Chicken Divan is a chicken casserole

Casserole

A casserole, from the French for "saucepan", is a large, deep dish used both in the oven and as a serving vessel. The word casserole is also used for the food cooked and served in such a vessel, with the cookware itself called a casserole dish or casserole pan...

 usually served with broccoli, almonds, and Mornay sauce

Mornay sauce

A Mornay sauce is a Béchamel sauce with shredded or grated cheese added. Usually, it consists of half Gruyère and half Parmesan cheese, though some variations use different combinations of Gruyère, Emmental cheese, or white Cheddar....

. It was invented at and named for the by-gone Divan Parisienne Restaurant in the New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 Chatham Hotel.

The Divan Parisienne served Chicken Divan as its signature dish in the early twentieth century. The chef or chefs who originally created it are unknown. In France the word divan

Divan

A divan was a high governmental body in a number of Islamic states, or its chief official .-Etymology:...

refers to a meeting place or great hall. This name was chosen to attract the attention of the Divan Parisienne owners by implying a kind of continental elegance.

The dish is now commonly prepared with regular Parmesan cheese and remains one of the most classic American casserole dishes today.