Most Divan Chicken

May I introduce you to one of my favorite "company" dishes?  

The concept of Chicken Divan began at a New York restaurant in the 1950s, the Divan Parisienne.  It was their signature dish.

Eventually, homemakers  began to fiddle with the idea, substituting canned mushroom soup for the original bechamel-style mornay sauce.   That was back in the jello days, I'm sure, when jiggly salads routinely appeared at supper tables everywhere.  

Chicken Divan:  my grandma made it, my mother made it, my sister makes it and I make it.  Their versions take a lot of time, wherein you separately boil the broccoli and cook, debone, and chop the chicken.  Yikes, what a lot of work!  My version is quicker and definitely richer!  I throw everything into one baking dish, and let the oven slowly work its magic.

This dish tastes memorable, and goes great with baked sweet potatoes or garlic mashed potatoes or wild rice or brown rice or...

Most Divan Chicken

an original recipe by Kelly Jo Vanderstelt

1.  Wash 3 to 4 fresh Broccoli Crowns and cut into smaller pieces, including some stem.  Place in the bottom of a deep, well-buttered 13"x9" baking dish.

2.  Sprinkle a generous layer of Shredded Cheese, 1 to 2 cups(cheddar or colby-jack), over the broccoli.

3.  Make sauce in a mixing bowl:

• 1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup (condensed)
• 1 Cup Mayonnaise (I only use the best: Hellman's)
• 1 Tbs. Lemon Juice
• 1 Tsp. Curry Powder
• 1/2 Tsp. Salt

4.  With a spatula, spread up to half of the sauce over the broccoli, trying to leave the cheese intact.  

5.  Layer on a 2 to 2 1/2 lb. package of boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts, left whole or cut into large serving-sized pieces.

6. Layer over top of the chicken:

• 2 cups of Shredded Cheese
• Remaining Sauce
• A generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese
• A generous sprinkle of Bread Crumbs, plain or Italian

7.  Tent loosely with aluminum foil and bake for at least 2 hours at 325 degrees.

Serves 6.