My Keto Chicken Divan Casserole is rich and creamy with broccoli, cheddar, and a hint of curry. It is the ultimate comfort food. Serve it on its own or with a garden salad for an easy main course perfect for a low carb diet.
This isn't a new casserole for us. This is probably one of the first casseroles I ever made. My husband had a fear of casseroles, thinking they all contained peas. He is not a pea fan. This is the casserole that healed him of his fear. Like most casseroles, it is creamy and cheesy but it is unique in its use of curry powder. That is the flavor that really makes this dish special.
Traditionally Chicken Divan also uses almonds (or did when it was invented in the 1950s in NYC) but I don't think they are necessary for a great casserole and omit them. It's been on my to-do list since I started blogging so I'm thrilled to finally share it! This easy chicken divan curry casserole recipe is low carb, keto, gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and Trim Healthy Mama friendly with 6.5 net carbs per serving.
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Ingredients
Cooked chicken - This is a great recipe to use up leftover cooked chicken in. Cubed chicken, shredded chicken, or rotisserie chicken all work well.
Fresh broccoli florets - I prefer to use fresh steamed broccoli but in a pinch, you can use the bags of frozen broccoli that steam in the microwave. Just thaw and drain well.
Dried minced onion - This gives a nice flavor without being overpowering. You can also use onion powder.
Curry powder - The star of this dish. There are many curry blends out there so choose one you enjoy.
Garlic powder - Garlic enhances the other flavors of the dish.
Salt & pepper - Salt and black pepper also work as flavor enhancers.
Sour cream - Sour cream makes this casserole creamy with a slight tang.
Mayo - Mayonaisse gives a rich and creamy flavor to the chicken divan sauce.
Shredded cheddar cheese - Shredded cheese works well in casseroles since it melts and incorporates easily.
How to Make Keto Chicken Divan Casserole
To make this low carb chicken divan recipe you mix together the sauce ingredients, toss in the cooked chicken and steamed broccoli, transfer to a casserole dish, and top with cheddar cheese. Pop it in the oven and dinner is served!
Step One: Mix together the minced onion, curry powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, sour cream, and mayo for the sauce.
Step Two: Fold in the chicken, broccoli, and ¾ of the cheese. Reserve the rest of the cheese for the top of the casserole.
Step Three: Transfer to a greased baking dish and top with the remaining cheese.
Step Four: Bake until hot, bubbly, and golden brown.
Variations
Vegetables - Sub in another veggie instead of, or in addition to, the broccoli.
Skillet - To make this a skillet meal heat the sauce in a large skillet over low to medium heat and add the other ingredients. Cover and heat in the skillet over medium heat until hot.
Crockpot - Add all the ingredients in the keto chicken divan recipe to a slow cooker and heat on low for 1-2 hours until hot.
Vegetarian - For a vegetarian main dish or hearty side dish just replace the chicken with additional vegetables.
More sauce - For a saucier casserole mix ½ cup of heavy cream into the sauce mixture. Alternatively, you can add chicken broth instead of heavy whipping cream to lighten this up.
Common Questions
What is Chicken Divan
Chicken Divan is a casserole with chicken and Mornay sauce. Mornay sauce is a traditional sauce made from butter, flour, and milk with gruyere cheese added. To make a low carb version I simply use mayo, sour cream, and cheddar. This version may not be traditional but it is delicious. Most low carb white sauces use a combination of butter, cream cheese, and heavy cream. If you'd prefer to make one of those instead of using my quick sour cream and mayo combo you are welcome to.
Can I make this casserole in advance?
Yes, feel free to prep the chicken divan curry casserole recipe the day before or the morning of and then bake it right before serving. I've also made similar casseroles in the crock pot by cooking the chicken, cutting it up and draining the liquid and then adding it back with the rest of the ingredients. On days you don't want to turn on the oven this is a great method to use!
What is Curry Powder
Curry powder is a blend of spices used most commonly in Indian curries. They are not necessarily spicy. Many are mild and flavorful. Most curry powder recipes include cumin, fenugreek, coriander, turmeric, and chili peppers in their blends. (Source: Wikipedia)
If you aren't a fan of curry you should try my Bacon Chicken Ranch Casserole instead. That one uses dill, onion, and garlic for a ranch flavor and has the delicious addition of bacon.
What to serve with Chicken Divan Casserole
This low carb gluten free casserole is so filling that sometimes we eat it on its own, especially as leftovers for lunch. For dinner, I might pair it with a green salad or mashed cauliflower.
Other options would be serving it with additional vegetables, low carb biscuits, over cauliflower rice, or a soup course before the casserole.
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📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked chicken cubed
- 1.5 lb fresh broccoli florets steamed and drained
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 8 oz sour cream
- 8 oz mayo
- 8 oz shredded cheddar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 if baking immediately. Or you can prep ahead and keep in the refrigerator for a day or two.
- In a big bowl combine sour cream, mayo, and spices and mix thoroughly.
- Add the chicken, broccoli, and ¾ of the cheese and mix well.
- Dump into a 9x13 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
- Bake until hot about 35 minutes.
Nutrition
Other Amazing Low Carb Chicken Casserole Recipes
Mediterranean Chicken & Spinach Casserole
Originally Published June 6, 2019. Revised and Republished May 25, 2023.
Denise from Colorado says
Can I freeze this dish? I only cook for myself and I am trying to find some meals that I can prepare and freeze for later. Any suggestions? Should I put everything together, freeze it, then bake it when I go to eat it? OR, should I bake it, then dish it into smaller containers to freeze? Thanks, in advance. I can't wait to try this.
Taryn says
Yes, I’ve had readers freeze this successfully. I haven’t frozen it myself but I’d suggest freezing after you layer the ingredients (with cooked chicken) but before baking. Make sure your chicken isn’t dry.
Gail W says
Made it exactly except onion powder instead of minced. Easy to make and delicious!
Karen says
Rarely are recipes found online worth leaving a review:( This recipe is an exception! It was easy AND delicious! We loved it! Happy it doesn't include cream of chicken soup! Next time we will add sliced almonds to the top. Would like to make it a little saucier in order to serve it with rice. THANK YOU!
Taryn says
Thanks, Karen! You could definitely double the sauce or thin it with a bit of chicken broth.
Silvia says
So good and uses simple, clean ingredients! Thank you!
Jesdie says
I never leave comments on recipes but this was so insanely delicious I had to! I made a couple changes, I used a few cups of leftover rotisserie chicken instead of cubed chicken breast and instead of onion and garlic powder, I cooked down a whole chopped sweet onion in butter with a few cloves of fresh minced garlic. This took it over the top!! And the curry was perfect! Everything else I followed exact. It was saucy enough that I was able to serve it over rice for the rest of my family and they devoured it. Next time I may do riced cauliflower instead! Will definitely be added to the regular rotation. And I love the simplicity and ability to adjust it easily!
Johanna says
I've made this recipe a few times now and it's seriously such a delight. This time I made it with mozz (just moved and haven't found my grater yet!) and put some cheddar squares on top then used my little air fryer/convection oven for 25 min which crisped the top to perfection! This is now a staple in our house.
Leah says
Easy to prepare and my picky picky child loved it. She had seconds the night I made it and chose it the next night for "leftover" night. I did use onion powder instead of minced because that is what I had, a frozen bag of broccoli spears (don't hate me) and maybe a little more cheese than it called for but those were my only changes. Bookmarking this page. 🙂
Another winner from Joy Filled Eats. Thank you!!
JC says
A new family favorite. Easy-to-prepare comfort food.
Jeannette says
This was soooo very good! Thank you!!
I have to say: I am immensely glad you did not put in cream of XYZ or I would have scrolled on by.
Ashley says
The taste is a bit different then I’m used to for chicken divan, but WOW, this is so good! Hubby says it’s way better then the other versions we’ve tried. I followed the recipe almost exactly, just added some extra onions. Definitely a keeper!
Nicole says
Can you sub cream cheese for the sour cream? I have all the ingredients except sour cream!
Taryn says
Sure
Sarah says
Yummmm!
Krikkit says
Do you think it would taste good with cauliflower subbed for broccoli? Someone in my family gets sick when eating broccoli.
Taryn says
Yes. I like cauliflower in this!
Halle Hammond says
This dish absolutely blew me away. I adjusted for a 4-serving recipe rather than the 8, but doubled the amount of sauce (I can never get enough) and also did a layer of cauliflower rice at the bottom, and it was AMAZING!! It tasted exactly like the one my mother used to make for us (especially because of the curry powder) and is the ultimate comfort food. Thank you for sharing!!!
Michelle A says
Is there an adjustment for raw chicken?
Taryn says
You can cook it in the casserole dish, drain the liquid, and then add the other ingredients.
Christy says
I love a good casserole and this was wonderful! added in a bag of cauliflower rice and it was the most perfect comfort food. Also it’s super budget friendly and tastes even better as leftovers. Can’t wait to make again!
Also, I always use curry in my divan too so I knew when I saw this recipe it was a winner. Thanks! 😀
T Mill says
Made this for my family tonight and they loved it! I did not have minced onion so I used onion powder. I did not have left over chicken so I used canned chicken with freshly steamed and drained broccoli. And after I had it all mixed- it seemed like it needed more sauce- so I added another 1/2 batch of the sauce. It was a huge hit!!
Pamela S. says
Made this last night and it was a big hit with the family. Even the ones who don't like curry loved it enough for second helpings. I used frozen broccoli (pre-cooked) instead of fresh and it made it very easy to put together. Thanks for helping my family eat good food and easy recipes for me to fix.
Pamela S. says
Forgot to do rating so doing so now. 5 stars all the way!
Julie Evink says
This was so good and easy to sneak in vegetables for my kids! Going on my weekly rotation!
Noelle says
How delicious, the whole family loved it and wants me to make it again so looks like we found a winner, thank you!!