Chicken Divan in Parmesan Cream Sauce Recipe - Home Chef (2024)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, line a baking sheet with foil, and place a wire-mesh strainer in the sink. Lightly coat foil with cooking spray. Thoroughly rinse produce and pat dry. Place broccoli florets in a medium non-stick pan with 1 cup lightly salted water. Cook over high heat for 5 minutes. While broccoli is cooking, trim and halve radishes. Stem and mince parsley. Rinse chicken and pat dry.

Drain broccoli through a strainer and run under cold water to cool. Chop very finely, return to stainer, and squeeze to remove excess moisture (spending a minute or two removing excess water and chopping the broccoli finely helps improve the stuffing's consistency immensely.) Mix chopped broccoli in a bowl with half the Parmesan cheese, half the parsley, 1 tsp. olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Compress stuffing with your hands to form into an oblong shape and set aside.

Place chicken breasts on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or small pan, pound chicken to an even ⅓” thickness. Remove plastic wrap and season both sides with salt and pepper. Lay a breast over 3 lengths of twine. Place stuffing oblong on chicken breast, leaving a ½” border at edges. Place the 2nd breast over filling and secure by tying twine around stacked chicken breasts. Make sure twine is tied tight enough to form a cylinder, but not so tight the stuffing is forced out the ends.

Heat same pan used for broccoli over medium-high heat. Add 2 tsp. olive oil and stuffed chicken to pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Transfer to prepared baking sheet to finish cooking. Return pan to high heat and add butter, radishes, sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook 3-5 minutes until slightly caramelized. Transfer radishes to same baking sheet as chicken and roast for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken reaches 165 degrees. Transfer to cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before removing the twine.

While chicken and radishes are roasting, you have a little time here to get a jump start on dishes, or just chill with some wine. When chicken is almost done, return same pan to medium heat and add evaporated milk and remaining Parmesan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cheese completely melts and sauce thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Starting the sauce later ensures it's nice and hot for plating.

Remove twine from chicken and cut into ¾” slices. Pour sauce on plate and arrange chicken slices over sauce. Place roasted radishes next to chicken and garnish with remaining parsley. New to roasted radishes? Roasting in butter and sugar mellows their peppery bite and makes them juicy and thoroughly delicious.