Chicken Divan

1 large bag broccoli cuts, frozen

3 c. cooked chicken, diced

2 (10.75 oz) cans cream of chicken soup

1 c. mayonnaise

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp curry powder

1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 c, bread crumbs

1 tbsp butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Butter a 9 X 13 baking dish. Empty frozen broccoli cuts into bottom of the dish. Place chicken on top of broccoli.
3. Mix soup, mayonnaise, curry, and lemon juice in a bowl; spread the mixture over the chicken. Sprinkle the cheese over the soup mixture.
4. Mix bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over the cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

From Good Tidings . . . Great Joy, Recipes from the congregation of Angola United Methodist Church.

THINGS I CHANGED:

• What the recipe writer and I consider a large bag of broccoli must be very different.  I only had to use a little more than half of the 2-pound bag I bought.  Just enough to completely cover the bottom of the pan in a single layer.
• I don't have curry, so I used some Italian seasoning.  Not comparable, I understand, but it worked for me.

THINGS I LEARNED:

• I'll double the bread crumbs next time.  I like crumb topping, and there just wasn't as much as I'd like.
• Broccoli florets would have been better than cuts.  The cuts didn't cook as quickly, so they were a bit al dente.  So the whole dish either needs to cook longer, or substitute florets for cuts.

OVERALL OPINIONS:

Bill: Liked it.  It's not a new favorite, but it will probably be on the winter menu lineup from time to time.

Emma: Liked it.  She's a fan of bread crumb topping, too, and she liked that part best.

Georgia: Ate the chicken and some of the broccoli.  Not a bad recipe overall for her, though, because she likes broccoli better than a lot of other veggies.

Me: I enjoyed it.  I had a small serving of seconds.  It reheated well, and the recipe says it can be prepared in the dish the night before and then put into the oven when needed.  I may use it as a busy evening recipe when I'm able to put it together in the morning or the night before.  It uses ingredients that I almost always have on hand, so it's a no-brainer that I'll use the recipe again.