Broccoli Chicken Divan Casserole with Curry turns cooked chicken and fresh broccoli into a creamy, from-scratch dinner that skips the canned soup. A simple sauce made with broth, milk, sour cream, mayonnaise, white wine, Worcestershire, and a touch of curry bakes into a rich layer, then gets topped with buttery panko and Parmesan. It’s an easy oven casserole that works for weeknights, make-ahead meals, or spooned over egg noodles to stretch a little further.
A From-Scratch Take on Chicken Divan
This version of Chicken Divan skips the canned soup and gives you a simple homemade sauce instead. You start with cooked, shredded chicken in the bottom of the dish, add just-tender broccoli on top, then pour over a sauce made from sautéed onions, broth, milk, sour cream, mayonnaise, a splash of white wine, Worcestershire, and a little curry powder. It bakes into a creamy layer that settles around everything.
The top is a mix of panko, butter, and Parmesan that bakes into a light, crunchy crust. Underneath, the chicken and broccoli stay in generous pieces, so you get texture instead of a casserole where everything mushes together. You can serve it straight from the dish, with some buttermilk biscuits or serve it over egg noodles or rice if you want to stretch it a little further.
Since it has a creamy sauce, I like to pair it with a light refreshing spinach and strawberry salad.
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To keep the broccoli from either being too crunchy or too soft, I just microwave it for two minutes before adding it to the casserole. This gives it the perfect texture once it’s baked.
Featured reader review
“This was amazing! I made it a little different by adding chopped mushrooms and garlic to the onion mixture. Added flour then deglazed the pan with the white wine. Added the broth then cream. I sautéed chicken thighs and chopped them instead of pulled chicken breast. Will make again!”
Jennifer
This was not my favorite casserole recipe growing up, it had too much mayonnaise for me. So, I got rid of the can of soup and cup the mayo in half, using part sour cream and now I think it’s just perfect!
It’s also practical if you like to prep ahead. You can assemble the casserole earlier in the day and bake it when you’re ready to eat, or bake it and gently reheat leftovers. The sauce thickens up nicely in the oven, even if it looks a little loose when you first pour it on. There’s nothing easier on a weeknight than a tried and true casserole recipe.
Chicken, Broccoli, and the Rest
You don’t need anything fancy here, just cooked chicken, broccoli, and a few basic ingredients for the sauce and topping. You’ll find the full list of ingredients with exact amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Chicken: Cooked, shredded chicken from oven roasted chicken breasts or a rotisserie chicken both work well. If you have leftover turkey, you can use that.
- Broccoli florets: Fresh broccoli is great and gives you the best texture. If using frozen, thaw and pat dry, you won’t need to microwave it.
- Sour cream and mayonnaise: I use less mayonnaise than many other Chicken Divan recipes and substitute some of it with sour cream, which I think improves the taste. I recommend using the full-fat variety of both.
Building the Chicken Divan Step by Step
Step One: Layer Chicken and Broccoli
Avoid extra liquid: Make sure the broccoli is well drained so it doesn’t thin the sauce in the pan.
Step Two: Cook Onions and Make the Sauce Base
Don’t worry about thickness: The sauce will seem a bit thinner than canned soup at this point, but it thickens as the casserole bakes.
Step Three: Finish the Sauce and Layer
Step Four: Make and Add the Topping
Step Five: Bake Until Bubbly and Golden
Bake the casserole uncovered at 350º until it is bubbling around the edges, and the panko topping is golden. If needed, place it under the broiler briefly to brown the top a bit more.
If you’ve only ever had Chicken Divan made with canned soup, this version might surprise you. It’s creamy without being heavy, full of flavor, and still simple enough for a weeknight. Make it once and you’ll see why this old-school casserole has stuck around.
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Classic Chicken Divan Casserole with Homemade Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded chicken 2 large chicken breasts
- 4 cups broccoli florets fresh
- 1 onion diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup white wine
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ cup cheddar cheese
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º
- Place cooked shredded chicken in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Place broccoli florets in a microwave bowl with ¼ cup of water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 2 minutes. Drain and place over the chicken.
- Add butter to a medium skillet and cook onion over medium heat until softened. Add flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add milk and chicken broth until slightly thickened. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, wine, worcestershire sauce and curry powder. Add cheese and onion mixture and stir to combine. Pour over chicken mixture.
- In a small bowl combine panko and butter, stir with a fork. Add parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the chicken mixture.
- Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes until it is bubby and the panko has browned. You can place under a broiler to brown the panko if needed.
- Serve by itself or over egg noodles.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- If using frozen broccoli, thaw and drain, you won’t need to microwave.
- You can make this ahead, just cover and refrigerate. Let it come to room temperature before baking.
Nutrition
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Bill says
THIS was great me and my wife loved it, served over orzo.
Barbara Curry says
So glad you liked it. It’s a recipe people forget about.
Jennifer says
This was amazing! I made it a little different by adding chopped mushrooms and garlic to the onion mixture. Added flour then deglazed the pan with the white wine. Added the broth then cream. I sautéed chicken thighs and chopped them instead of pulled chicken breast. Will make again!
Barbara Curry says
Glad you liked it. Your additions sound great.