Chicken divan gets its name from the restaurant, Divan Parisien Restaurant, where it was created and popularized. In fact, it was served as the signature dish there during the early 20th century.  Hilariously, when literally translated, chicken divan means chicken sofa in French. So learning about this dish’s namesake restaurant cleared up a ton of confusion! And, despite the French-sounding name, the restaurant was actually located inside the Chatham Hotel in New York City, making this dish an all-American creation.