Like 99.9 percent of women in the world, I am drawn to quick and easy meals. If it’s picky-eater friendly, that’s an added bonus. With picky eaters, I’ve become quite the chicken and cheese connoisseur. One of my favorite go-to weeknight meals includes both – chicken divan. It’s a classic American dish created in the 1940’s. It was first cooked up and served in the Divan Parisienne Restaurant of New York City’s Chatham Hotel. So even though today’s quick versions of the recipe can be concocted out of soup in a can, I jokingly tell my family they are dinning on restaurant- quality cuisine.
Ingredients:
1 (10 oz.) package chopped frozen broccoli
6 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 (10 ¾ oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 Tb. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. curry powder
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbs. melted butter
salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 °F.
Cook broccoli according to package instructions. Drain the broccoli and put into a 9x 13 casserole dish that has been prepared with a non-stick cooking spray. Top with shredded chicken.
In a medium bowl, combine the soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, cheddar cheese, lemon juice, curry powder, salt and pepper to taste, and wine. Whisk together to make a sauce. Pour the sauce over the broccoli and chicken. Mix well with a spatula.
Pat down evenly and smooth with a spatula. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs and butter and sprinkle over the top.
Bake for about 30-45 minutes. Serve over rice or egg noodles.