, though!

Simple Reheating Method

When you’re ready for a single serving, don’t bother heating up the whole dish! Just scoop out what you want onto a microwave-safe plate. Heat it up for about 1 to 2 minutes. The microwave works perfectly for individual portions and gets that cheesy center nice and hot without drying out the edges like an oven sometimes can.

Understanding the Nutrition in Chicken Divan

I always get asked about the nutrition in my favorite comfort meals, and while this Chicken Divan is definitely rich, it packs a serious punch of protein from the chicken and fiber from the broccoli! Now, keep in mind that the numbers I’m sharing are estimates based on the ingredients listed here, as every brand of cheese or sour cream can vary slightly. For the detailed breakdown based on a 6-serving yield, please check out the table below. If you are looking for lighter chicken options, check out my tips on baking chicken breasts.

You’ll see it clocks in around 485 calories per serving, with a good amount of fat from that creamy cheese sauce, but also a solid 36g of protein to keep you full!

Nutrient	Value (Per Serving)
Serving Size	1 serving
Calories	485
Protein	36g
Fat	28g
Carbohydrates	23g

Print