Chicken Divan

Someone made this casserole for me years ago when my husband was in the hospital, stashing it in my freezer so that I had a meal when I needed one. I’ve loved it ever since. We usually serve this over rice, although you can certainly eat it without the rice if you like. The recipe comes from my 1980s version of the BH&G cookbook. The cookbook suggests that you can also use asparagus instead of broccoli, if you like (though I’ve never tried that), and it specifies Swiss cheese (but I’m not a Swiss cheese fan, so I use cheddar). I do use the white wine, generally, but it isn’t necessary. You can always just up the amount of chicken broth instead of using the wine.

20 oz. frozen broccoli florets

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup flour

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup light cream or milk

1 cup chicken broth

1 /4 cup dry white wine (or just increase broth)

1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

10 oz. shredded or sliced cooked chicken

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Paprika

1. Cook vegetables according to package directions; drain. Arrange crosswise in a 12x7 1/2 x2 baking dish. For sauce, in a saucepan melt butter; stir in flour, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add cream or milk and broth all at once, stirring constantly. Cook and stir till bubbly; continue cooking 1 to 2 minutes more. Stir in wine, if desired. Add cheese; stir till melted.
2. Pour half of the sauce over broccoli or asparagus. Top with chicken. Pour remaining sauce over all. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and paprika on top. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until heated through. Broil 3 or 4 inches from heat 1 to 2 minutes or till golden. Serves 6.