Chicken Divan
A cozy, creamy chicken and broccoli bake in a sherry cream sauce with melted cheddar — a healthier-leaning comfort food classic from my freezer meal days.
- Prep Time
- 20 min
- Cook Time
- 40 min
- Total Time
- 1 hr
- Servings
- 8 servings
This was one of my favorites back when I first started my freezer meal business, and it quickly became one of the most popular dishes I made too. It's exactly the kind of healthier comfort food people are always looking for these days, and it's versatile enough to serve over rice, potatoes, or pasta depending on what you've got on hand.
The sauce comes together with a touch of sherry cooking wine, which gives it a little extra depth without being overpowering, and a good blanket of melted cheddar on top seals the deal.
It freezes beautifully, so I always try to keep an extra pan tucked away for a night when cooking feels like too much.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds cooked chicken, cut into chunks
- 1 1/2 pounds broccoli florets
- 1/2 pound unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (use gluten-free all-purpose flour to make this GF)
- 1/2 cup sherry cooking wine
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
- 4 cups whole milk
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the chicken and broccoli in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
- 2Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat, then whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the cooking wine, then the chicken bouillon and onion powder, followed by the milk.
- 3Continue cooking for about 15 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the sauce has thickened.
- 4Pour the sauce over the chicken and broccoli, then sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Serve with rice, potatoes, or extra vegetables.
Storage & Reheating
Freezer meal instructions: double the recipe and distribute into greased foil containers, cover, label, and freeze. Thaw in the fridge for at least 24 hours before baking, adding 10-15 minutes to the cook time.
Love this recipe? You'll love Chef Erin's Freezer Pleasers
Over 90 make-ahead recipes that freeze beautifully — breakfast, chicken, beef, pork, seafood, soups, sides, and freezer-friendly desserts, built for batch cooking, meal trains, and stress-free weeknights.
