This Classic Chicken Divan Casserole is a retro comfort food favorite that never goes out of style. Featuring tender bites of chicken and fresh broccoli smothered in a rich, creamy cheese sauce, it is topped with a buttery, golden Ritz cracker crust that adds the perfect crunch.
Hearty, savory, and incredibly satisfying, this casserole is a complete meal that comes together easily for a cozy family dinner.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: This dish is creamy and savory, with a comforting sauce flavored by onion, garlic, and a hint of mustard powder, balanced by the freshness of broccoli and the buttery crunch of crackers.
- Texture: Tender chicken and soft broccoli are enveloped in a velvety cheese sauce, contrasting beautifully with the crisp cracker topping.
- Time: 15 minutes prep, 30 minutes cook time.
- Difficulty: Easy. It involves a quick sauté and a two-stage bake.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a Dutch oven or large pot to cook the chicken and vegetable base, and a 9×13 casserole dish for baking. The ingredients rely on pantry staples like cream of chicken soup and Ritz crackers, combined with fresh chicken, broccoli, and plenty of cheddar cheese.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Breasts – You need 2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces. Sautéing them first ensures they are cooked through and flavorful.
- Broccoli Florets – Fresh broccoli works best here. Cutting the florets small ensures they cook to a tender-crisp texture right in the pan with the chicken.
- Cream of Chicken Soup – This forms the rich, velvety base of the sauce without needing to make a roux from scratch.
- Sour Cream – Adds a delicious tang and creaminess that lightens the heavy soup base.
- Cheddar Cheese – Sharp cheddar is recommended for the best flavor punch to cut through the cream sauce.
- Ritz Crackers – Crushed Ritz crackers mixed with butter create the classic, irresistible topping. Panko breadcrumbs can be used for a lighter crunch.
- Seasonings – A blend of garlic powder, onion powder, and mustard powder enhances the savory cheese sauce.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Soup Variations – Cream of mushroom or cream of broccoli soup can be substituted for a slightly different flavor profile.
- Curry Powder – Traditional Chicken Divan often includes a teaspoon of curry powder. Feel free to add this if you want that classic vintage taste.
- Rice – While typically served over rice, you can stir 2 cups of cooked rice directly into the casserole mixture before baking for a true one-dish meal.
How to Make Classic Chicken Divan Casserole
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
- Sauté Chicken & Veggies: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces, diced onions, and celery. Toss to coat and sauté for 3 minutes, until the chicken is about halfway done.
- Add Broccoli: Add the broccoli florets and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot. Cook for 3-5 more minutes, until the chicken is completely cooked through and the broccoli is bright green. Remove from heat.
- Make the Sauce: Directly into the pot, add the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, and half of the shredded cheddar cheese. Stir well to combine everything.
- Transfer: Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 9 x 13 casserole dish. Top evenly with the remaining cheese.
- First Bake: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Add Topping: While it bakes, combine the 2 tablespoons of melted butter with the crushed Ritz crackers. Remove the casserole from the oven and increase the heat to 400 degrees. Remove the foil and sprinkle the buttery crumbs over the casserole.
- Final Bake: Bake uncovered for 8-10 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes prior to serving to let the sauce set slightly. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.
Pro Tip: Don’t overcook the broccoli in the skillet. It will continue to cook in the oven. You want it to be just starting to soften when you mix in the sauce so it doesn’t turn into mush by the time dinner is ready.
Recipe Tips
- Shred Your Cheese: As always, grate your own block of cheddar cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has coatings that prevent it from melting into the smooth sauce you want for Divan.
- Let it Rest: The 5-minute resting period is crucial. If you serve it immediately bubbling out of the oven, the sauce will be runny. Resting allows it to thicken up for the perfect consistency.
- Topping: Watch the crackers closely during the high-heat bake. They can go from golden to burnt quickly at 400 degrees.
FAQs
- Can I use frozen broccoli? Yes, thaw and drain it well first. Add it at the very end of the sauté step just to warm it through, or it will be too soft.
- Is this gluten-free? To make it gluten-free, use a gluten-free cream of chicken soup and gluten-free crackers or breadcrumbs for the topping.
- Can I use rotisserie chicken?Yes! Sauté the onions, celery, and broccoli first until tender, then stir in the cooked cubed chicken and proceed with the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
- Rice: White or brown rice is the standard bed for this saucy chicken.
- Potatoes: Mashed potatoes or even baked potatoes make a comforting base.
- Noodles: Serve over wide egg noodles for a stroganoff-style meal.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Assembly: You can assemble the entire casserole (without the cracker topping) up to a day in advance and store it in the fridge.
- Baking: When ready to eat, bake covered for 30 minutes (since it’s cold), then add the topping and finish as directed.
Classic Chicken Divan Casserole
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 Servings 1x
Description
This Classic Chicken Divan Casserole is a retro comfort food favorite that never goes out of style. Featuring tender bites of chicken and fresh broccoli smothered in a rich, creamy cheese sauce, it is topped with a buttery, golden Ritz cracker crust that adds the perfect crunch. Hearty, savory, and incredibly satisfying, this casserole is a complete meal that comes together easily for a cozy family dinner.
Ingredients
The Chicken & Veggie Base
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 cups fresh broccoli florets (approx. 1/2 lb)
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 2 tablespoons butter (for sautéing)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
The Creamy Cheese Sauce
- 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
The Cracker Topping
- 1/2 cup crushed Ritz crackers (or Panko breadcrumbs)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
Prep
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish. Season the cubed chicken lightly with salt and pepper.
Sauté Chicken
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the chicken, diced onions, and celery. Toss to coat and sauté for 3 minutes, until the chicken is about halfway cooked.
Add Broccoli
Add the broccoli florets and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot. Cook for 3–5 more minutes, just until the chicken is cooked through and the broccoli is bright green. Note: Do not overcook; the broccoli should stay crisp as it will cook more in the oven. Remove pot from heat.
Make Sauce
Directly into the pot with the chicken and veggies, stir in the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, and half of the shredded Cheddar cheese. Mix well.
Transfer
Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Top evenly with the remaining cheese.
First Bake
Cover the dish with foil. Bake for 20 minutes.
Add Topping
While it bakes, mix the crushed Ritz crackers with the melted butter. Remove casserole from oven. Increase heat to 400°F (200°C). Remove foil and sprinkle the buttery crumbs over the top.
Final Bake
Bake uncovered for 8–10 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
Serve
Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.
Notes
Curry Twist: Traditional vintage Chicken Divan often includes 1 teaspoon of curry powder in the sauce. Feel free to add this if you want that classic flavor profile.
The “Mush” Factor: Don’t cook the broccoli until soft in the skillet! It needs to be barely tender so it maintains texture after 30 minutes in the oven.
Rotisserie Hack: To save time, sauté the onions, celery, and broccoli until tender, then stir in cubes of cooked rotisserie chicken and the sauce ingredients.
Make Ahead: You can assemble the casserole (without the topping) a day in advance and refrigerate. When ready to cook, bake covered for 30 minutes before adding the topping, as it will be cold from the fridge.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner / Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American Retro
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of Recipe
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: chicken divan, chicken broccoli casserole, ritz cracker chicken, easy casserole recipes, comfort food dinner, cream of chicken soup recipes, retro dinner ideas
