Think Thin Thursday: Chicken Divan

1957 photo

It's that time again--another recipe from The Slenderella Cook Book (1957). It's really not much of a recipe. Basically you boil some broccoli and put that in a casserole with leftover chicken and pour cheesy sauce on top of it. Then you stick it in the oven for ten minutes. It's not wow! spectacular!, but it's tasty enough and a great way to use up leftover chicken (and work in some veggies at the same time).

Chicken Divan

2 heads broccoli, cut into forkable pieces
2 teaspoons cornstarch (GMO-free)
2/3 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons parmesan or pecorino cheese, grated
salt
pepper
shredded chicken, either a breast or a thigh and drumstick of a 4-ish-pound chicken

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Steam broccoli for 5 minutes. While you're waiting for that, make a slurry with the cornstarch and a bit of the chicken stock. Add to a small saucepan along with the rest of the chicken stock and heat on medium, whisking until the mixture boils, then boil 5 minutes, still whisking. Remove sauce from the heat and stir in milk and cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Place the broccoli in the bottom of a shallow casserole and pour half the sauce over it. Place the chicken on top of the broccoli and cover with the rest of the sauce. Grind a bit more salt and pepper over the top of the casserole. Bake 12 minutes, or until starting to brown.

Serves 2

Adapted from "Chicken Divan" in Myra Waldo, The Slenderella Cook Book (New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1957), 117.

I went with "Parmesan Yam" instead of "Parmesan Sweet Potato" because of the assonance with all the  short a sounds: divan, parmesan, yam. I am a nerd.

Parmesan Yam

1 large yam washed and halved
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
salt
pepper
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated (you could also use pecorino-romano)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Brush the cut halves of the yam with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper then place cut side down on a baking sheet and bake 30 minutes, or until easily pierced by a sharp knife.

Turn the yams over and grate the parmesan on top of them. Bake another 15 minutes.

Serves 2