Gluten-Free Chicken Divan {Keto Option}

close up of a spoonful of chicken divan in a casserole dish

Gluten-Free Chicken Divan {Keto Option}

This Gluten-free Chicken Divan delivers broccoli florets and succulent chicken in a rich, creamy, and incredibly cheesy casserole.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Calories 352kcal

Author Amee

Ingredients

8 cups broccoli florets
1.5 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil divided
24 oz boneless chicken breasts chopped into bite-size pieces
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste, for seasoning chicken and more for seasoning the cream sauce *see directions
1 tablespoon butter
4-5 garlic cloves minced
½ small sweet Vidalia onion chopped very fine
¼ cup all purpose gluten-free flour I used King Arthur brand
1 cup chicken broth or chicken stock
1 cup milk you can go with whole milk or 2% here.
2 oz dry sherry cooking wine you can use white wine, but sherry give this dish great flavor!
8 oz extra-sharp white cheddar
¼ cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
¼ cup gluten free breadcrumbs
avocado or olive oil cooking spray

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the broccoli and blanch for 1-3 minutes. *see notes
Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well, pat dry, and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the chopped chicken until no longer pink, about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
Add the butter and remaining olive oil to the skillet. When butter is melted, add the garlic and onion and cook until soft. Sprinkle the flour and whisk until smooth. Stir in broth, milk, and sherry and bring to a boil while whisking.
Remove from heat and stir in half of the cheddar cheese, and season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. I use about a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper.
Arrange the blanched broccoli in a casserole dish and pour half of the sauce over the broccoli.
Arrange the chicken on top and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese, grated parmesan and top with breadcrumbs.
Spray a little oil on top.
Bake 30 minutes, serve hot.

Notes

If you like your broccoli with a toothsome, al dente texture, simmer the florets for no longer than 30-60 seconds before submerging them in an ice bath.
If you prefer soft broccoli, simmer the florets a few minutes longer.
In a pinch, frozen broccoli florets are an option. Thaw the bag in the fridge and dry the florets very well. Skip blanching. Instead, add the pieces directly to the casserole dish.

Make keto chicken divan – Sans breadcrumbs, this casserole is relatively low carb. For an even lower carb, keto-fied version, use crushed pork rinds instead of breadcrumbs (or omit them altogether) and substitute the milk with heavy cream and leave out the flour or reduce by half. If you want to thicken the sauce a bit more just add a little more grated parmesan. Serve over a bed of baby spinach, cauliflower rice, or spiralized zucchini noodles.

Nutrition