Though most people would think
Chicken Divan is French, it isn't. The recipe that I use actually originated from a restaurant called
Divan Parisien in New York City. In the original recipe it has "
sauce Mornay" on it, which is a
Béchamel sauce with cheese.
Béchamel sauce is a white sauce made with butter, flour and milk. In English, the word
divan means sofa, from the
council chamber's benches, and in French it means a
meeting place or
great hall. This is what attracted the owners of
Divan Parisien to the word "
Divan", they found it very
formal and appealing.
While doing research on
Chicken Divan for my
Food Prep class, I also learned that
Hungary has a version of
Chicken Divan, only it is with onions, peppers, and other spicy ingredients.
This is my all time
favourite dish. I think everyone should try it because it is
fairly simple to make and delicious.
This is the recipe my Mom uses:
Ingredients:
3-6
Boned Chicken Breast
1 - 10 oz. pkg Broccoli Spears
1 - 10 oz. can Cream of Chicken
1/2 cup Mayo
1/8 tsp
Curry Powder
1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
1 - large can of
French's Fried Onions
1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Directions:
Microwave chicken covered for 10-15 minutes. Pour juice in bowl and set aside. Microwave broccoli for 4 minutes (I suggest if you get the long broccoli to cut it up in smaller pieces because it is just easier to eat that way). Mix sauce (cream of chicken, mayo, curry powder, & lemon juice). Put chicken on top of the broccoli, pour sauce over it, and top with cheese. Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. When it is done, pour your can of fried onions on top and stick it back in the oven for a couple of minutes, until golden brown. Keep a good eye on them though,
they burn quickly.