Chicken Divan

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Chicken Divan

This chicken-broccoli-rice casserole is comfort food for me, a wonderful memory of a dear friend, Sharleen Pearson, who brought it to me after the birth of my second child in Washington state. What makes this more than just a run-of-the-mill cream of soup casserole? The addition of lemon juice and curry powder to the sauce. Over time I have adjusted the recipe to have less rice and more broccoli. Brown rice or quinoa substitute nicely for white rice.

INGREDIENTS

• • 2 chicken breasts
  • 1 cup white rice
  • 2 cups chicken broth*
  • 1 tablespoon butter or oil
  • 2 large heads or 3 small heads broccoli

• For Sauce

  • 2 cans of cream of chicken soup
  • 1/4 cup mayo
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

• Optional Topping

• extra shredded cheddar
• buttered bread crumbs

• INSTRUCTIONS

  Preparation of chicken, rice, and broccoli overlap:

  • 1. Bake chicken breasts, salted and peppered, at 375', about 20-25 minutes for thawed chicken, 40-45 minutes for frozen or until internal temperature is at least 165'. Cool chicken and chop into bite-size pieces. Reserve baking juices in a large bowl.
    2. Add rice and butter to boiling broth, cover, and turn down to medium-low for 12-15 minutes.
    3. Wash and chop broccoli into bite-sized pieces and place in a large, covered pot with a steam rack filled with water to just below the rack. From a cold start, steam for just 10 minutes from when stove burner is turned on to high. Remove from heat and let cool with lid removed.
    4. Combine soup, mayo, lemon juice, and curry to chicken juices in large bowl. Stir in cheese. Add chopped chicken to sauce.
    5. In a large 9 x 12" casserole dish, layer rice, broccoli, and chicken sauce. Optionally, extra cheese and buttered bread crumbs can be sprinkled on top of the casserole. Bake for about 45 minutes at 350' or 30 minutes at 375' or until hot and bubbly.

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  NOTES

  * I prefer to make my own broth by whisking one teaspoon of chicken Better-than-Bouillon paste per 1 cup of warm water.