Chicken Divan

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Originally made in restaurants with a rich Mornay sauce, chicken divan often featured canned cream of mushroom soup, mayonnaise, sour cream and cheese—tasty, yes, but also loaded with fat and salt. Our revised version has all the flavor of the original with only half the calories and a fraction of the sodium. Use leftover cooked chicken breasts, if you have them on hand, for an even faster dinner.

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  • 6

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups diced leek, white and light green parts only (about 1 large; see Tip)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup low-fat milk
  • 2 tablespoons dry sherry (see Tip)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 2 10-ounce boxes frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, or 1 pound broccoli crowns (see Ingredient Note), chopped
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Preparation

Step 1

1.Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 7-by-11-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.

2.Place chicken in a medium skillet or saucepan and add water to cover. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and slice into bite-size pieces.

3.Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add leek and salt and cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add flour; stir to coat. Add broth, milk, sherry, thyme and pepper and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Add broccoli; return to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan, mayonnaise and mustard.

4.Spread half the broccoli mixture in the prepared baking dish. Top with the chicken, then the remaining broccoli mixture. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Bake until bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

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