Chicken Divan

This chicken divan recipe is so delicious and is made without a single sighting of canned soup—full of earthy mushrooms, tender broccoli, buttery chicken thighs, egg noodles, and a tart yet savory sour cream sauce; it’s comfort food to the max and a classic that your entire family will love!

See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.

There are five magical words in the English language, and no, they’re not, “They’re on sale at Target.” No, they’re far simpler and more satisfying, and almost always uttered by one person: dear old mum. In sequential order, these five words are, simply,

“I’ll make whatever you want.”

What’s your request when this mythical phrase rears its head? Maybe your favorite meatloaf growing up, or a chocolate cake with a ganache only she can seem to pull off properly. For me, it’s always the same: chicken divan.

Mom made this growing up only every so often–it requires a few different pots and different processes, and she’s a bigger fan of the simpler dish, ideally a one-pot wonder. 

However, it’s incredible, so whenever this crossed our tabletop, I was in heaven. So, I’ve taken my mom’s original chicken divan recipe and expanded on it for all of you to also relish these full-bodied tastes. Enjoy!

Why This Recipe is So Good

• We’re ditching the canned cream-of-whatever soups for a rich, homemade sour cream sauce that’s made right in the same pan you use to braise the chicken. Out of all the chicken divan recipes you could choose, this one is easier to make than you’d think, and the flavor difference is sooo incredible!
• Using chicken thighs instead of breasts means you get juicy, flavorful meat that won’t dry out during the braising process. Thighs are dang near impossible to overcook, and when you dredge them in seasoned flour and get that golden-brown sear in butter? Enough said.
• Your whole family will dive into this and enjoy every last bite – even the veggies! The fresh broccoli and mushrooms add earthy, satisfying textures that balance out all that decadent, creamy goodness.

More Recipes You’ll Love

Creamy Boursin Chicken Soup

Garlic Butter Chicken Fried Rice

Sautéed Snow Peas

Best Roast Chicken With Homeade Gravy (Whole30 + Paleo Gravy Options)

What You Need to Know Before You Start

• It’s vital to treat your mushrooms right! Properly sear them, and don’t crowd the pan; fight the impulse to keep stirring them around. Let them sit for 2 to 3 minutes without touching because those golden edges are flavor happiness and worth the patience.
• Don’t skip the flour dredging. This isn’t just a “suggested” step – the flour actually helps thicken your sauce naturally when you deglaze. Season the flour mixture well with salt and freshly ground pepper because we’re not making a bland chicken divan casserole.
• For the sour cream to dazzle, keep the heat low and whisk constantly, or you’ll end up with a curdled mess that nobody wants. If things start looking sketchy, pull it off the heat fast and whisk in a tablespoon of cold sour cream to save it.

More Delicious Chicken Recipes

• Bruschetta Chicken
• Perfect Crispy Chicken Thighs
• Whole30 Marry Me Chicken (Paleo, Dairy Free)
• Sous Vide Chicken Breast
• Everything Bagel Chicken with Scallion Cream Cheese Sauce
• Crockpot Boursin Chicken
• Chicken Francese
• Creamy Dijon Chicken
• One Pan Chicken and Veggies
• Hot Honey Chicken Skillet
• Creamy Chicken Piccata

Recipe By: Cheryl Malik

Chicken Divan (No Canned Soups!)

Prep 15 minutes minutes

Cook 45 minutes minutes

Total 1 hour hour

This chicken divan recipe is so delicious and full of earthy mushrooms, tender broccoli, buttery chicken thighs, egg noodles, and a tart yet savory sour cream sauce. It's comfort food to the max and a favorite classic!

Cheryl Malik

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6 servings

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Equipment

• large skillet (stainless steel or cast iron work best)
• 13×9-inch baking dish

Ingredients

• ▢ ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ salt and freshly ground pepper to taste to taste
• ▢ 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1.6 pounds)
• ▢ ⅓ cup butter
• ▢ 2½ cups chicken broth
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried whole basil
• ▢ 1 pounds fresh broccoli florets
• ▢ 2 tablespoon butter
• ▢ 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced sliced
• ▢ 16 ounces sour cream
• ▢ 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ▢ 1 pound of egg noodles, cooked and drained boiled in salted water and drained

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Instructions

 

• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms and sauté until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
• Combine flour with salt and pepper; dredge chicken thighs in seasoned flour mixture.
• Melt ⅓ cup butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
• Add chicken broth to skillet, whisking to scrape up browned bits. Reduce heat to low and cook 5 minutes.
• Return chicken to skillet and sprinkle with dried basil. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, steam broccoli florets until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.
• Preheat broiler. Place broccoli in buttered 13×9-inch baking dish. Remove chicken from skillet with slotted spoon, reserving drippings. Arrange chicken over broccoli and top with mushrooms.
• Stir sour cream into reserved drippings. Cook over low heat until heated through (do not boil). Pour over chicken and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Broil 6 inches from heat for 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown. Serve over cooked egg noodles.

Portions: Easily doubles to increase servings.

Make it Gluten-Free: Just swap that ⅓ cup all-purpose flour for ⅓ cup gluten-free flour blend. Serve it over rice or gluten-free pasta instead of egg noodles, and you’re all set. 

Make it Dairy-Free: Use vegan butter instead of regular butter (same amounts), and for the sour cream, grab some full-fat canned coconut cream or cashew cream. Skip the Parmesan or use a dairy-free version if you can find a good one. 

Make it Paleo: Ditch the flour for 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder when dredging that chicken. Use ghee instead of butter, coconut cream for the sour cream, and omit the Parmesan. Serve it over cauliflower rice or spiralized veggies instead of noodles.

Note: The gluten-free version is practically foolproof—you’ll barely taste the difference. The dairy-free and paleo versions will have a different flavor, but the chicken will still be ridiculously tender.

Storage: Keep chicken mixture and noodles separate in refrigerator for up to 3 days. Chicken mixture (without noodles) freezes for up to 3 months.

Reheating: Warm gently in 350°F oven, covered, for 15-20 minutes.

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Approximate Information for One Serving

Calories: 697calProtein: 29gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 218mgSodium: 642mgPotassium: 749mgTotal Carbs: 35gFiber: 4gSugar: 5gNet Carbs: 31gVitamin A: 1494IUVitamin C: 69mgCalcium: 164mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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