Curried Chicken Divan
This easy curry chicken recipe, Curried Chicken Divan, is a chicken breast rolled around fresh broccolini, served over brown rice.
We love this easy chicken recipe, a true comfort dish any time of year. This Curried Chicken Divan is a creamy, cheesy dish made with juicy chicken breasts, tender broccolini, and a homemade sauce. It’s topped with panko bread crumbs, and is light and tasty served over brown rice. It’s a family favorite, and I’m sure your family will love it, too.
Curried Chicken Divan
My version of easy Chicken Divan uses broccolini in the filling and the panko gives a light crunch on top. If you can’t find broccoli in the grocerty store, you can use small broccoli florets. Either way, it’s a great chicken recipe!
Why we love this recipe
- The sauce is homemade (this recipe does not use canned soup).
- It’s easy to make for company.
- If you have any leftovers, they are amazing!
We love this Rolled Broccolini Curried Chicken Divan served with a Winter Green Salad recipe!
Gather these ingredients
- Broccolini, I buy it at Trader Joe’s
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Butter
- Flour
- Chicken broth
- Milk or half-and-half
- Sherry cooking wine
- Curry powder
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper
- Panko crumbs
How do you make Curried Chicken Divan?
Start with these easy steps …. and simple ingredients you can get at any grocery store! PRINT full recipe below!
- Preheat oven to 325.
- Steam broccoli until crisp-tender. More or less time may be needed, depending on thickness of broccolini. Drain in colander.
- Slice the chicken lengthwise in half. Salt and pepper each side.
- In a medium frying pan, melt the butter; whisk in the flour and cook (until no longer lumpy).
- Gradually whisk in chicken broth, sherry cooking wine and milk or half and half, until mixed well. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until the sauce is thickened.
- Add curry powder. Add cheese; blend and whisk until combined. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Add curry sauce to the bottom of a prepared (sprayed) 9×13 pan.
- Roll a few sprigs of broccolini in each chicken breast; place seam side down in the pan. Continue until pan is full. Heavily salt and pepper both sides.
- Pour sauce over top and sprinkle with Panko crumbs. Cover with aluminum foil. Make several slits in aluminum foil for steam to escape.
- Bake; remove foil and bake more to allow the Panko crumbs to get golden brown.
How do you serve Curried Chicken Divan?
We love this dish served over brown rice, but you can also serve over pasta, potatoes, or just enjoy it alone.
Tips and substitutions:
- This recipe does not use mayo or sour cream. Instead make an easy homemade curry sauce (you can adjust the spice), that is cheesy good!
- Add more curry if you want to take it up a notch.
- This is a simple make-ahead recipe that you can pop in the oven right before your guests arrive.
- TIP: Buy the premade brown rice at Trader Joes (in the freezer section), that only takes minutes to heat up in the microwave. We love keeping this rice in our freezer.
- Optional to use a meat tenderizer for the chicken (to flatten and make it tender).
The chicken divan is an elegant dish for a weeknight meal, or it’s good enough for company!
This quote says it all about connecting with others …
‘Food is the vital way we celebrate anything that matters. It’s how we mark the connections between us; how we celebrate life.’ – Nigella Lawson
Try these one-pot chicken dishes:
One Pot Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta
One-Pot Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes
Get the Recipe:
Curried Chicken Divan
Ingredients
- 2 bunches broccolini, about 1 pound
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise in half
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 3 Tbsp. flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup milk, or 1 cup half-and-half
- ½ cup sherry cooking wine
- 3 Tbsp. curry powder
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, or more to taste
- Salt and pepper
- Panko crumbs
- 4 cups cooked brown rice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325.
- Steam broccoli for 5 minutes until crisp-tender. (I steam in the microwave covered with plastic wrap for 4-5 minutes.) More or less time may be needed, depending on thickness of broccolini. Drain in colander.
- Slice the chicken lengthwise in half. Salt and pepper each side.
- In a medium frying pan, melt the butter; whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes (until no longer lumpy).
- Gradually whisk in chicken broth, sherry cooking wine and milk or half and half, until mixed well. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until the sauce is thickened.
- Add curry powder. Add 2 cups of the cheese; blend and whisk until combined. Salt and pepper to taste.
Prepare the dish:
- Add 1 cup of curry sauce to the bottom of a prepared (sprayed) 9×13 pan.
- Roll a few sprigs of broccolini in each chicken breast; place seam side down in the pan. Continue until pan is full. Heavily salt and pepper both sides.
- Pour sauce over top and sprinkle with Panko crumbs. Cover with aluminum foil. Make several slits in aluminum foil for steam to escape.
- Bake for 30 minutes; remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes to allow the Panko crumbs to get golden.
- Serve hot over cooked brown rice.
If I make this dish 5 hours in advance do I put together everything, and refrigerate until I put it in the oven? Would that adjust the cooking time because of it being cold? Obviously I don’t cook much.
If you remove it from the fridge and let it sit out for 30-40 min before cooking, it will be about the same time. I haven’t tried it, making ahead and putting right in the oven, so just check that it is done! Enjoy!
Do you use sherry or Marsala? Ingredients says sherry, recipe steps says marsasala? Thanks. It sounds yummy!
This recipe uses sherry!
Yum. I’ve been trying more things with curry (which I’ve never cared for but liking now..lol) So I think this is going to be on my list to try!
I cannot WAIT to try this one! Looks super easy and delicious!
Oh my goodness! This looks amazing! I hope I can find broccolini! I loved the quote…we just enjoyed dinner last night with my son’s future wife and their family…was so fitting to find this quote this morning. I love everything about food and its ties with love and family. Have a beautiful day Sandy.
very nicely said! Also nice quote from Nigella, I’m still making one of her savory pies from one of the cookbooks, love this recipe too! Lot of flavor with spices, thank you for this recipe!
One pot meals are the best. This sounds good. I’d probably adjust the curry since I’m not a huge curry fan….wish I were…lol
This looks delicious (and easy)!