Paula Deen's comfort casserole inspired this creamy keto chicken divan — tender chicken and broccoli smothered in cheese sauce, ready fast. 5.1g net carbs and 36.8g protein per serving.
This is the comfort casserole I come back to all the time. I adapted it from Paula Deen's chicken divan, which is honestly one of the best versions of this dish. But the original is loaded with carbs. Two cans of condensed cream of mushroom soup alone add 40 grams, and the ingredients list isn't great either. With a few targeted swaps, I got this keto chicken divan down to 5 grams of carbs per serving without losing any of the creamy, cheesy warmth.
How I turned this recipe keto
Three changes, and each one actually made the dish better.
Cream of mushroom soup: Paula's version uses two cans of condensed soup. I swap in a carton of mushroom bisque instead. Primal Kitchen's version has only 8 carbs and no MSG, which makes it my go-to. Reader Billie tried Amy's Mushroom Bisque when she couldn't find it and said it actually had more flavor. So you have options.
Less wine: Paula calls for 1/2 cup of white wine. I cut it to 1/4 cup because the dish doesn't need more, and I'd rather drink that extra quarter cup. Fewer carbs, same depth of flavor.
Better topping: Most versions use buttery crackers or breadcrumbs on top. I use parmesan cheese and almond flour, which gives you the same rich crunch without extra carbs. I tested this combination specifically because I wanted the texture without needing additional butter.
The curry powder is the real secret. I almost left it out of the original, and I'm glad I didn't. Reader Christine said she almost skipped it too, but described it as "this warmth that makes it feel like real comfort food." That's exactly right. It doesn't taste like curry at all. It just rounds everything out.
What I like about this version is how little active work it takes. You're not making a roux or pre-cooking anything complicated. The whole thing comes together in about 15 minutes of hands-on time, then the oven does the rest for 40 minutes. I flip it to low broil for 2-3 minutes at the very end to get that topping golden and crisp. That last step makes a real difference. I usually serve it with cauliflower rice or just over greens to soak up the sauce.
This casserole started at the Divan Parisien hotel in New York in the early 1900s, then blew up during the casserole craze of the ’80s. The classic version layers chicken and broccoli under a rich cream sauce, baked until bubbly with a cracker or breadcrumb crust. I’ve eaten dozens of versions at family dinners and potlucks, and it’s one of those dishes that just feels like home. Turning it into a low carb chicken casserole took less work than I expected, and the result is honestly better than most of the originals I grew up eating. If you love that style of creamy, baked comfort food, I also have a shepherd’s pie and baked ziti built the same way.
Storage and meal prep
I store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, and they hold up well for 3-4 days. When I reheat, I use the microwave at 50% power for 3-4 minutes. Full power dries out the sauce.
Meal prep
I’ve prepped this fully assembled (minus the topping) and stored it in the fridge overnight. When you’re ready, just make the topping mix, spread it on, and bake as directed. Add a few extra minutes to the bake time since it’s going in cold.
Freezing
I’ve frozen the assembled dish without the topping for up to 3 months. I wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge, add the parmesan and almond flour topping, and bake with an extra 5-10 minutes. The sauce holds up well. The broccoli gets a little softer than fresh-baked, but it’s not a dealbreaker.
Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Prepare a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. In a small bowl, mix the parmesan cheese and almond flour. Set aside.
For this step
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup almond flour
2
Creamy sauce
Combine the mushroom bisque, mayonnaise, and sour cream in a large bowl and whisk until smooth.
For this step
16.9 oz carton mushroom bisque soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
3
Flavor components
Add the cheddar cheese, lemon juice, curry powder, salt, pepper, and white wine and combine them well.
For this step
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup white wine
4
Broccoli & Chicken
Add the thawed, drained broccoli and shredded chicken to the sauce.
For this step
20-24 oz frozen broccoli, thawed & drained
6 cups shredded, cooked chicken
5
Assemble in the casserole dish
Pour the mixture into the casserole dish, then evenly sprinkle the parmesan/almond flour topping over it.
6
Bake
Bake at 350 °F for 40 minutes. To get the topping a golden brown, change the oven temperature to LO broil and lightly brown the top of the casserole for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve while warm.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1/8 of recipe
Calories
609
Fat
45.7g
Protein
36.8g
Total carbs
7.4g
Net carbs
5.1g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I serve with this?
I usually go with cauliflower rice to soak up the sauce, and that's my favorite pairing. A simple arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette works if you want something lighter to cut through the richness. I've also served it over steamed zucchini noodles, which hold the sauce surprisingly well. On busy nights, I skip the side entirely and just eat a bigger portion straight from the dish.
Can I make this dairy-free?
I've made a dairy-free version of this keto casserole by swapping the sour cream and mayo for cashew cream and avocado oil mayo. I skipped the cheddar and parmesan entirely and used nutritional yeast on top with the almond flour. The sauce was thinner, and you lose that cheesy richness, but the curry powder and mushroom bisque still carry a lot of flavor. Not identical, but it works if dairy is off the table.
Can I use fresh broccoli instead of frozen?
I've made it both ways. Fresh works, but you need to blanch the florets for 2-3 minutes first so they're not crunchy in the finished dish. Cut them into bite-sized pieces before adding. I still prefer frozen because it's less prep and the texture difference after 40 minutes in the oven is minimal.
What can I substitute for white wine?
I use chicken broth when I skip the wine. It won't have quite the same brightness, but it still works. If you're avoiding alcohol entirely, add a teaspoon of white wine vinegar to the broth to get some of that acidity back. I've done this and my family didn't notice the swap. For a dry cooking wine, I prefer Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay.
Can I prep this the night before?
I do this regularly. Mix everything together, pour it into the baking dish, cover it, and refrigerate. Don't add the topping until right before you bake it. The almond flour and parmesan will absorb moisture and get soggy if they sit overnight. I add about 5 extra minutes to the bake time when it's going in cold from the fridge.
Can I make this in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?
I haven't tested a full slow cooker version because the topping wouldn't crisp. What I have done is assemble everything in the slow cooker on low for 3-4 hours, then transfer it to a baking dish, add the topping, and broil for 2-3 minutes. It's an extra step, but it works when I want it ready at dinnertime without the oven running all afternoon. If you want a truly hands-off chicken dinner, my white chicken chili is built for the Instant Pot.
What does divan mean in chicken divan?
Divan comes from the Divan Parisien, the New York hotel restaurant where this dish was created in the early 1900s. The name stuck to the style: chicken and broccoli baked together in a rich cream sauce. My keto version keeps that same structure, just without the carbs.
Do I bake chicken divan covered or uncovered?
Uncovered, the whole time. I bake it at 350 for 40 minutes with the parmesan and almond flour topping exposed so it browns. Covering the dish traps steam and leaves the topping soft. For extra color, I switch to LO broil for the last 2-3 minutes and watch it closely.
Use block cheddar, not the pre-shredded bag. The anti-caking coating stops it from melting cleanly, and when the sauce is everything, you notice. I almost didn’t make this. Expected it to taste like every other cream-of-mushroom casserole I’ve had. The bisque acts more like a built sauce than a shortcut though, and the lemon does more work than I expected.
Six containers for the week, 5.1g net carbs. Easy to track. I squeeze the broccoli harder than seems necessary before mixing it in and the sauce stays thick through Friday.
Doubling this for a graduation party next weekend, so about 16 servings. The sauce seems simple enough to scale, but I’m second-guessing the almond flour and parmesan topping. Does it go straight across, or does doubling it make the layer too thick to crisp up? I’d use two 9×13 pans. Oven time is what I’m less sure about, since baking two full pans at once can go sideways, and that golden top is honestly my favorite thing about this dish. Same 350 for both, or should I add some time?
Nicole, just split the topping evenly between both pans, same thin layer each. I’d add 5 minutes to the bake and rotate them halfway if they’re on different racks at 350. Then broil LO at the end. 2-3 minutes. Watch it close, that’s what gets you the golden top.
5.1 net carbs for something built on mayo, sour cream, and sharp cheddar didn’t make sense to me at first. Every other keto casserole I’d made at that calorie count pushed the carbs higher. This sauce coats the chicken instead of sitting around it, and I think the mushroom bisque is why. Making this every week.
Yuki, you nailed the coating thing. The mayo-sour cream ratio keeps the sauce on the chicken instead of pooling. I tested a couple condensed soups before I landed on Primal Kitchen’s bisque. Way thicker.
My mom had this in regular rotation when I was growing up (chicken divan was a big deal in our house on Sundays), and I haven’t had it in years. The lemon juice is what got me. That’s exactly what made hers feel bright instead of heavy. Wasn’t prepared to taste it again.
Never made a casserole from scratch before and I picked this one because it looked more manageable than most. The curry powder worried me a little, I almost left it out, but I kept it in and I’m glad I did. It adds this warmth underneath everything that you’d miss without it. Leftovers reheated for lunch the next day and honestly they were better than the night before.
The sauce tightens up overnight and the chicken absorbs all of it, that’s the whole day-two thing. Yeah, keeping the curry, you’d notice it missing immediately.
The curry powder in the ingredient list genuinely gave me pause, so I cut it in half on my first try. The sauce was fine but something was missing, kind of flat in a way I couldn’t place. Second time I went back to the full teaspoon and that was the difference. It rounds out the cheddar and the mushroom base in a way that doesn’t read as ‘curry flavor,’ more like depth. The other thing I changed: fresh broccoli instead of frozen. I par-steamed it and then squeezed it really well in a kitchen towel before mixing it into the sauce, lost almost half a cup of liquid. Zero watery bottom, which has been my casserole nemesis. Probably doesn’t matter much with frozen if you drain it thoroughly, but the towel trick is worth adding to the steps either way. This is a solid 4-star weeknight casserole once you trust the spice amounts.
Lauren, it’s warmth, not curry flavor (that’s the whole function of that teaspoon). Cut it in half and the sauce goes flat in a way that’s hard to place. I’ve squeezed fresh broccoli in a towel and lost a similar amount, so I need to add that to the recipe steps.
My son cleaned his plate, which wouldn’t be notable except he normally picks every piece of broccoli off anything I make. Something about it being baked into that creamy sauce, I think. Going in the regular rotation.
Swapped the mayo for Primal Kitchen and added extra curry powder, and now the sauce has this savory depth that makes the leftovers better than day one.
Wasn’t sure about the curry powder going in (never used it in a casserole before), but it gives the sauce this subtle warmth I didn’t expect to love. Made it Sunday and it’s already gone.
That’s the thing about curry in a cream sauce, the fat tones it way down. You don’t get curry, you get this background warmth that’s hard to place. Next time try 1.5 teaspoons.
I’ve been cooking forever but only started keto this spring. First real test of whether comfort food could still feel like comfort food. The curry powder had me skeptical while I measured it out (seemed like a weird call for a chicken casserole), but it works. Sauce came together fast once I started whisking, and it already looked right before it hit the oven. The almond flour and Parmesan topping got genuinely crispy, which I wasn’t expecting after years of breadcrumbs doing absolutely nothing. Made this on a weeknight to shake off a rough month of eating, and it delivered. More broccoli next time. I want more green in it, but otherwise I’m leaving it alone.
Yeah the topping is the surprise for most people coming from breadcrumbs. And more broccoli – go for it. I’ve packed in well past 24 oz before, the sauce handles it.
The curry powder almost stopped me from even making this. I’ve been doing traditional chicken divan for years and there was never curry in it, so I almost left it out. Glad I didn’t because whatever it’s doing in that creamy sauce underneath the parmesan crust, it’s freaking working. Made Paula Deen’s original version last year just to see, and this one isn’t even close.
That Paula Deen comparison is the one that gets me. I went back to her original a few times while I was developing this, and the lemon and wine in the sauce is what changes the weight of it.
My mom made chicken divan at every church potluck, and I figured it was just gone for me once I went keto. The curry powder and sour cream actually pulled it off. Four stars only because I still miss the breadcrumb topping, but I’ll take it.
First keto casserole I’ve ever tried. Went in skeptical about the curry powder, but it works. The parmesan almond flour topping came out this gorgeous golden brown and I had to stop myself picking at the crust before it hit the table.
The curry powder gets the most skepticism of anything on this recipe. But one teaspoon in that much sauce, you just taste something richer and can’t place why. That topping. I’ve lost a good third of mine before it hit the table.
I wasn’t sure about the curry powder going in (thought it might make the whole thing taste off), but made it anyway. The sauce came together fast and by the time it was out of the oven the house smelled incredible. The curry is subtle but it’s what lifts this above a generic chicken and broccoli casserole. Quick question though: has anyone tried Greek yogurt instead of the sour cream? Don’t want to mess with something that’s clearly working.
