Autumn's Gluten Free Chicken Divan

Gluten-free Chicken Divan is one of my children's favorites.  We used to make this dish prior to being gluten-free and once we were diagnosed were able to change the recipe to fit our needs.  This is one of those dishes that I love becasue I can make it the day before, or in the morning while Autumn is at school and my husbnad is at work.  It is a healthy casserole.  I just cook up my chicken and then cut it into slices and I like to use fresh brocolli instead of frozen.  It is relatively inexpensive and makes for great leftovers and packable lunches.  I tend to double the recipe so that we can freeze some and eat the rest.  My recipe is from one of my personal favorite cook books of all times Fanny Farmer.  My Fanny Farmer cookbook was given to me by my sister Joyce, at my wedding shower in 1982; and I have been using it ever since.  Although I will say, that since I have only ever owned a paperback version of it, I have gone through at least 4 copies.  Each time it gets updated so be careful that all of the original recipes are still there.  Hopefully I will get the hardback copy of it for Christmas this year.  One can only hope!

This particular time my 12 year old daughter, Autumn is making the recipe all by herself.  She is pretty adept in the kitchen and loves to cook, and it is is now one of her weekly duties in our home to cook a meal of her choosing.  She did a fantastic job with this recipe.

Gluten-Free Chicken Divan

3cups broccoli, chopped

4 chicken breast, cooked and sliced into bite size pieces

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cups White Sauce (see recipe below)

1/4 cup dry cooking sherry

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup freshlyy grate Parmesan Cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Butter a 9 x 13 pan.  Lay the chopped broccoli over the bottom of the baking pan.  Saute the onion in a little olive oil until translucent.  Add the sliced chicken and saute it until cooked through.  Layer the cooked chicken and onion on top of the broccoli.  Make white sauce and add the sherry.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Pour over the chicken and broccoli, sprinkly with the grated cheese, and bake 20 minutes or until golden brown.