How to Make this super EASY Chicken Divan!
The shortcut sauce for this recipe is made by combining cream of chicken soup, mayo, curry powder and fresh lemon. The curry and lemon go a long way to brightening up the canned ingredients. I recommend using Campbell’s brand soup and a mayonnaise that you actually enjoy eating on sandwiches or any other way. I don’t recommend low fat or otherwise weird mayo. Just go with the good, normal stuff. My preference is to also be fairly heavy-handed with both the lemon and the curry, but try it out and see what you think! The sauce is not cooked ahead of time, just mix the ingredients together.
Step 1: Layer Vegetables in your Baking Dish
You can make this dish with either broccoli, or green beans if you prefer. Broccoli is more classic, but growing up some of my siblings didn’t like it so my Mom always made it with half canned green beans on the bottom and half broccoli! I actually love it with canned green beans because it’s so nostalgic! If using broccoli, just grab one of those frozen bags that steams in the microwave, it’s perfect.
Step 2: Top with cooked chopped chicken
If I’m baking chicken for another recipe during the week, I’ll often just make extra to save for this recipe. A rotisserie chicken would also work great.
Step 3: Layer with Sauce
Just spread your sauce right on top of the veggies and chicken.
Step 4: Top with Grated Cheese
No old-school casserole would be complete without a pile of shredded cheese on top. Just sprinkle it over the top. If you need to prep this dish early in the day it works great to pop in the fridge at this point, or take to a friend for them to bake themselves.
Step 5. Bake Your Chicken Divan and Serve over Rice
Everything it technically cooked so you are baking to heat through until it’s hot and bubble, about 30 minutes. While your casserole is in the oven, make some white rice and then spoon the creamy, cheesy casserole over the top of the hot rice. If you happen to have extra lemons, I love squeezing more on top. This dish is SO easy to make and incredibly homey and comforting. I hope you enjoy eating it as much as I have over the years!
