Divine Chicken Divan

When Chuck looked at the recipe for this while I was cooking, he thought that he wasn't going to like it. But after tasting the rich creamy, cheesy flavor, he declared it a winner! I think he was nervous because it looked very "casserole-y" (my own word, thankyouverymuch), which it is in a sense, but there is no condensed soup in here. You basically are making that from scratch and then adding delicious and comforting ingredients to it.

My final dish was a little heavy on the sauce, but that's because I didn't use the full amounts of chicken and broccoli. I would suggest that you follow the recipe as stated, and I have added approximate amounts of the meat and vegetable so that you don't have to guess. And make sure you steam the broccoli and cook the chicken first! If you are making this in a broiler-safe dish, I think that a few minutes under the broiler at the end would make this even crispier and more delicious!

Divine Chicken Divan
from Dinners for a Year and Beyond
Makes 6 servings

1 1/4 cups rice, either white or brown
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped, about 1 cup
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 cups of broccoli florets, steamed (about 3 broccoli crowns)
4 cups of cooked chicken, shredded in large chunks (about 3 chicken breasts, or 1 1/2 pounds)
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook rice according to package directions. Place cooked rice in a 2-quart baking dish. Set aside.

Heat a medium sized saucepan to medium high and add olive oil and onions. Saute for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for an additional minute. Add the chicken broth and milk and bring to a boil.

Combine the cornstarch and wine in a small bowl and whisk into the saucepan. Cook until sauce thickens, about 3 - 4 minutes. Add the cheddar cheese and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in broccoli and chicken.

Spoon chicken mixture over rice. Combine panko and Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over chicken and rice. Cover baking dish with foil.Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 8 - 10 minutes or until top is browned.

Note - This dish can be assembled ahead of time, unbaked, and covered and refrigerated. When ready to serve, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake dish for 30 - 35 minutes covered with foil. Then uncover and bake an additional 8 - 10 minutes. It can also be frozen. Thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours, then follow the refrigerated baking directions.