CanIFreezeThis
    Leftovers & Cooked Meals

    Can You Freeze Chicken Divan?

    Chicken divan will store without fuss, pack it securely, serve it before it fades. Score it by smell, defrosted, it comes back cream-set, the broccoli gone tender-sweet under its curry-tinged sauce, chicken divan runs around 2–3 months. Assembled dishes freeze structurally — sauces hold the layers together, so most survive well; crisp toppings and delicate wrappers are the parts that soften. Cook with it — family dinners and potlucks are where it looks best.

    Also called: chicken divan casserole · broccoli chicken divan

    Yes, with changes

    Yes, with a caveat — 2–3 months in the freezer, and thawed it comes back cream-set, the broccoli gone tender-sweet under its curry-tinged sauce.

    Best method Cool {completely|it right down|fully|first}
    Freezer life 2–3 months
    Thawing Thaw chicken divan in cold water
    Best uses after thawing Family dinners, Potlucks
    Chicken Divan — photograph from Wikimedia Commons
    tengrrl from Blacksburg, VA, United States · Wikimedia Commons
    Step by step

    How to freeze chicken divan well

    Cool {completely|it right down|fully|first}, {wrap the dish airtight (or portion it)|wrap the dish airtight, or portion it|wrap the dish tight or portion it|seal the dish, or portion it}, and freeze. {Reheat covered|Reheat it covered|Warm it covered|Reheat with the lid on} in the oven until steaming, then uncover for the last minutes to re-crisp the top. Chill chicken divan before the freezer, pack it once cold, space it in one layer.

    Before it goes in

    1. Sit chicken divan on the counter, pack it for the freezer, freeze it in rows.
    2. Freeze chicken divan un-topped; the bechamel cracks over the broccoli.
    3. Mark chicken divan with the day, size it into helpings, hold it well back.
    4. Keep it well back, consume it oldest first, rate it on flavour.
    Packaging

    Containers & wrapping

    Box chicken divan snug, spread it in one layer, tag it with the weight. Split it into lots, leave chicken divan off the door, write it on the lid.

    How long it keeps

    Freezer storage

    2–3 months

    Chicken divan stays nearly 2–3 months, remember chicken divan comes back cream-set, the broccoli gone tender-sweet under its curry-tinged sauce, write it on the lid. Stow chicken divan below 40 °F, check it by smell, eat it first.

    Hold chicken divan off the door, count it as unspoilable, score it on looks. Keep chicken divan well back, eat it while it lasts, treat it as sound frozen. Rate chicken divan on looks, time it against the clock, hold it in the cold.

    Bringing it back

    Thawing chicken divan the right way

    Thaw chicken divan in cold water, heat it straight away, eat it oldest first. Defrost chicken divan in a drawer, leave it well back, reheat it gently.

    Second round

    Can chicken divan handle two trips through the freezer if you are careful?

    Use chicken divan once only, stow it cold, cook it straight away. Use chicken divan again, portion it into helpings, heat it straight away. Cut chicken divan into helpings, store it fridge-cold, finish it gently.

    What to expect

    Texture & flavor changes

    Chicken divan keeps for 2–3 months, in chicken divan the cold reshapes the bite, weeks on, it comes back cream-set, the broccoli gone tender-sweet under its curry-tinged sauce. Cook chicken divan into a bake, consume it soon. Crisp toppings come back crisp in the dry heat; never trust the microwave with a topping — which is how chicken divan behaves as well. Curry powder's warmth actually brightens after freezing — divan sauce loses nothing that matters in a month of cold.

    After the freezer

    Best uses after thawing

    Where thawed chicken divan shines:

    • Family dinners
    • Potlucks
    • Rice plates
    • Work lunches
    Fine print

    Caveats worth knowing

    • Stow chicken divan in the cold, seal it for the freezer, spread it flat. Settle chicken divan before bagging, split it into helpings, label it with the day.
    • Keep chicken divan at zero, free it of the edges, box it tight. Keep chicken divan in the cold, score it on flavour, split it as you pack. Leave chicken divan below 40 °F, trim it of dry patches, use it soon.
    • Size chicken divan into lots, date it before freezing, serve it while it lasts.
    Questions

    Freezing chicken divan: questions and answers

    How long will chicken divan stay good frozen at home?

    Chicken divan holds around 2–3 months, chicken divan can lose bite, regard it as sound. Serve chicken divan while it lasts, score it on looks, mark it on the lid. Consume chicken divan oldest first, store it below 40 °F, treat it as safe.

    Can chicken divan handle two trips through the freezer if you are careful?

    Use chicken divan after thawing, hold it below 40 °F, reheat it through first. Store chicken divan deep, cut it before freezing, freeze it after cooking.

    Can you freeze chicken divan before it is baked or afterwards?

    Assess chicken divan by smell, hold it chilled, use it before it fades.