This Old-School Casserole Hails From A Famous New York City Hotel

You may recall eating casseroles as a kid. Whether or not you liked them, there's no denying their popularity, especially in the 1950s. They were an easy and affordable way to feed large families. Chicken Divan is one of the classic casserole dishes people hardly make anymore, but it tastes so good and has surprisingly fancy origins. Around the 1930s, chef Anthony Lagasi, who worked at Divan Parisien in the Chatham Hotel in New York City, created Chicken Divan. It was named after the hotel's restaurant and became its signature dish. 

The Chicken Divan recipe consisted of steamed broccoli topped with thinly sliced chicken breast and a sauce, which may be bechamel sauce (roux plus milk) or both bechamel and hollandaise sauce. The exact original recipe is not known, as Lagasi refused to reveal it. That didn't stop the dish from becoming popular, though. It made its way into kitchens across the country, becoming especially popular in the '50s. It was beloved because it contained both vegetables and meat, and is credited with bringing broccoli to American diners. Chicken Divan was so popular that even Campbell's had a recipe for it on its soup cans.

Unfortunately, The Chatham closed down in the 1960s. It was also around this time that Chicken Divan dishes began to decrease in popularity. This was likely due to people wanting lighter, fresher, and healthier meals. People also began to cook parts of meals separately, and different ingredients became easier to buy in grocery stores. So, where can you get Chicken Divan today? Well, restaurants rarely serve the dish, but some catering companies, such as Covington's Catering in Georgia and Lucchesi's Fine Foods in Tennessee, sell trays of Chicken Divan. 

You can also make Chicken Divan at home if you're really curious about how it tastes. You can try it the Campbell's way, with canned Cream of Chicken Soup, shredded Cheddar cheese, dried breadcrumbs, cubed chicken, and broccoli. If you want to try it with basic ingredients, Martha Stewart (who has the best tips to declutter your kitchen) has a recipe on her website. It differs from the other recipe because it contains mushrooms and Worcestershire sauce. Whichever route you decide to take to get your hands on some Chicken Divan, we're sure you'll enjoy this classic dish.