New Recipe #3: Chicken divan

I know, I know, I already made my second new recipe for this month, so what was I doing? Well, sometimes nothing in the usual dinner repertoire sounds right. We flipped through the plastic sleeves of the recipe binder — no mocking! — but nothing piqued our interest for a weekend dinner that would create leftovers for the week’s lunches. Then, JG happened upon a version of chicken divan from our beloved America’s Test Kitchen cookbook. Creamy, chicken-y goodness? Yes, please.

Before JG handed me the recipe for perusal, he paused. “Is this allowed? Is the resolution two recipes per month or 24 recipes total?”

I love a man who splits hairs. “It’s two recipes per month — ”

“So this one won’t count.”

“Right, but that’s okay. The goal is to keep cooking throughout the year, not just whip out 24 recipes and call it a day.”

“Whatever you say.” He passed me the recipe.

Let me take away any healthful aspirations from the start: this chicken divan is not the most figure-friendly of dishes. I was very conscious of the two cups each of heavy cream and cheddar cheese as I ate my dinner portion. If the casserole makes 6-8 portions, that’s only about a third- or a quarter-cup of cream and cheese per portion, right? And that’s not too bad, right? Oy.

What it lacks in clean conscience, this recipe makes up in ease and taste. There is minimal handling of raw meat for squeamish folks out there, and the casserole comes together really smoothly. I was doubtful of my ability to remove a container of boiling liquid from the microwave safely, so I heated up the cream, stock, and mustard on the stove. If you try this method, beware: I took my eyes off of it for a second and ended up having to clean out the range from the boil-over. Next time, if I use the microwave, but I’ll go for a Pyrex container that holds at least 6 cups to account for the rice displacement. Also, this recipe doubles as a culinary endeavor and cathartic therapy; creating a crunchy cracker crust is a productive way to release any pent-up aggression.

The final result was exactly what I wanted: hot, creamy, cheesy, and satisfying. We’re definitely adding this one to the supper rotation, and as much as I love pasta to the depths of my soul, I must admit that it will be nice to have a rice-based casserole on hand. Best of all, after dinner on Saturday, I packed up no less than five lunch-sized portions for JG and me, and today’s helping warmed up just fine. This one’s a keeper.

(Recipe after the jump)

Chicken Divan
America’s Test Kitchen
Yields: 6-8 servings

Be sure to use a 9 by 13-inch dish or casserole dish of similar size.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6-8 ounces each), trimmed
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 cups instant rice
• 2 (10-ounce) packages* frozen broccoli spears, thawed and chopped medium
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
• 36 Ritz crackers (1 sleeve), crushed to coarse crumbs (1 1/2 cups)

* I used one 1-pound bag instead, and it was enough broccoli for us.

Directions:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then cut into 2-inch chunks. Spread in a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and season with salt and pepper.
2. Whisk the cream, broth, and mustard together in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high until boiling, about 8 minutes.
3. Stir the rice into the cream mixture, then pour over the chicken. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
4. Pat the broccoli dry, then stir with the cheddar cheese into the baking dish. Sprinkle the Ritz crumbs over the top. Continue to bake until the edges are bubbling and the crumbs are browned, 5-10 minutes.