Divine Chicken Sofa

Votes: 1

Time: 1 hour 10 min.
Complexity: easily
Servings: 6 - 8

No furniture was harmed in the preparation of this dish. Chicken divan is a classic American casserole of chicken and broccoli in a Mornay cheese sauce, topped with a crispy breadcrumb crust. It gets its intriguing name from the New York restaurant Divan Parisienne, where it was invented in the early 20th century and made into a nationally renowned signature dish. Chunks of cooked chicken are mixed with blanched broccoli in a cheese sauce, then topped with a garnish and baked in the oven. Despite its simple ingredients, chicken divan is a very festive dish, perfect for a large gathering.

The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Ingredients for the recipe:

1 cooked chicken weighing 1.5 kg, discard skin and bones, cut meat into pieces (3 - 3.5 cups of meat)
70g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the pan
1 large head broccoli, cut into 2-5cm florets, soft stems trimmed and cut into 1cm pieces (about 5 cups total)
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
5 tbsp. flour
3 tbsp dry sherry (or chicken broth)
1 cup lightly salted chicken broth
1 cup of milk
1 cup heavy cream
A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 bunch green onions, chopped (about 1 cup)
1.5 cups grated Gruyere (about 170 g)
0.5 cups toasted almonds, sliced into petals or needles
0.5 tbsp. grated parmesan
1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Ingredient Substitution Suggestions

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Recipes with similar ingredients: chicken, broccoli cabbage, sherry, sage, nutmeg, Parmesan cheese, Gruyere cheese, breadcrumbs, milk, cream, almond

Cooking the dish according to the recipe:

Preheat oven to 200°C and grease a shallow 3-quart baking dish with butter.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook until bright green and tender (it should still be crisp as it will be roasted in the oven). Drain. Rinse the broccoli under cold water and pat dry.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, add the sage and let it sizzle for a minute, then add the flour. Cook the roux (otherwise the mixture will taste like raw flour), stirring, for 2-3 minutes, being careful not to let it brown. Pour in the sherry (or stock) and cook until reduced, about 1 minute.
Stir in 1 cup broth, milk, heavy cream, and nutmeg; season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent lumps, until thickened, 6-7 minutes. Add the green onions and Gruyere and stir until the cheese melts, then remove from the heat.
In a large bowl, combine the sauce, broccoli, chicken, and almonds until evenly coated. Pour into the prepared pan. In a small bowl, microwave the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, then stir in the Parmesan and breadcrumbsSprinkle the mixture over the casserole. Bake until golden brown and the sauce is bubbling, about 35 minutes.

Author of the recipe - Nancy Fuller is an American chef, businesswoman, and host from Claverack, New York.

Categories:

recipe / Comfort food / Picnic / Summer dishes / Main courses / Casseroles / Bird / Eggs and dairy products / Cabbage dishes / Broccoli dishes / American cuisine