Name: Modern Chicken Divan
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 1/2 pounds broccoli, stalks discarded, florets cut into bite-sized pieces; 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts; Salt and pepper; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 2 medium shallots, minced; 1 cup heavy cream; 1/2 cup dry sherry; 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce; 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese; 3 large egg yolks; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Why This Recipe Works

Once-trendy chicken Divan’s original recipe calls for many different components and even more cooking steps. We wanted to stay true to the original flavor of the dish but streamline the cooking process. To do this, we batch-cooked the broccoli first, then the chicken. While the broccoli and chicken rested, we used the same pan to prepare our sauce. And instead of making a separate hollandaise sauce, like the traditional chicken Divan recipes demand, we whisked egg yolks and lemon juice together, then tempered the mixture with the hot pan sauce, and whisked in butter at the end.

Before You Begin

Use one small onion instead of the shallots, if desired.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat broiler. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add broccoli and cook until spotty brown, about 1 minute. Add ½ cup broth, cover, and steam until just tender, about 1½ minutes. Remove lid and cook until liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Transfer broccoli to plate lined with paper towels; rinse and wipe out skillet.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour to coat. Cook chicken until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate.

Off heat, add shallots to skillet and cook until just beginning to color, about 1 minute. Add remaining 2 cups broth and cream and scrape browned bits from bottom of pan. Return chicken to skillet and simmer over medium-high heat until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to clean plate and continue to simmer sauce until reduced to 1 cup, about 10 minutes. Add sherry and Worcestershire and simmer until reduced again to 1 cup, about 3 minutes.

Stir in 1 cup Parmesan. Whisk yolks and lemon juice in small bowl, then whisk in about ¼ cup sauce. Off heat, whisk egg yolk mixture into sauce in skillet, then whisk in butter.

Cut chicken into ½-inch-thick slices and arrange on broilersafe platter. Scatter broccoli over chicken and pour sauce over broccoli. Sprinkle with ½ cup Parmesan and broil until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve.