Chicken Divan

I remember the hey-day of this dish in the 60’s. It was considered to be quite gourmet, and something my grandmother proudly presented at church dinners and at-home luncheons. The essence of it is layered fresh steamed broccoli and poached chicken breast in a creamy sherried parmesan sauce – and it was so popular every cook seemed to have their own version. Being a wise and careful cook, my grandmother managed to lighten up this dish, departing from the original version which involves hollandaise sauce and heavy whipping cream. Instead of cream and egg yolk for the sauce she used homemade chicken stock (she would poach a whole chicken every other week or so), and created a dish with exceptionally clean, distinguishable  flavors. 

Aside from sometimes using canned stock for mine, my only change to her recipe is using domestic freshly grated parmesan cheese instead of the pre-grated that was the only parmesan available to her. I must say it is an improvement – the difference in taste is notable. 

Chicken Divan (serves four)

• 2 chicken breasts, poached
• 1/2 lb. peeled and steamed broccoli spears
• 1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) chicken stock
• 1/2 cup loose pack freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus some for topping
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry
• Salt and pepper 
• Preheated 350 degree oven
• Buttered casserole or gratin dish

While steaming the fresh broccoli spears (partially covered with 1/2 cup salted water for 6-8 minutes or until just tender) poach the chicken breasts:

Poached chicken breasts:

Place the chicken breasts in a pan or pot with just enough water to cover them. Add a bay leaf, a generous pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of freshly ground pepper. On medium-low heat let the water come to a simmer.  Adjust the heat to low so that it remains at a simmer, covered for 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, covered for about 20 minutes.

When cooled, drain – reserving the liquid for the sauce of you’d like – and slice thinly on a diagonal. Arrange the chicken and broccoli in a buttered casserole or gratin dish. Continue by making the sauce:

Chicken Divan Sauce:

In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter on low, add the flour and whisk together vigourously. Continue to whisk and cook over the heat until the mixture is bubbly and frothy – but not turning brown.  Add the chicken stock in thirds, continuing to whisk constantly, and allowing to come back to the boil after each addition of stock. Add the sherry after the stock has been added and return to the boil, still whisking the sauce, for four minutes. 

 Turn the heat to low and begin to add the grated parmesan cheese. Do not let the sauce come to a boil again after this point. Again by roughly thirds, add the cheese, continuing to whisk. When everything is incorporated and thickened, taste for salt and pepper.

Spoon the hot sauce over the chicken and broccoli.

On top of the sauced chicken and broccoli, sprinkle more freshly grated parmesan cheese. Place the casserole in a preheated 350 degree oven, and bake for about twenty minutes, or until bubbly and just beginning to brown.

Remove from the oven, and allow to cool for a few minutes, which will allow the sauce to tighten up a bit. Enjoy this healthier version of a retro-gourmet classic…..it’s timeless!

Note:  If you are making this for children – you might want to leave out the sherry , even though the alcohol is evaporated out. My sister Jo and I never appreciated what great flavor it added to the dish until we were adults,  and bless her heart, my grandmother would leave it out when making it for us when we were young – to my grandfather’s disappointment!