Chicken Divan a la Jenni
Here’s a slightly different take on Chicken Divan sent in by Jenni. I tried it, and it’s good! Some might think this is a French or Persian dish because of the name, but it was actually developed in New York. Chicken Divan was the signature dish of a 1950s New York restaurant, the Divan Parisienne.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 Tbsp. dijon mustard
- Dried oregano, basil, and lemmon pepper to taste
- 1 bag of frozen broccoli forets
- 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp. flour
- 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. curry powder
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 3/4 cup light cream or milk
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp. dry white wine or cooking sherry (optional)
- 3 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- rice (enough for up to 4 people, or less if planning on leftovers)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine mustard, oregano, basil, and lemon pepper in a small bowl. Spread mixture all over chicken breasts, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Half way through, begin steaming the broccoli according to the package directions (about 15 minutes.)
While the chicken and broccoli are cooking, start on the sauce. Melt the butter in a medium pan. Stir in flour, pepper, nutmeg, and curry powder. Add cream (or milk) and chicken broth. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add half of the mozzarella, all the parmesan, and the (optional) dry white wine or cooking sherry. Stir until the cheese melts. If done before the chicken, set the stove to the lowest setting, just to keep the sauce warm.
Once the chicken is done, let cool for a few minutes then cut into cubes. (doesn’t need to completely cool…just enough for you to cut it up.) Arrange the broccoli in the bottom of a 10×6 baking dish, then arrange the chicken cubes on top, followed by the sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella and all of the cheddar.
Put the rice in your rice cooker and start cooking. Bake chicken mixture at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve on top of rice.