Chicken Divan *And A Guest Blogger!*

I’m thrilled to introduce you to a new friend of mine, Rhoda from Southern Hospitality! I discovered Rhoda’s blog shortly after I began blogging and have stopped by whenever I could ever since! Her blog is one of those that makes you want to sit and stay a spell, growing more relaxed with each minute! I know you’ll enjoy her blog just as much as we will all enjoy this recipe!
Rhoda also graciously invited me to guest post for her blog today so be sure you pay her a visit and say hi! Her blog focuses on all the Southern staples: Decorating, Thrifting, Cooking and Gardening. The recipe she is sharing with us today is one of my mother’s favorite dishes. Thank you, Rhoda! ~Christy
Doesn’t that name sound fancy? Chicken divan…
If you’re from the South, you grew up with your share of casseroles. Made with cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup, is there any other kind of casserole? You see the 1984 church cookbook above that came out of my Pastor dad’s church at the time. The Women’s Ministry ladies decided they needed to do a cookbook for a couple of years and I’m so glad I snagged them. It is full of well-loved Southern recipes, good ole’ down home cooking and many of them have the above-mentioned creamy soup as a main ingredient. I’m quite sure there are probably some major differences between a church cookbook in the North and the South.
I’m just sayin’.

So, are you ready for this Chicken Divan? I have no idea where the name came from, if anyone knows, please let me know. I can see this on a Southern restaurant menu where little ladies go to lunch and chat up a storm. Have any of my Yankee friends (sorry, we just still call ya’ll that, old habits die hard you know!) heard of this recipe?
This recipe was contributed by my sister, Renee. I’ve made it quite a bit over the years. Main ingredient, chicken of course.

And cream of chicken soup mixed with mayo.
My hubby is not a casserole lover, but he does like this one a lot.

Broccoli layer goes first.

Shredded chicken on top of that

Creamy mixture next

Sprinkled with shredded cheddar cheese and bread crumbs mixed with butter.

I serve mine with brown rice cooked in chicken broth.
And it’s a cheesy, yummy meal.
Your kids would probably like it too. Comfort food at its best.
Here’s the official recipe:
Ingredients Instructions
Eat and enjoy!
~ Rhoda

















That looks really good. I love casseroles and I am always on the hunt for new recipes. Congrats as Guest Blogger Rhonda.
Yeah, I’ve not only heard of chicken divan, I’ve made and eaten it too – delicious! Not exactly this version, I don’t think the one I made had cheese. I love the combination of flavors, with chicken and broccoli and mayonnaise. Yum!
Hi, I’m a Michigander who loves chicken divan. This has always been my daughter’s specialty, but since seeing the recipe here, I think I will be making some soon.
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I have this recipe too! It is a real tasty comfort food.
It looks so good. I’ve got to try this!
I eat a lot of chicken since finding out about my bad thyroid I also eat fish. May have to try this recipe.
What a great dish. I have this recipe in several of my church and school cookbooks. Seein’ it here is makin’ me want it.
Thanks for great sounding recipes submitted by both of you special ladies today. Cannot wait to try them! Had to add your site to my blog favorites too! I noticed the “Vanilla Wafer Cake” recipe as soon as I opened your page and this one was new to me until earlier today when a friend brought one of these by for us to try. It is ‘delish’! Will have to try making one of these soon, hopefully next week when my sister visits from Mississippi.
Blessings always,
Kaye
Matthew 21:22
I’m in Indiana and not only have I heard of and eaten chicken divan, but I also have a church cookbook that is just chock full of casseroles that call for cream of this or that!
I haven’t had this in a while, thanks for reminding me – I’ll have to put it on next week’s menu!
This is a great take along dish! Thanks for guest blogging Rhonda.
I found your blog Rhoda’s, and I have put it in my favorites! The Chicken Divan looks sooo delicious, my mother is from Oklahoma, so I love all of the Southern dishes best, despite the fact that I have been raised in Canada. I love to cook and do so everyday so, I will be back to check your blog out often. Thank you for this excellent source!! Hugs ~cindy s~
Hi Rhoda
I was just at your blog and left a comment for Christy. I used to make those donuts for my kiddo’s. They loved them. Perhaps I’ll make some for J, over the weekend.
The Chicken Divan looks scrumptious!!
Great guest post!
I was going to have Chicken and Rice for supper tonight. Now I am going to make this. It looks so good and cheesy…. just what we like. Thank you for sharing
)
This Yankee has heard of it lol! but we put ritz crackers instead of bread crumbs!! It is mighty tastey!
Look’s pretty darn good!I’m gonna have to try this one!
This looks easy and yummy. I know my family are big cassarole lovers so this would be one I will try soon. Thanks so much for the recipe. It will be great to make for company too! Thanks Rhonda!
My hubby isn’t much on “yard bird” but maybe I can sneak it in on him with this one.
This looks so creamy and delicious!
I recently made this–pulling out recipes of some the first things I learned to cook as a young bride–I think they are making a comeback! Glad to see Rhoda “guest hosting”!
I love this recipe!! My mom use to make it all the time and so of course so do I!
I laughed when I saw this post because i just made this Monday night!
This sounds good, gonna have to try this one girl.
this looks so good, I plan to make it for sunday dinner. Thanks for sharing and please do more!!!!!!!
Another winning recipe! I love casseroles and one-dish meals. They’re such timesavers.
Looks Wonderful for company….. Yum Yum
Thanks for this recipe..
Linda in Louisiana
My casserole is in the oven as we speak. I had everything already on hand. What a simple, easy recipe. Can’t wait to taste it! Thanks!!
Laura
Great post Rhoda. Sounds delish! Thanks for having such a special guest, Christy! And great visiting your blog. Sorry I didn’t meet you at Blissdom!
I made this last night for supper and it was wonderful. I only had a little tobring for lunch today. I did put a california blend of vegetables and it was really tasty. My little one even like it and asked for seconds. Thanks and I will be makeing it part of my rotating menu.
We LOVE Chicken Divan… in our Church Cookbook (circa ~1978) we add lemon juice and curry powder, but don’t sprinkle with with bread crumbs. There was a moment when I thought “how southern, she made it with fried chicken!”
Love it with curry in this house too!
After making this last night I have to say we loved it. My kids, who hate broccoli actually ate it. Instead of using the bigger broccoli florets, I used chopped broccoli (that seems not to stand out so much. I made it a game cause I knew they wouldn’t touch it with broccoli…told them the first one to finish their casserole would get a dollar. They started gobbling it up. Then they were like…yumm that was really good. They said they couldn’t taste the broccoli cause of the other ingredients. I’m so glad to have a recipe with broccoli I can actually feed my kids and they will eat it. Thanks!! *BTW, I gave them both a dollar, hehe!*
This is one of my family’s favorite recipes but we do it a little different. We mix the chicken, broccoli, and sauce together instead of layering it and we add slivered almonds to it…adds a nice crunch. And we top ours with crushed Ritz crackers and drizzle with melted butter…yummy.
I also make a veggie casserole that is similar to this and it’s my family’s favorite veggie casserole too. Can’t go wrong with this sauce and it’s versatile and sooo good.
Made this last night for dinner and it was great. The hubby loved it.
My bunch gets home in shifts, so to speak, and this looks like it would serve that purpose well. My non-cooking son could just pop some in the microwave when he gets home at 10:30, without a lot off assembly, etc. We all love broccoli, chicken, and cheese so this would be great for us. i don’t know why i never made it before, matter of fact i believe i have the fixins at home!
p.s. i made this for Chas the night before she left for the latest overseas mission trip. she loved it and left the sweetest thank you note to her mama!
Chicken Divan is an awesome receipe and I’ve made it for years. I have always added my rice to the broccoli, cheese and chicken mixture (with more cheese so it doesn’t get to crunchy. I’ve also added carmalized onions to the whole thing and oh my, what a difference it makes to the flavor.
Thanks Christy, I’m new to your website and find it to be awesome. I love your stories and I too have always dreamed of living in a barn. But you bloom where you’re planted and for me that’s in Maryland.
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I “GOOGLED” Chicken Divan and this is what I found in wikipedia….
“Chicken Divan is a chicken casserole usually served with broccoli, almonds, and Mornay sauce. It was invented at and named for the by-gone Divan Parisienne Restaurant in the New York Chatham Hotel.
The Divan Parisienne served Chicken Divan as its signature dish in the early twentieth century. The chef or chefs who originally created it are unknown. In France the word divan refers to a meeting place or great hall. This name was chosen to attract the attention of the Divan Parisienne owners by implying a kind of continental elegance.
The dish is now commonly prepared with regular Parmesan cheese and remains one of the most classic American casserole dishes today. ”
Of course SP’s recipe is much less complicated…..
lol! I LOVE you Patti!!!! I was reading this thinking “eep, is she gonna be upset that this recipe is simple then?” and then got to that last line and hehehe!
Hi,
Will please you try it my way as well? That would be great! If you like it please leave a review! Serve over Rice…most people like it best with only 1 TBLSP of Curry…I posted this years ago at allrecipes and people like it alot. I thought you may too, being a Divan Fan! Thanks So Much!
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/different-chicken-divan/Detail.aspx
I usually love all the food posted on this website, but I tried this dish and the mayo over powered the whole dish. I do like mayo but I simply couldn’t finish this. I was really looking forward to be being awesome! Too bad..
Excellent with a teaspoon of yellow curry powder and a dash of stone mustard in it…