Easy Ina Garten Chicken Divan Recipe That’s Fancy Yet Simple

Chicken divan represents the ultimate comfort food that transforms simple ingredients into a mouthwatering culinary experience.

Sophisticated yet approachable, this classic casserole blends rich flavors with creamy textures that immediately warm your soul.

Home cooks love how easily the dish comes together, creating a harmonious mix of tender protein and vibrant vegetables.

Each forkful promises a delightful combination of crisp, nutty elements balanced by smooth, velvety sauce.

The recipe celebrates home-style cooking with its elegant yet unpretentious approach to dinner preparation.

Layers of carefully selected ingredients meld together, promising a memorable meal that feels simultaneously nostalgic and exciting: Get ready to impress your dinner companions.

Step-by-Step Guide to Ina Garten’s Chicken Divan

Step 1: Prepare Oven and Dish

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 3-quart casserole dish with butter. Boil broccoli florets in salted water until almost tender. Drain and set aside.

Step 2: Create Flavorful Sauce Base

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add chopped sage and flour, cooking for 2-3 minutes until bubbling. Pour in sherry and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Step 3: Build Creamy Sauce

• Chicken broth
• Milk
• Heavy cream

Sprinkle in a pinch of nutmeg, kosher salt, and pepper. Simmer and stir frequently until sauce thickens (6-7 minutes).

Step 4: Combine Ingredients

• Chopped scallions
• Shredded Gruyère cheese

• Sauce
• Cooked broccoli
• Chicken chunks
• Toasted almonds

Ensure everything is well coated.

Step 5: Prepare Topping

• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Breadcrumbs

Sprinkle buttery topping evenly over casserole.

Step 6: Bake to Perfection

Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Serve hot and enjoy!

Pro Tips for Ina Garten’s Chicken Divan

• Enhance Texture with Processor: Grab your food processor to chop broccoli and scallions into perfectly uniform pieces, ensuring a smooth and consistent casserole texture.
• Boost Nuttiness by Toasting: Quickly toast almonds in a dry skillet until golden brown, transforming their flavor and adding an irresistible crunch to the dish.
• Lighten the Sauce Smartly: Swap heavy cream for half-and-half to create a lighter, healthier sauce without sacrificing the creamy comfort of the classic recipe.
• Brighten Flavors with Citrus: Squeeze fresh lemon juice into the sauce for a zesty kick that cuts through the richness and adds a bright, tangy dimension.
• Layer Ingredients Strategically: Arrange broccoli, chicken, and sauce in a way that ensures every bite is packed with maximum flavor and perfect ingredient distribution.

How to Store Ina Garten’s Chicken Divan

• Vacuum Seal Method: Extract all air from the container using a vacuum sealer to maximize freshness and prevent freezer burn. This technique locks in flavor and texture, keeping your Chicken Divan tasting just-cooked even after weeks of storage.
• Portion Freeze Technique: Divide the dish into individual serving sizes before freezing. Wrap each portion in heavy-duty aluminum foil, then place in freezer bags. This approach allows quick, convenient reheating without thawing the entire dish.
• Glass Container Storage: Transfer Chicken Divan to glass containers with tight-fitting lids for optimal refrigeration. Glass maintains food quality better than plastic, prevents flavor transfer, and makes reheating more straightforward. Ensure containers are completely cooled before sealing to prevent condensation.

Creative Twists on Ina Garten’s Chicken Divan

• Seafood Switch: Replace chicken with succulent shrimp or flaky white fish for a maritime-inspired version of the classic casserole.
• Vegetarian Delight: Swap out chicken for roasted cauliflower or hearty portobello mushrooms, creating a plant-based alternative that's equally satisfying.
• Mediterranean Makeover: Incorporate sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, and feta cheese to give the dish a vibrant Greek-inspired flavor profile.
• Spicy Southwest Spin: Add diced green chiles, jalapeños, and swap Gruyère for pepper jack cheese to bring bold, zesty southwestern notes to the recipe.

Ina Garten’s Chicken Divan: A Rich and Creamy Favorite

Culinary magic emerges from Ina Garten’s Chicken Divan, a symphony of creamy textures and rich flavors.

Comforting layers of tender chicken, broccoli, and silky sauce create an irresistible harmony on your plate.

Gruyère cheese and toasted almonds provide delightful complexity to each forkful.

Sage-infused cream transforms ordinary ingredients into an extraordinary dining experience.

Southern hospitality meets gourmet sophistication in this classic casserole.

Share this mouthwatering masterpiece on social media, spark conversations with fellow epicureans, and watch as friends crave Garten’s delectable creation.

Why Ina Garten’s Chicken Divan is a Comfort Food Classic

• Indulge in Creamy Comfort: This chicken divan delivers a luxurious blend of tender chicken, crisp broccoli, and a velvety sauce that wraps you in pure culinary comfort.
• Master a Gourmet Technique: Ina Garten's recipe teaches an elegant sauce-making method, transforming simple ingredients into a sophisticated dish that looks like it came from a professional kitchen.
• Quick and Satisfying Weeknight Miracle: Ready in just over an hour, this one-dish wonder combines protein, vegetables, and a rich sauce, making it perfect for busy families craving a hearty meal without complicated prep work.
• Texture Sensation Extravaganza: Enjoy a delightful contrast between the creamy sauce, tender chicken, crisp broccoli, crunchy almonds, and golden breadcrumb topping that keeps every bite interesting and exciting.

Ingredients for Ina Garten’s Chicken Divan

• Chicken Chunks: Lean protein that adds hearty texture and substance to the casserole, best when using tender, pre-cooked chicken breast.

• Broccoli Florets: Fresh green vegetable providing nutritional boost and vibrant color, should be crisp and bright green when purchased.
• Scallions: Light onion-like herb adding fresh, mild flavor and subtle green garnish to the dish.

• Gruyère Cheese: Rich, nutty Swiss cheese that melts smoothly and creates creamy sauce base, select high-quality aged variety.
• Parmesan Cheese: Sharp, salty cheese that provides crispy topping with deep flavor, best when freshly grated.
• Heavy Cream: Luxurious dairy product creating rich, smooth sauce texture.
• Milk: Helps balance sauce consistency and adds mild creaminess.
• Butter: Provides rich flavor and helps with sauce and topping preparation.

• Chicken Broth: Savory liquid base adding depth to sauce, preferably low-sodium for better control.
• Sherry: Adds sophisticated wine undertone to sauce, can substitute with dry white wine.
• Flour: Thickening agent for creating smooth sauce consistency.
• Sage: Aromatic herb bringing earthy, warm flavor to the dish.
• Kosher Salt, Black Pepper: Essential seasonings for enhancing overall taste.
• Nutmeg: Subtle spice adding warmth and complexity to sauce.

• Breadcrumbs and Toasted Almonds: To add more texture.

Ina Garten Chicken Divan Recipe

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4.8 from 14 reviews

• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s chicken divan combines succulent chicken with creamy sauce and crisp broccoli in a classic comfort dish. Rich cheesy layers meld together, creating a hearty casserole perfect for family dinners that will satisfy everyone at the table.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 1 cooked 3 ½-pound chicken, meat removed and cut into chunks (3 to 3 ½ cups meat)
• 1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets and tender stems (about 5 cups)
• 1 ½ cups shredded gruyere cheese (about 6 ounces)
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Liquid and Seasoning Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (extra for greasing)
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry (or chicken broth)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 1 pinch nutmeg

Topping and Binding Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 bunch scallions, chopped (about 1 cup)
• ½ cup almonds, sliced or slivered, toasted
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs

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Instructions

1. Warm the oven to 400°F (204°C). Generously coat a 3-quart (2.8 liters) casserole dish with butter. Submerge broccoli florets in salted water, cooking until they reach a crisp-tender texture. Thoroughly drain and reserve the broccoli.
2. In a skillet over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Incorporate chopped sage and flour, stirring consistently until the mixture becomes frothy and develops a light golden hue, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with sherry, continuously stirring for an additional minute.
3. Slowly introduce chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream into the skillet. Season with a delicate pinch of nutmeg, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Allow the sauce to simmer, whisking frequently, until it reaches a thick, velvety consistency, roughly 6 to 7 minutes.
4. Fold chopped scallions and shredded Gruyère cheese into the sauce, ensuring complete cheese integration. Transfer cooked broccoli, chicken chunks, and toasted almonds into a large mixing bowl. Gently fold the sauce into the ingredients, guaranteeing uniform coating.
5. Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Melt an additional tablespoon of butter and combine with grated Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. Distribute this buttery topping evenly across the casserole’s surface.
6. Roast in the preheated oven for approximately 35 minutes, or until the top transforms into a golden-brown, effervescent crust.

Notes

• Freezes beautifully, storing up to 3 months for convenient future meals.
• Customize by adding mushrooms, swapping cheeses, or experimenting with different herbs.
• Gluten-free modifications work seamlessly using alternative flour options like almond or rice flour.
• Prepare ahead by refrigerating, which intensifies the complex flavor profile.
• Sherry introduces a nuanced depth that elevates the entire sauce’s character.
• Sage weaves an earthy, aromatic thread connecting chicken and cheese harmoniously.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Category: Dinner, Lunch
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 573 kcal
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 691 mg
• Fat: 43 g
• Saturated Fat: 23 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
• Trans Fat: 1 g
• Carbohydrates: 24 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 28 g
• Cholesterol: 153 mg