Chew on This | Chicken Divan

No matter what you're celebrating, love, life, or a holiday, this foolproof warm and cozy chicken dish, draped in a luscious velvety cream sauce, is both easy and elegant.  Elegant enough for your most special guests...so get out your fine china and let's have a dinner party!!  (Heads-up...this awesome dish can be assembled ahead and baked just before serving...now you can enjoy the party too...whoopie!)

This is what you will need:
Chicken breast halves, broccoli, olive oil (not shown), heavy cream, chicken broth, flour, Tabasco, lemon, cheddar cheese, Kosher salt and pepper.  Optional:  a splash of sherry
and toasted garlic bread crumbs.

Pour olive oil into a large skillet, drop in the chicken breasts and sprinkle with Kosher salt and pepper.  Saute on each side until slightly golden.

Add 1 cup of the chicken broth and a squeeze of lemon, cook over low heat for 20 minutes.

Now for the broccoli, wash and soak in cold water for about 5 minutes-drain.

Remove leaves and cut off tough stalks.  Make an X cut in the bottom of the thick stems (it helps the broccoli to cook more evenly).  Then place in a plastic bag with 2 T of water and microwave for 8-10 minutes.  Plunge in cold water and drain. Set aside until ready to use.
    

And now for the sauce!  Yum!  In a small sauce pan, melt butter and very slowly stir in flour and salt.  
 

Gradually add the remaining chicken broth and whisk until smooth and thickened.  Remove from heat, stir in the cream.

Add a dash of Tabasco and the optional sherry-it does add such a nice rich flavor to the sauce.

To assemble, butter individual ramekins or a casserole dish.  Place broccoli flowers and stems in the bottom of the dish, top with the chicken slices and pour on the velvety cream sauce.
  

Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese and bake for 15 minutes covered, then sprinkle tops with toasted garlic bread crumbs and return to oven uncovered for about 15 more minutes or until golden and bubbly...yummmmm. 

Mimi

Here is the recipe:
                  

Chicken Divan

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 oz each)
dash of Kosher salt and pepper to taste
3 T olive oil
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 T lemon juice
8 T butter
3/4 cup flour
1/2 t Kosher salt
1 cup heavy cream
dash of t Tabasco
1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese--or more
Optional: toasted garlic bread crumbs
Optional:  1/4 cup sherry

In a medium skillet, heat olive oil and saute chicken breasts which have been seasoned with
salt and pepper, until slightly golden on each side.  Add 1 cup chicken broth and lemon juice, cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.  Set aside.


In a small sauce pan, melt 8 T of butter.  Stir in 3/4 cup flour.  Cook stirring until smooth.  Gradually add remaining chicken stock-stirring until sauce is smooth and thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in the heavy cream.  Add a dash of Tabasco and salt and pepper to taste.  Blend.  Optional:   Stir in 1/4 cup sherry.  Set aside until ready to assemble.

Soak broccoli in cold water for 5 minutes.  Drain.  Discard leaves and all tough thick
stems.  Cut deep gashes in an X in the bottom of the thick stems (helps it to cook evenly). 
Put in a plastic zip bag with about 2-3 T of water.  Microwave for 9 minutes or until stems are almost tender.  Submerge in cold water to stop cooking-then drain.

To assemble:
Place broccoli in the bottom of individual buttered ramekins or a  large casserole dish.  Cover the broccoli with the sauteed chicken breasts  (you can slice thick breasts in half) and pour the creamy sauce over them.  Sprinkle each ramekin or the casserole with the shredded sharp cheddar cheese. 

Bake in a 350℉ oven, covered, of 15 minutes.  Then sprinkle top of the ramekins
or the casserole with the toasted garlic bread crumbs.  Return to the oven, uncovered, for another 15 minutes. 

HINT:  Put a folded paper napkin under the hot ramekin if serving on your fine china.