Chicken Divan is one of the great classic recipes from the 1950’s. A famous restaurant, The Divan Parisian, in the New York Chatham Hotel, made this one of their signature dishes in the early 20th century. The 1950 recipe called for broccoli, a good amount of mayonnaise, and poached chicken breasts (ugh!), either cut into cubes or shredded. With the addition of one of the many Campbell soups, cream of mushroom, chicken or broccoli, this recipe was more often than not turned into a satisfying and comforting casserole. If you are old enough, you will remember the Campbell’s Soup Kids with their adorable pudgy faces and rosy cheeks. And who can forget that famous jingle,” M’m! M’m! Good!”
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 6 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup whipping cream or milk
- 2 or 3 tablespoons sherry
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- salt to taste
- 1 bunch of broccoli, trimmed and cooked
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- 1 lb arborio rice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup white wine – optional
- 1 quart chicken broth, on stove and warming
- 2 tablespoons butter
Step 1
Melt butter and oil in a large skillet. Sauté shallot until soft. Add chicken and brown on both sides until golden in color and cooked through.
Step 2
Remove chicken to another platter and add the 6 tablespoons of flour; cook 1 minute more. Add pepper, then slowly add the chicken broth, cream or milk, and sherry to taste. At this point simmer 5 minutes.
Step 3
Stir constantly; it thickens quickly. Add 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese to the sauce and re-season to your liking. Add cooked broccolini to sauce.
Now for the Risotto
Pour olive oil in a large pan and sauté onions until soft. Add the rice and mix with the oil until all kernels are coated.
Almost done
Watch carefully to avoid burning the rice; 4 minutes is long enough. Now add about 1 1/2 cups of warm broth and cook until almost evaporated and dry-looking. Add another 1 cup of warm broth and repeat until the rice is tender; a tiny crunch is perfect! Finish with the 2 tablespoons of butter for a creamy risotto.
Now the presentation
To plate your meal, lay the risotto down first, top with chicken breast, sprinkle with the mozzarella and drizzle the sauce with the broccolini over the chicken breast. Sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Dinner Memories
Dinnertime at our house was always fun and festive. The table was always set so beautifully, with every fork, knife, and spoon perfectly placed in its rightful position and ready for its moment. Manners were never an option whether company was coming or not! It was a time when we all came together at the end of the day to share our stories about what happened in school or cheerleading practice. Mom spent most afternoons preparing a fabulous meal, which was the highlight of our day (this was that June Cleaver thing going on at the time!). We were filled with such great anticipation as Mom walked so proudly over to the dinner table to serve the evening meal. Chicken Divan was one recipe Mom made quite often. We decided to tweak the recipe a bit by sautéing the chicken with shallots, making a béchamel or mornay sauce, and using more Parmesan and mozzarella. We serve it over risotto, add baby broccolini and make it a little more fabulous. Enjoy!
