Chicken Divan AKA Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

 

Chicken Divan 

AKA

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

My mom and dad were both in the medical field and worked opposite shifts at the hospital for my entire childhood. Dad worked days and mom worked nights, so casseroles were a staple in our home. Mom would put them in the oven while we did our homework, she’d go get ready for work, and by the time dad was home and she was off to be a nurse for the evening, we had a home cooked dinner in our bellies. This was a dinner we had frequently and I still make on a regular basis. In fact, it freezes so well that it was one of our staple -home from the hospital with newborn baby- freezer meal for both my sister and I. Who knew an easy weeknight dinner could be so sentimental?

Serves 6 or 4 with leftovers

4 cups of chopped or shredded cooked chicken (use rotiserrie to make it easy on yourself)

1 lb or 3 cups of fresh chopped or frozen broccoli

1 - 10.5 oz can of cream of chicken soup

½ cup of chicken broth

1 TBSP of yellow curry powder

1 tsp of salt (to taste)

½ tsp of pepper (to taste)

½ cup of Mayo or Greek Yogurt

Juice of 1 large lemon

½ - 1 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese

¼ cup of sliced, slivered, or chopped almonds (optional)

Serve on top of cooked brown or white rice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine chicken, broccoli, soup mix, ½ cup of chicken broth, seasonings, mayo or yogurt, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Transfer to an ovenproof casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20- 30 minutes or until broccoli is cooked and edges begin to bubble. Remove from the oven and add cheese and almonds. Bake uncovered for another 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted. 

Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve on top of cooked brown or white rice.