My mom used to make Chicken Divan when company came over for dinner. It seemed very gourmet at the time because for us it was so different. My mom was a total “health nut” and our normal meals usually consisted of veggie stir fries, big pots of beans or split pea soup and homemade whole wheat bread. However; when we had guests she would bust out her Divan with big chunks of chicken and broccoli smothered with a mixture of cream of mushroom soup, mayo, and a touch of curry powder – and of course topped with slabs of melted cheese. It was darn yummy in a really good cafeteria food sort of way.
Yesterday I made my own version and cried a little bit in the process as I mulled over some happy childhood memories of hanging out in the kitchen with my mom.
I hope you can create some great memories of your own with your family while cooking together this weekend…
Chicken Dive-In!
1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, (or breasts)
4 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup onions, finely diced
1 cup canned coconut milk
½ teaspoon sea salt (more or less to taste)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 350. Place the raw chicken in a pan, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste, and add enough water just to cover it. Bring to a boil and simmer for 12-15 minutes for thighs and closer to 20 minutes for breasts. Remove the chicken from the water with tongs and set aside. Add the broccoli to the same water and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Drain the broccoli but save the broth for later – now you have some awesome chicken broth to add to recipes or to make a soup! Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the broccoli, mushrooms, onions, coconut milk, and spices and mix well. Spread into a 9×11 glass baking dish and sprinkle the top with sliced almonds. Bake in your pre-heated oven for 30 minutes. Serves 5.
Enjoy!!
Lindsay says
February 12, 2011 at 11:28 pmyum! will be making this, this week!
John808 says
February 13, 2011 at 12:09 amI love your recipes…can’t wait for the book to come out
Sarah says
February 13, 2011 at 9:25 amThank you!!
Dawna says
February 13, 2011 at 12:13 amUh, yep! This one’s going on the ‘to make’ list!
Sarah says
February 13, 2011 at 9:25 amAwesome Dawna!! : )
Marinka says
February 13, 2011 at 1:32 amThis looks really, really good! And it so happens that I’ve got all of the ingredients at home already, I’m definitely going to make this soon.
joan says
February 13, 2011 at 6:10 amHi. I’m allergic to coconut. I recently tried a recipe for chicken pot pie which used fat free evaporated milk. Do you think that might serve as a good substitute for the coconut milk here?
Sarah says
February 13, 2011 at 9:26 amI would use organic heavy whipping cream instead. Way better for you and will add a nice flavor!
Kirsten says
February 13, 2011 at 7:26 amMy mom used to make this too! She would add a layer of spinach at the bottom, which I didn’t like then, but I sure like it now. My kids eat it up too, and being toddlers they don’t usually like veggies you can see… haha
Sarah says
February 13, 2011 at 9:26 amOhhh! I like the layer of spinach idea!
Roy Patterson says
February 13, 2011 at 9:02 amSarah,
Recipe looks great, as a single guy and crossfiter, your recipes are easy to follow and tasty , thanks a million.
Sarah says
February 13, 2011 at 10:25 amYou’re welcome Roy, and thank you!! : )
Yvonne says
February 13, 2011 at 9:04 amSunday dinner is planned for me!! Thank you so much. I can’t tell you how many of your recipes I have made and totally enjoyed so far. This week I am back to work, so I am planning lunches today, plan on making the Chicken, Sundried Tomato and Cabbage salad. Your cookbook is going to be a best seller for sure. Thank you, thank you, for making my switch to Paleo so easy and satisfying!!!! Can’t wait for your book!
Danielle says
February 13, 2011 at 10:43 amWow I have been craving this stuff for awhile now but haven’t given in to using canned soups. I can’t wait to make it this week! Thanks!
Haas says
February 13, 2011 at 4:02 pmI’m allergic to mushrooms, any idea if there is a substitute? I don’t think anything can really represent a mushroom but just wondering.
Sarah says
February 13, 2011 at 4:35 pmHi Haas, You can sub some zucchini squash, bell peppers, or any other veggie that you like or just leave them out! : )
Amy says
February 13, 2011 at 5:53 pmHad this tonight and it was supper yummy! Thanks Sarah. Next time I make it, I’m going to add some arrowroot to the coconut milk before I mix it in. I think it will help make things thicker. I’ll let you know how it goes …
Sarah says
February 13, 2011 at 11:13 pmGreat idea Amy!
Caitlin says
February 13, 2011 at 6:45 pmMy honey is making this for me tonight. It’s in the oven now and smells AMAZING!!
Sarah says
February 13, 2011 at 11:14 pmI hope it turned out as amazing as it smelled! : )
Sarah says
February 14, 2011 at 5:04 amHi Sarah
I’m making this tonight for my valentine. I’m sure its going to turn out fab, just like all the other recipes I have tried from you site. Thanks for keeping things simple and delicious 🙂
Sarah says
February 14, 2011 at 8:52 amHappy V-day Sarah! Have a wonderful time and I hope dinner is delicious! : )
Karen says
February 14, 2011 at 7:52 amHi Sarah!!!!
I almost fell off my seat when I saw Chicken Divine (how my family spells it). That is literally my favorite childhood/family meal. My grandmother taught my mom, my mom taught me – and it is a dish my husband and I really enjoyed before starting Paleo (3 weeks in). It was one of our “last meals” that I made before cleaning out our pantry for a Paleo-kick start. I can’t wait to try this healthy version. Thank you for everything, I love your site and I can’t wait to buy your book.
PS
your children are beautiful. 🙂
Sarah says
February 14, 2011 at 8:55 amThank you so much Karen and I hope this is a good replacement for a family favorite! : )
Stacey says
February 14, 2011 at 10:39 amWe made this last night for dinner after discovering that we already had all the ingredients. Delicious! Especially with that hint of curry! Thanks for posting the recipe. We loved it.
Marta says
February 14, 2011 at 3:00 pmWhen I read this post, I cried a little too. My mom would also make chicken divan as our gourmet meal for when guest come. I have been trying to switch to paleo and one of my dishes I’ve been struggling to give up is this one (mainly for sentimental reasons). So now that you have this recipe, I’ll have to give it a try. Having three small ones, I love this blog!
Sarah says
February 14, 2011 at 4:58 pmHi Marta! I hope this dish is a good replacement for you! I do miss my mom’s divan but I think it’s mainly because I simply miss my mom. : ) Best of luck to you!
tricia says
February 14, 2011 at 3:01 pmI made Chicken Dive In for dinner last night and it was a hit. Thank you, Sarah for all the great recipes! HAPPY VALENTINE’S Day!! <3
Sarah says
February 14, 2011 at 4:58 pmThank you Tricia, and happy Valentines day to you too!!!
Sara Ross says
February 14, 2011 at 7:24 pmJust made this for me & my fiance! 🙂 LOOOOVED it. Its incredible. Thanks so much for posting!
Sarah says
February 15, 2011 at 7:04 amSo glad you liked it Sara!!
Mayra says
February 14, 2011 at 8:51 pmAnother YUMMY recipe Sarah!!! Just made this tonight…I used asparagus instead of broccoli since I had some here and it was great!!! Thank you!!!
Sarah says
February 15, 2011 at 7:04 amYum, love the idea of using asparagus!! : )
Mayra says
February 14, 2011 at 8:57 pmOh…and Happy Valentine’s Day to you and yours! How did your chocolate custard turn out?
Sarah says
February 15, 2011 at 7:05 amTurned out really good, I’ll be posting the recipe today!
Geeklet says
February 15, 2011 at 9:30 amSo, I have Thai Kitchen coconut milk. I wanted to try a recipe with it, but when I opened the can…it did nooooooot (with a lot of o’s for emphasis on the NOT) smell like coconut. What in the world? What would you say it’s supposed to smell like?
Tim Martin says
February 21, 2011 at 11:31 pmthis might take some willpower, but taste it. you’ll know right away. remeniscent of…dare i say: almond joy candies!
anyway, did this recipe, with GOYA coconut milk. i loved it, tasted like indian food, but the sugar in the milk was just screaming through! I might dilute it next time
in fact, there was a bit liquid pooling at the bottom of my casserole. i might just cut the quantity and not dilute. also suspect are the mushrooms and broccoli heads. those things can really retain water as well.
aside from that, it was FANTASTIC.
Sarah says
February 24, 2011 at 10:15 amDid you end up trying it? What did you think? Sorry for missing your comment, I get kind of buried sometimes!!
Shelby says
February 15, 2011 at 7:53 pmOh my! Definitely adding this to the rotation. Everybody in the fam loved this. It was even excellent cold thenext day! Loved it!
Sarah says
February 16, 2011 at 12:52 pmSo glad you all loved it!! : )
Vicki says
February 16, 2011 at 5:59 amI made this Monday evening, and it was delicious. I just remembered that I forgot to add the seasonings! I have to make it again, and follow the recipe. But the coconut milk and nuts added so much flavor, I did not miss the seasoning at all. (And I love curry.)
Sarah says
February 16, 2011 at 12:49 pmI’m so glad it was good even without the seasoning, you’ll love it even more with it!! ; )
Jamie says
February 17, 2011 at 5:22 amSarah,
I made this last night and it was awesome. Just enough for me and my husband for dinner and leftovers for lunch today!! Next is your chocolate custard 🙂 Thanks for always helping me figure out what to do for dinner and congrats on the book!
Sarah says
February 17, 2011 at 7:06 amThank you Jamie! : )
Jenny Faith says
February 17, 2011 at 7:40 amI made this last night and oh my goodness it is SO good! I love love love your site! Can’t wait for the book!
Sarah says
February 17, 2011 at 8:44 amThank you so much Jenny!
Jaime says
February 17, 2011 at 1:24 pmhuge hit! I’ve been trying to figure out a way to “Paleo-ize” this dish – thank you so much. I have childhood memories of this dish (a version with bacon) and was so excited to see it come up. I changed it up just a little on the assembly and served it over califlower rice. Yum! Yum!
Sarah says
February 17, 2011 at 1:30 pmYUMMMM, great idea over the cauliflower rice, I’m so trying that next time! Thank you Jaime!!
Jenny says
February 18, 2011 at 7:37 amThis was great! My hubby and I ate it all week, and now want to make another batch for next week. YUMMMMM!
Jenn says
February 19, 2011 at 8:08 pmWaiting for it in the oven now! Hubby used all the broccoli yesterday, so I substituted spinach and some asparagus that I had left over. I also added way more mushrooms since those have been sitting around for a while too. Looking forward to it as it is smelling super yummy over here! Thanks for the starter recipe and looking forward to your book. I just pre-ordered it!
Sarah says
February 22, 2011 at 10:19 amAwesome Jenn, thank you! Sounds delicious with the spinach and asparagus and I hope it turned out great!
Kenni says
February 25, 2011 at 12:30 pmJust made this for company, and it was a huge success. Thanks Sarah!!
Linda says
March 1, 2011 at 1:48 pmMade this tonight – everybody loved it! Made your garlic beef stew last night another hit. We are expats living in Paris, so finding ingredients is sometimes hard, but love your site and recipes.
Sarah says
March 3, 2011 at 7:18 pmAwesome Linda, thank you and I’m so glad you are enjoying the recipes!
Allison says
March 3, 2011 at 5:13 pmI had a friend over for dinner tonight and made this and it was (as my niece would say) deeeeewicious! I made mashed cauliflower and put the chicken dive-in on top. Thanks for the recipe! My friend even wanted the recipe, so I sent her the link:)
Derng says
March 17, 2011 at 7:57 amReally great dish! I added more coconut milk and more curry and it came out awesome!
Sarah says
March 17, 2011 at 8:16 amAwesome Derng, glad you liked it!
Lisa says
March 29, 2011 at 10:50 pmFinally got around to making this recipe. It was really good and quite easy to make, but definitely needed salt (maybe that’s just because I’ve been sweating out all of my salt at the gym). Anyhow, I will be making this again.
Marlene says
April 10, 2011 at 7:34 pmThanks for your awesome recipe’s…I was wondering if I can use the same coconut milk as used in your Blackberry Cobbler recipe? It would be nice to make both recipe’s, dinner and dessert!
Sarah says
April 11, 2011 at 8:12 amI would suggest using the canned coconut milk for this recipe, the So Delicious is great over the cobbler but a little to watery to make that rich flavor that the Chicken Dive In needs. : )
Christina says
April 26, 2011 at 8:21 pmI made this tonight and it was GREAT! I used to love chicken divan….ah amazing! So I was a bit hesitant to try this since I knew I would compare, and while its totally different it is SOO good! I did use half coconut milk/half heavy cream (we still do some dairy) because I was leery of the strong coconut flavor but it was great, might do all coconut next time. And my 2 year olds actually ate broccoli! Thanks for the recipe!
Tammy says
June 5, 2012 at 4:09 pmI just got done making this and it is wonderful! I substituted fresh diced zucchini & heavy whipping cream in place of the mushroom & coconut milk, based on what I had on hand. It came out perfectly. I doubled the recipe and so glad I did!
Jenn says
September 4, 2012 at 1:39 pmHello, I am pretty new to Paleo and really liking some of your recipes. Why do you suggest using canned milk in this recipe as opposed to a carton of coconut milk? Is there a difference?
Dana says
September 4, 2012 at 6:12 pmYes, Jenn! The canned version has more fat and is thicker – Better for sauces and whipping cream. The carton coconut milk is a drinkable consistency – a bit too thin – and you have to be careful of added sweeteners and/or other “tricky ingredients.” Just keep reading labels and you’ll have success!
Nicola says
October 16, 2012 at 4:47 pmLoved this and so did my kids, which is amazing because regular Chicken Divan is a favourite! I accidentally dumped the whole can of coconut milk in but just added some extra seasonings and it came out fine.
Patti says
November 28, 2012 at 10:44 pmLOVED this … thank you!! My first time cooking with coconut milk … def not the last. We didn’t have garlic powder so I used 2 cloves of garlic minced. Also didn’t have paprika so used a little less cayenne. Yummmm … will def be making this again.
Sarah says
November 29, 2012 at 7:41 amWonderful Patti, so glad you enjoyed it!!
Sia says
February 6, 2013 at 4:50 amI actually have all these ingredients. I am going to make this tomorrow night. Love broccoli.
Cindy says
March 10, 2013 at 8:47 pmI made this tonight. It was excellent! Thank you for posting it.
Jodi says
March 30, 2013 at 5:01 pmI know there are a few chicken recipes that just throw everything into the pan uncooked and bake it (usually for a little longer, like 35-40minutes. I am wondering if you can skip the boiling part and just mix and put everything into the pan and bake it for 35-40minutes. Have you (or has anyone else) tried it?