Since my mom worked full-time while I was growing up, we ate most of our meals at my grandparents’ home.  Mom had a couple specialties that she would make when she had time, and chicken divan was my favorite.  The recipe is pretty healthy, especially if you use low-fat sour cream.  It’s a great weeknight meal because it’s quick to assemble and it also makes for terrific leftovers.  To cut down on cooking time even more, buy a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store.

Preheat oven to 325 F.

In a large pot of boiling salted water cook the broccoli until it is just tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.  Cool in ice water. Drain well and set aside.

In a medium saucepan melt the butter over low heat and add the flour. Cook for about 3 minutes. Add the broth and shallots and increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Add the Sherry, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan.

Arrange the broccoli in a 2-quart gratin dish and pour half of the sauce over it. Arrange the chicken on top of the broccoli and pour the remaining sauce over it. Top with breadcrumbs and remaining cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes. Then put the dish under the broiler until the breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 1 minute.