A cozy casserole for cold nights, this chicken divan remixes the classic

For almost the entirety of our relationship, my partner Andrew and I would spend days prepping and hours cooking to throw lavish dinner parties.

We would gather groups of friends for meals that lasted hours, serving course after course, each painstakingly prepared and served at the perfect temperature. One of us was always up from our seat, grabbing whatever was in the oven, mixing the salad dressing, or putting cocktails into everyone’s hands. As COVID-19 closed in, our dinners changed. They got much smaller.

What was once a table filled with friends was now the four of us — my partner and our two young kids. Though cooking is my love language, it has become more about making meals that feel unfussy and comfortable.

These days, I am making a lot of casseroles.

Making a casserole is a warm hug, and they keep us in the moment. No one is up and running around trying to plate multiple dishes — instead, a casserole is set in the middle of the table and everyone digs in. The genre is approachable for the cook and a delight for the guest, and embraces imperfection: No one is pulling out their phone to shoot a photo of a casserole for their Instagram feed.

Early on in lockdown, I called my mom and asked her to share her chicken divan recipe.

Chicken divan originated at the Divan Parisien Restaurant in early 20th century New York City. The recipe of chicken and broccoli called for a classic Mornay sauce with gruyere and parmesan. As the century moved along, this sauce would grow to favor the mid-century ease of canned soup and Miracle Whip.

My mom has always downplayed her cooking skills, because unlike me, cooking isn’t relaxing for her. It is a chore. But when she cooked chicken divan, which my brother, dad, and I always requested on our birthdays, she was confident.

Using one bowl, and relying on simple ingredients, she would whip up this one-dish casserole, no recipe needed, never breaking a sweat. Combining crunchiness and gooey cheese, every bite was perfect. As a family we would sit around the kitchen table, serving ourselves heaping mounds topped with wild rice.

After I had my first child, my mother asked how she could help. I asked her to make chicken divan. And as the last few years have rolled along, I started making it for my family. After long days of homeschooling two kids, running a restaurant and just surviving during a pandemic, I find ease and comfort in my mom’s recipe.

But I also missed making the dish my own, sourcing locally and building it like I would a regular multicourse meal. So I took my mother’s recipe of chicken breast, broccoli, cream of mushroom soup, shredded cheddar, Miracle Whip, and curry powder, and cooked what I could from scratch. Taking extra care with components like cream of mushroom helps make this deeply satisfying casserole feel luxurious. Topped with fried shallots and served with wild rice and an easy green salad, and you’ve got a complete meal.

These last 18 months have kept us away from the ones we love. We’ve forgotten how to throw a killer dinner party while keeping our cool. And like most people, I have reevaluated what cooking means to me. Who is having fun when the host is running around plating food, checking temps, and rolling out crusts while the guests wait at the table? I don’t need to show off every skill I have amassed over my years in the kitchen. It is much more fun to knock a casserole out of the park, and then sit to enjoy the company of my kids, my family, and my friends.

For the mushroom sauce:

2 pounds baby portobello mushrooms

2 tablespoons neutral oil

2 tablespoons butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 shallot, thinly diced

¼ cup flour

2½ cups unsalted vegetable or chicken stock

2 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon white pepper

Salt and pepper, to taste

To assemble the casserole:

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

3 chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds)

2 shallots, thinly sliced

2 cups neutral oil

2 cups mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sugar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 large head of broccoli

Directions:

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Slice the mushrooms and set aside.

In a thick-bottomed Dutch oven, heat the oil and butter over medium-high until the butter is melted. Add the garlic and shallots and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the mushrooms. Cook until all the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add the flour and stir constantly, covering the mushrooms in the flour, for 2 minutes. Pour in the stock and cream, stirring until there are no lumps and the liquid starts to simmer. Stir in the apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and white pepper. Continue to stir until the liquid thickens, more sauce than mushroom soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the curry powder, salt and pepper. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with the mixture. Place the chicken breast on a sheet pan with a rack placed inside. Roast the chicken about 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees.

Line a plate with a few paper towels. In a cast-iron skillet or pan, heat 2 cups of neutral oil over medium-high heat. Place the shallots in the oil. Cook until the shallots are light brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove from oil and place on the paper towel-lined plate. Allow to drain. (Shallot-infused oil can be reserved for future use.)

In a medium bowl combine the mayonnaise, sugar, garlic, parmesan, vinegar, and curry powder. Salt and pepper to taste.

Rough chop the broccoli into large bites. Slice the cooled chicken into similar-sized bites.

In the Dutch oven with the mushroom sauce, add the mayonnaise mixture and mix until combined. Add the chicken and broccoli, topped with the fried shallots.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the casserole is aromatic. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Briana Volk is a writer, creative director, and co-owner of restaurant and cocktail bar Portland Hunt + Alpine Club in Portland, Maine.