Chicken divan is a creamy chicken casserole recipe topped with crispy buttered breadcrumbs. It’s easy to make, can be prepped ahead of time, and is a classic family favorite.

Complete the meal with some roasted lemon parmesan garlic asparagus and a pot of perfect basmati rice.    

Easy Chicken Divan

Chicken divan is comfort food at its finest. Shredded chicken is wrapped up in a creamy cheese sauce, topped with buttered breadcrumbs, then baked until bubbly and delicious. 

It’s always a winner at our dinner table and there are rarely leftovers. 

But when we can’t finish it all, it’s just as delicious warmed up for lunch the next day. 

How to Make Baked Chicken Divan:

This is a very simple recipe that can be divided into 3 parts:

1. Cooking the chicken: Poach chicken breasts and then shred them, but you can easily use leftover or rotisserie chicken.
2. Making the sauce: After you whisk some butter and flour in a pan, simply add the other sauce ingredients and let the cheese melt. Easy!
3. Buttering the breadcrumbs: Simply mix some panko or breadcrumbs with melted butter. 

Once you have these three parts ready to go, all you have to do is assemble the casserole and pop it into the oven!

What is in the sauce?

Chicken divan sauce is a creamy cheese sauce. There are many different variations, but we love ours best because it’s both easy to make and flavorful. 

1. Butter 
2. Flour
3. Cream of chicken soup
4. Cheese
5. Milk
6. Sour cream
7. Dijon mustard

Can Delicious Chicken Divan be Made Ahead of Time?

Yes! Chicken divan can be prepped and assembled up to 2 days in advance. 

Tip: It is best to prevent the breadcrumbs from becoming soggy. Take the breadcrumbs and store in a separate container. When ready to serve the casserole, add them to the casserole just before you put it into the oven.

Chicken Variations:

This is a flexible recipe. We often add different veggies, rice, or noodles to the dish.

If adding variations, reduce the chicken to 3 chicken breasts and use 2 cups of the variations. Here are a few ideas:

• Peas (thawed)
• Onions (sauteed)
• Broccoli (lightly steamed)
• Rice (cooked)
• Egg noodles (cooked)
• Bacon (cooked crispy)

Make a Complete Meal!

The creamy sauce is delicious spooned over rice or noodles. Try this chicken divan with a side of vegetables.

Here are a few that go well:

• Best Roast Broccoli
• Garlic Butter Parmesan Carrots (The best carrots ever!)
• Sautéed Garlic Asparagus with Bacon
• Focaccia Bread

More Amazing Casserole Recipes:

• Taco Casserole
• Turkey Mediterranean Casserole
• Chicken Parmesan Casserole
• No Peek Chicken and Rice Casserole