Mystery Lovers' Kitchen

@AuthorDarciHannah, Mom’s Chicken Divan Casserole

Hi, DARCI HANNAH, here! 

Chicken Divan!

I don’t know about you, but after a cold, snowy winter, those first glimmers of springtime fill me with hope of warmer, sunny days ahead. It makes me so excite. While I l do love a snowy winter, by March I’m ready for it to be over. That’s when I start daydreaming about late spring. There’s nothing like the smell of fresh springtime air filled with the scent of fresh blossoms, green grass, and flowering trees. I try to garden, but my best efforts are often thwarted by weeds and dogs!

For now, it’s just a dream. March in Michigan is pure wackiness, sprinkling nice 60 degree days into weeks filled with freezing rain and snow! This is the weather where a nice casserole fits the bill for dinner at the Hannah house. One of our favorite casseroles is an old family recipe from my mother, who was a fabulous cook and entertainer. She would make this Chicken Divan for our family, and even for guests when a more informal dinner was in order. It’s one of my treasured recipes, and every time I make it I think of my mother, Jan Hilgers. Unlike recipes today, I love that this recipe requires not one, but two cans of Campbells cream of chicken soup. It’s so 1970s! When I shared the recipe with my daughter-in-law, she balked at it, because this style of family dinners has fallen out of favor, replaced by sushi, stir fry, and healthy organic salads. That’s all well and good, but every now and then a good old fashion casserole is in order, and this simple recipe for Chicken Divan is hard to beat.

 Are you ready? Here we go!

Mom’s Chicken Divan Casserole

Serves 8-10

Here's what you're going to need.

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

2 heads of fresh broccoli spears, cooked

2 cans Campbells Cream of Chicken soup

1 cup Mayonnaise

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 

1 teaspoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon curry powder

1 cup buttered breadcrumbs, or 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese for top of casserole

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 °F.

Steam broccoli and arrange on the bottom of a large, buttered baking dish. Top with the cooked and cubed chicken, making sure it’s evenly distributed. 

In a large mixing bowl, mix the soup, mayonnaise, 1 cup of shredded cheese, lemon juice, and curry powder. Spread over chicken. 

Sprinkle with either buttered breadcrumbs or shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. 

Serve over rice.

Enjoy!

Question:

Do you ever make casseroles? If so, do you have a favorite?

Please answer in the comments below.

Darci Hannah is the bestselling author of the Beacon Bakeshop Mystery Series, the Food & Spirits Mystery Series, the Very Cherry Mystery Series, and two works of historical fiction, The Exile of Sara Stevenson, and The Angel of Blythe Hall. Darci grew up in the Midwest and currently lives in a small town in Michigan with her husband and two dogs. Darci is a lifelong lover of the Great Lakes, a natural wonder that inspires many of her stories. Passionate about family, dogs, food, baking, history, books, lighthouses, laughter, good conversations, coffee, and the paranormal, Darci feels especially blessed to have found a way to combine her interests in the stories she writes. It brings her great joy to be able to share them with you. 

Connect with Darci at www.darcihannah.com

Instagram: @authordarcihannah

Facebook: @Author Darci Hannah

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