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Chicken Divan, the Original Manhattan Way (Poached Chicken and Broccoli Under Gruyère Mornay)

Chicken Divan

The dish that made the Divan Parisien famous on East 48th Street: chicken breast poached until silky, laid over tender broccoli spears, and buried in a proper Mornay stiff with Gruyère, enriched with egg yolks, and lifted by a splash of dry sherry. No canned soup, no cracker crumbs. It browns under the broiler into something that tastes like 1940s room service.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 People
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 545
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts about 4 large halves
  • 4 cups chicken stock or water enough to cover the chicken
  • 1 bay leaf for the poaching liquid
  • 6 black peppercorns for the poaching liquid
  • 1.5 lb broccoli cut into long spears with tender stems attached
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter divided
  • 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk warmed
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 2 egg yolks large
  • 8 oz Gruyère cheese grated, divided
  • 3 tbsp dry sherry fino or amontillado, not cooking sherry
  • 0.25 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.5 tsp ground white pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 wide saucepan or deep skillet with lid for poaching the chicken
  • 1 Large pot for blanching broccoli
  • 1 heavy-bottomed saucepan for the Mornay
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 9x13 inch shallow baking dish
  • 1 fine mesh strainer for the poaching liquid

Method
 

  1. Lay the chicken breasts in a wide saucepan in a single layer. Pour in the stock or water until it covers them by half an inch, then add the bay leaf and peppercorns.
  2. Bring the liquid to a bare simmer over medium heat, with only the occasional bubble breaking the surface. Never let it boil or the chicken will tighten and go dry.
  3. Cover the pan, pull it off the heat, and let the chicken sit in the hot liquid for 15 to 18 minutes, until the thickest part reaches 160 F. Lift the breasts out and rest them on a board for 10 minutes. Strain and reserve the poaching liquid.
  4. While the chicken poaches, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the broccoli spears and cook for 3 minutes, until the stems are just yielding but the florets are still bright green.
  5. Drain the broccoli and spread it out on a clean towel to dry. Wet broccoli waters down the Mornay, so give it a few minutes of air.
  6. Preheat the oven to 400 F and butter the baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
  7. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the roux smells faintly of toasted nuts but has taken on no color.
  8. Pour in the warmed milk in a slow stream, whisking hard the whole time to keep it smooth. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  9. Whisk in the cream, sherry, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Add two thirds of the grated Gruyère a handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts before adding the next.
  10. Pull the sauce off the heat. Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl, then ladle in about half a cup of the hot sauce while whisking constantly to temper them. Pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan and whisk until the Mornay turns glossy. Do not return it to direct heat.
  11. If the sauce is thicker than heavy cream, loosen it with a few tablespoons of the reserved poaching liquid. It should pour, not plop.
  12. Arrange the broccoli spears in a single layer across the bottom of the buttered dish, stems pointing the same direction.
  13. Slice the rested chicken on a slight angle into half-inch pieces and lay them over the broccoli, overlapping slightly so the surface is evenly covered.
  14. Ladle the Mornay over the whole dish, working it into the corners and making sure no chicken or broccoli is left exposed. Scatter the remaining Gruyère across the top.
  15. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the top is patched with gold.
  16. For the browned crust the restaurant was known for, slide the dish under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, watching it constantly. Let it settle for 10 minutes before serving so the sauce firms up enough to hold a spoonful.

Notes

  • Poaching, not roasting, is the whole trick. Chicken that has been browned turns stringy under a heavy sauce.
  • Temper the egg yolks slowly or you will scramble them. If the sauce breaks, whisk in a tablespoon of cold cream off the heat.
  • Save the poaching liquid. It freezes well and makes a better stock than anything in a carton.
  • Serve it over steamed white rice or buttered egg noodles, with a sharp green salad alongside to cut the richness.
  • Assemble the whole dish a day ahead, refrigerate, and add 10 minutes to the bake time. Do not freeze it, as the Mornay separates.