I’m incredibly grateful to still have my mom living. It’s her joie de vivre that makes me the person I am today. She always says, “Live in the moment. Enjoy life to its’ fullest as life is so short.” I stand by her words each and every day. Thanks, Mom. :) Side note: you can view a previous blog I posted about my dear mom here.
In a tribute to my mom, I would like to share a recipe that reminds me of her. The dish that’s so near and dear to my heart is called, Chicken Divan. My kids love it too! Warning — it’s comfort food, so if you’re on a diet it’s not the best recipe to choose. Ha! If you’d like some healthier recipe ideas, Just Ask!
Chicken Divan
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs boneless and skinless chicken breasts
1 can of cream of mushroom soup (I buy the light version)
1 can of evaporated milk (not condensed sweetened — someone made that mistake before and it wasn’t me! Ha!)
A head or two of broccoli (depending on how much you like the “little trees,” as my kids used to say. Remember to take the stems off)
A block of extra sharp cheddar cheese (cut in slices)
French’s Crispy Fried Onions (these used to be called Durkee’s — get the large canister)
Salt and pepper to taste
White rice
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Boil the chicken in a big pot of water for about 15 minutes. Drain the pot and cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.
Take a nice ceramic baking dish (preferably a 9x12 size) and place the uncooked broccoli heads on the bottom of the dish. Then, layer the cooked chicken pieces on top. Add salt and pepper.
Slice the entire block of cheese and layer each piece on top of the broccoli and chicken.
In a mixing bowl, combine the soup and milk with a fork. Pour the entire wet mixture over the cheese, broccoli, and chicken and pop in the preheated oven.
Bake for about 35-40 minutes until the cheese is bubbling.
About 5 minutes before baking time is complete, snap open the fried onion canister and cover the entire top with those crunchy nuggets. Keep an eye on it so the onion bits don’t burn. That’s the tastiest part!
In the meantime, cook your favorite white rice.
When the Chicken Divan is done take it out of the oven and put some aluminum foil over it to keep it warm until you’re ready to serve. Gather up some plates, add the rice and then scoop a big helping of the Chicken Divan over the rice, and thank Mama Rosa!
Buon appétito!
