Curry-ing favor with my mother-in-law

My mother-in-law is simply wonderful, a woman of many talents. She is an especially great cook, and one of my favorite dishes is her Chicken Divan. Believe it or not, I had never tried this retro-fabulous casserole before. But what's not to love about tender chicken and broccoli in a creamy, curry-laced sauce? Even better, my lightened-up version uses leftover cooked chicken and pantry staples like condensed soup, so you could have a little dough leftover for a bottle of wine.

Clean Chicken Divan
Serves: 4-6

2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
2 cups broccoli florets, cooked
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup
8 ounces container reduced fat sour cream
4 ounces shredded 2% sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)
1/2 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs*

1. Combine first 10 ingredients. Spoon into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish.
2. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over casserole and bake 10 more minutes. Let casserole stand 5 minutes before serving.

*Note: I tried sprinkling breadcrumbs on top of the casserole, but I didn't think it added much. I probably won't bother next time (but my husband thought it "added texture" -- seriously, has he been watching Top Chef or what?).