Chicken Divan with Curry

 Tender chicken and broccoli in a creamy curry sauce, Chicken Divan with Curry is a tasty and nourishing comfort food.

I grew up in the golden age of casseroles.  And unlike most of my peers, I was NOT happy about this.  So once I left home, I vowed never to touch them again.

On the other hand, my kids love it when I make a recipe from my childhood (back then we called this Chicken Broccoli Supreme). All I have to do is tell them I’m making one of Grandma’s recipes, and you can feel the excitement.

And truthfully there are some gems in the casserole ranks.  Like the classic Hamburger Rice Hotdish.  And this new take on Green Bean Casserole–with lots of cheese and cherry tomatoes!  Yes, take a look below for more favorites from my blogging friends.

So I was delighted today to resurrect this Chicken Divan with Curry.  Loaded with healthy chicken, broccoli and curry powder, I even served it over local organic brown rice.   

Why You’ll Love This!

Flavorful.  Rich with curry flavor, tasty chicken, and tender crisp broccoli in a rich sauce, this is a taste delight.

Easy.  Precooking chicken and fresh broccoli adds a little work.  But if you want to save time and effort, you can go with rotisserie chicken and frozen broccoli and skip those steps. 

Healthier Comfort Food.  Comfort food isn’t usually known as health food.  But there’s no problem with this!

Step by Step Overview

If using raw chicken, sautee or bake until cooked through.  Once chicken is cooked, or if using pre-cooked chicken, cut into slices or bite-sized pieces. 

If using fresh broccoli, steam or microwave until al dente (tender crisp).  Frozen broccoli usually doesn’t need pre-cooking but if you suspect yours might be tough, you should pre-cook that briefly as well.

Layer broccoli, then chicken in casserole.

Mix soup, mayonnaise, curry powder and lemon juice. Spoon over broccoli and chicken.

Top with grated cheese.

Bake covered for 20 minutes, then (optionally) top with panko mixed with butter then bake until golden, about 5-10 minutes.   Serve over (ideally brown) rice if desired.

Variations

I stuck with the Cream of Chicken Soup since it’s such an easy way to make this rich and creamy.  But I did drop the amount down to a single can as a concession to my natural living goals.  With just a slight dip is the amount of sauce ,  there was still enough to serve over a big scoop of rice.

But if you worry you’ll miss the extra sauce, just add the second can back in.  On the other hand, if you want to go full on natural, there are copycat “cream of” recipes readily available online. 

I have also seen versions of this made with green beans. 

Tips & FAQs

To save time, you can go with frozen broccoli and pre-cooked chicken.  This could be rotisserie chicken, your leftover homemade roast chicken or even leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

I have been disappointed in my recent grocery store purchases of “sharp” cheddar which have been too light on flavor.   So now I’ve started looking for cheddar that is aged 2-3 years–and have been much happier.   If you’re in Wisconsin, check out Woodman’s for budget rescuing good prices on award-winning Hook’s cheese (not sponsored).

I sliced my chicken breast for this since that looks nice–and it’s how my mother did it.  But next time I think I’m going to cut into bite-sized pieces and make the eating as easy as the prep!

My mother didn’t include the topping in her Curried Chicken Divan.  But when I saw buttery panko in some online versions, I decided to give it a try.  I’m a sucker for a little crunch.  Use or omit, per your tastes (and pantry contents).

Make Ahead Casseroles

• Cheesy Potato Casserole from That Recipe
• Chicken Divan with Curry from Art of Natural Living
• Eggs Benedict Casserole from Jen Around the World
• Neapolitan Layered Pasta Casserole from Creative Cynchronicity
• Queso Con Carne Casserole from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

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Chicken Divan

Chicken with broccoli or green beans, covered in a creamy sauce, Chicken Divan is a perfect winter comfort food.

Author: Inger

Servings 6

Calories 361 kcal

5 from 1 vote

Print

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 5 cups broccoli spears or 2 10-ounce frpzen packages
• 1.5 pounds chicken breasts approx, this should be 2 large or 4 small
• 1 can cream of chicken soup or 2 for more sauce
• 1/2 cup reduced fat mayonnaise can use regular if preferred
• 1/2 cup reduced fat milk can use other fat levels if preferred
• 1 Tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Optional Topping:

• 1 Tablespoon butter melted
• 1/4 cup panko

Instructions

 

1. Once chicken is cooked, or if using precooked chicken, cut into slices or bite-sized pieces. 
2. If using fresh broccoli, steam or microwave until al dente (tender crisp). Frozen broccoli usually doesn’t need pre-cooking but if you suspect yours might be tough, you should pre-cook that briefly as well.
3. Layer broccoli, then chicken in casserole.
4. Mix soup, mayonnaise, curry powder and lemon juice. Spoon over broccoli and chicken.
5. Top with grated cheese.
6. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then (optionally) top with panko mixed with butter and bake until golden, about 5-10 more minutes.
7. Serve over (ideally brown) rice if desired..

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Nutrition

Calories: 361kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 33gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 833mgPotassium: 746mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 873IUVitamin C: 67mgCalcium: 215mgIron: 2mg

I am not a health professional and nutrition data is calculated programatically. Accuracy may vary with product selection, calculator accuracy, etc. Consult a professional for the best information.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Course Main Dish

Updated from the original first published on Feb 17, 2015.