Chicken Broccoli Bake
This creamy, cheesy, low carb Chicken Broccoli Bake is an easy way to get a healthy, keto meal on the table. Use shredded rotisserie in this gluten free cheddar chicken broccoli casserole to make it even easier!
CHICKEN BROCCOLI BAKE
I’m all about this healthy chicken broccoli casserole. It consists of real food, no condensed soup cans, or premixed powders. Simple to make and even easier to eat. 😉
Ticking all the special diet boxes, this broccoli chicken casserole is keto, gluten free and low carb. It is also creamy, cheesy, and yummy. Let’s get started!
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI BAKE
- broccoli florets
- cream cheese
- mayonnaise
- grated cheese – cheddar, marble, parmesan, gouda, provolone – you decide! Anything melty will do.
- cooked chicken
- garlic powder, salt, pepper
This chicken and broccoli bake has a pretty simple ingredient list, which I love.
As far as the cooked chicken goes, I use a variety of things – leftover shredded rotisserie leads the pack followed by extra honey mustard chicken.
It is always a good idea to cook additional chicken when you are already making it. That way you will have it prepped and ready to go for meals like this cheesy chicken broccoli bake.
There is something else you may notice about this particular chicken broccoli casserole – no rice! No potatoes either. No pasta. Are you sensing a theme? This chicken broccoli casserole is keto.
See what to serve with this dish below low carb options and family-friendly ones too. 🙂
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY CHICKEN BROCCOLI CASSEROLE
Like many baked chicken broccoli recipes, there is a basic assembly line procedure. Layer your elements in a casserole dish and sprinkle with cheese. Or blanket the heck out of it with cheese, which is what happens here but you do you!
Firstly prepare the broccoli by cutting the crown in florets – about four cups worth. Quickly steam these on the stovetop.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, the softened cream cheese is mixed with a dollop of mayo and some seasonings. I simply use salt, pepper, and garlic powder. This is meant to be family-friendly so no reason in experimenting with fancy, faraway spices.
Add the chopped up cooked chicken and grated cheese. Broccoli cheddar chicken casserole has a nice ring to it no? I agree. Cheddar it is.
Finally, stir in the steamed broccoli and transfer the mixture over to a casserole dish. This gets smothered in the aforementioned blanket of cheddar cheese (please grate your own – the pre-shredded stuff is gack!) and heads to the oven to become creamy and delicious.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CHICKEN BROCCOLI CASSEROLE
So what to serve with your bubbling fresh chicken broccoli casserole? Here are some suggestions:
- keep it fully low carb/keto and serve with a big salad
- fresh, crusty multigrain bread
- rice or quinoa
- roasted carrots or potatoes
More things to love about this chicken and broccoli bake – healthy, tasty, and crowd-pleasing! You may want to double the recipe if the need for seconds becomes a reality.
If you are looking for more keto meals check out this post that details 43 awesome recipes for keto meal prep! Budget-friendly ideas for stretching your food dollars.
MORE HEALTHY GLUTEN FREE CHICKEN RECIPES
Chicken Enchilada Bake with Butternut Squash
Garden Fresh Creamy Chicken Pasta Bake
Chicken Enchiladas in a Spicy Sour Cream Sauce
Homemade Sweet and Sour Chicken
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Chicken Broccoli Bake
Ingredients
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 1/2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
- 1/4 cup grated cheese, for the topping the casserole
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375, grease a 9 x 9 casserole dish ( I use an avocado spray ) and set aside.
- Start by prepping your broccoli. Put a large saucepan with about 2 inches of water over medium-high heat. Once the water is at a rolling boil, add in the broccoli florets. Let them steam for about 2 minutes or until they are fork tender. Drain the water, return the broccoli to the sauce pan and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the softened cream cheese with the mayo and then stir in the seasonings. Add the cheddar, then the cooked and chopped chicken. Finally, stir in the steamed broccoli and blend it all together.
- Pour the chicken and broccoli mixture into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with the last 1/4 cup of grated cheese.
- Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Next, set the oven to broil and broil for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and browning in spots.
- Serve warm.
- Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to three days.
Nutrition
This has become a regular on our meal rotation. Healthy and easy to prepare. I like that it doesn’t contain the cream soups, etc. Also rice or sides can be prepared separately to cut down on calories if desired. Thanks for a great recipe.
Thanks so much for the great feedback, Virginia. 🙂 I love the idea of preparing the side dishes separately. Brilliant!
This was quick and easy to make and tastes delicious!!!
Thanks for the great feedback, Linda! Much appreciated.
Delicious! Made it for the first time for guests. Doubled the recipe and added some carrots. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you for sharing it!
Thanks for the great feedback Annie! Love the addition of the carrots. 🙂
Can you add breadcrumbs for some extra crunch? If so, how much and when would you add in? Thanks!
Sure! I would mix 1/4 cup or so of breadcrumbs with the cheese you sprinkle on top before baking.
This is a hit at my house! Even my youngest asks for it (he’s the finicky eater). I have subbed cottage cheese for the cream cheese when I didn’t have it on hand and it turned out well too. This recipe is definitely in rotation at my house
Love the idea of using cottage cheese! Thanks so much Jo. 🙂
Love, love, love! On top of it, I can’t wait to make this for my grandkids!!!
Delicious and mostly healthy!! I did make a couple minor adjustments
I also used minced garlic, about a teaspoon full.
Also I put cheddar on the inside and used a small bag of mozzarella and provolone on top. My husband was so happy I made it and said this might be one of his favorite meals.
Aw, thanks Sherry! What a sweet comment. It is one of my hubby’s faves too. 🙂 Love the idea of adding the minced garlic and I especially love that you are going to share this with the grandkiddos!
We really enjoyed this recipe! I’m newly diagnosed with Celiac and have been looking for a replacement for my cheesy biscuit bake and this might be it! I did tweak it a little. I doubled it for a 9″×13″ pan, and added a cup of milk because the cream cheese mixture was much thicker than I wanted. I used a rotisserie chicken which made my life easier and it worked very well. I added carrots that I steamed a little longer than the broccoli. I’m really happy with how it turned out, amd so was the family. I had doubled it to have leftovers, but it looks like the kids might finish it!
Love this Jamie! Those tweaks sound great. Doubling up is super smart. I’m so happy you and the kiddos enjoyed it. Maybe have to triple it next time if you want those leftovers. 😉
Please give nutritional values.
Hey Thomas! Nutrition info is in the recipe card – just scroll towards the bottom.
What is the serving size? It says 318 calories but how much for those 318 calories?
The recipe makes four portions. Split the casserole into four even servings and each is 318 calories. Enjoy Crystal!
Tried it. Thought it was a little dry. Could have used a little more sauce or something
someone mentioned rice, would you cook the rice before putting it in the oven?
Yes, the rice would need to be cooked before.
Love it . Easy to make . Very tasty. My boys aren’t doing low carb and they want to eat it .
Whenever you find something the kids want to want it is a winner for sure! Thanks Charlotte.
Just found this recipe tonight while searching for how to use my leftover chicken. I had everything I needed for the recipe. I doubled it and made it in a 9×13 inch pan. Everyone loved it and there were no leftovers. Thanks for a quick and easy delicious recipe.
I love that Mary! Thanks. Good to know that doubling the recipe worked well. We still make this recipe all the time too. My picky fella loves it. Thanks again!
Can I use frozen broccoli?
You sure can! Just follow the directions the same.
Can you use regular salt instead of sea salt ?
Thank you
Absolutely! Use whatever you have on hand. Either will work fine.
Oh my goodness I made this tonight and it was amazing! I would not change a thing! It’s perfect just the way it is! We will definitely be having this more often now! Thank you so much! It was a nice change in our normal menu! ❤️
Awesome Billie! Thanks. We also have this in our weekly rotation still. Love it!
Can I make this the night before and keep in fridge for the next day?
Yes, as long as it is refrigerated that should be fine.
How much rice should I add and do I need to add chicken broth if I do add rice?
Hey Faith! There isn’t any rice in this bake. If you want to add it and still follow this recipe I would recommend cooking the rice separatley first.
I made this today and I added basmati rice to it and doubled the cream cheese and mayo to accommodate adding the rice and also used broccoli and cauliflower and it was amazing!!! I will be making this again..
I love the idea of adding basmati rice! Thanks for the tips. 🙂
I’m going to try putting all the ingredients in my slow cooker and cooking them on low for a couple hours for our church fellowship meal. Hopefully it works out!
Let us know how it turns out! I’ve never used a slow cooker for this recipe.
I did make this in the Crockpot for church, and it cooked on low for about 2.5 hrs. I doubled the cream cheese because I was afraid of it drying out, but kept everything else the same. It turned out amazing! I got so many compliments on it. I was a little disappointed that all of it was eaten and I had none leftover. 😁 It could be great served with pasta, too, or mixing the cooked pasta in with it right before serving. I just served as is as a “gluten free, low carb” casserole.
Amazing! Thanks for the update Katie. I agree aboout adding pasta or rice also if you aren’t concerned about gluten free or low carb. It is pretty versatile and now we nw it works in a crockpot too! Thanks again for letting us know. Enjoy the rest of your weekend! 🙂
Amazing!!! I added paprika, and Tony’s to the mix then topped with spinach! The broil at the end made the spinach crisp!!
Yummm!! What a great idea! I’ll be adding spinach next time. Thanks, Krissy. 🙂
How much paprika did you happen to use? TIA:)
I have tried several low carb casseroles and really thought this one wouldn’t be much different, forgot to say I wasn’t very impressed with the others. This one though, this one was sooo good! Trust me people, the comments are accurate, give this one a try.
I did use rotisserie chicken and was very glad I did. The seasonings were spot on and I did nothing different, followed the directions exactly.
Awesome Beth! So glad you enjoyed it. I love using rotisserie too. Makes life so much easier. Thank you for the great comment.
This is excellent. I had all the ingredients and thought I’d give it a try. I’m so tired of skinless, boneless chicken breasts with a side of steamed broccoli… So I made this almost exactly as directed, almost because I added a leek that was starting to look a bit sad. Outstanding! This will definitely be a star on my rotation. Thanks for the recipe!
Awesome Cindy! So glad you enjoyed it. 🙂 Thanks for the great comment!
How many does this serve? Approximately…
About four.
Ialso can i use canned chicken? guess you precook broccoli
Canned chicken should be fine. There are instructions for steaming the broccoli in the recipe card. Enjoy!
I added a little bacon. Very tasty!
Great idea!! Can’t go wrong with a little bacon 🙂 Thanks Debbie!
Love how easy this is. And that it is full of cheesy goodness!
Everyone LOVES this recipe! It’s so easy, too! I also love how there is no can of soup, either!! 🙂
That is my fave part too! Who needs that crap? Thanks, Casey. 🙂
High in protein and has no gluten. Great meal for me and my daughter as we both need no gluten diet, and we loved the recipe, thanks!
Right? It is a great option for various allergies and special diets. Thanks, Natalie!
I grew up eating a meatless broccoli casserole, so I knew I’d love this, seeing the addition of chicken. So good! And definitely reminiscent of what I grew up on and loved!
Saving this to make dinner this week! My family loves chicken and anything with alot of cheese so this will work!
This was amazing! Going in the weekly rotation! I doubled the recipe, used a 9×13, and it was perfect! Thanks so much for this greatness! Keep them coming!
Thanks, Linda!! Love the idea of doubling it up. 🙂
I made this tonight for hubby and myself. We both enjoyed it very much-delicious comfort food! The only negative was that we didn’t have leftovers!! LOL!! So, I think doubling it next time may be a good idea. I doubt something this good would go far for a family – 9 x 9 pan is not that big. Thanks for posting- It was yummy!
I’m going to try to double this recipe to make it in a 9×13. Thoughts?
I think doubling and putting in a 9×13 should work perfectly. 🙂
Loved this recipe. The day two leftovers were equally as god. Will make it again.
Have you tried using frozen broccoli florets?
If you steamed them first frozen should work fine. 🙂
Delicious! I have changed my lifestyle to low carb and this is perfect and I don’t feel hungry at all. Very full 🙂 thanks!!! Leftovers for tomorrow too.
Yes Jenn!! I love this dish for leftovers too. It reheats so well 🙂 Thank you!
Any substitutions for the mail? We have an egg allergy in our family.
I think this recipe is already egg-free. Yay!
Sorry, Mayo. Mayonnaise has egg in it.
Ah, yes! Gotcha. You can try sour cream instead or also just a bit more cream cheese which I have done and it still tastes great. 🙂
I HATE casseroles because 9 times out of 10 they use cream of whatever soup from a can. I can’t stand that flavor!
I & my husband LOVED this casserole! I will make it time & again . SO – you CAN teach an old dog new tricks! Thank you!
I’m preparing for hip replacement surgery soon. I will make this the day before I go in so I will have at least one good meal when I come home!
I’m so happy to hear this! Thank you, Martha. I totally agree with you on the canned soup front – who needs that in their life? This is just as simple and tastes better in my opinion. Good luck with your surgery. I wish you a speedy recovery!
This looks so good. I plan on trying it this week. Thank you for sharing. I saw the question about eggs. I buy the avocado mayo, I bet it work.
That is a great option! I’ve seen avocado mayo at Costco for a good price too. Thanks, Debra! Hope you enjoy the dish 🙂
Can this be made ahead of time? Prepared now cooked this evening?
Yes! Just keep it covered in the fridge then take it out while you heat the oven so it is closer to room temp when you pop it in to cook.
Am I blind? What amount of broccoli is used???
It’s 4 cups of broccoli florets. It’s the first thing listed but I think there might have been an issue with the layout. Hopefully, it’s fixed. Thanks for letting me know.
This recipe is DELICIOUS! First time I tried it. Definitely will make again and again.
Awesome! Thanks Barbara 🙂 We make this one all the time too. Enjoy!
This has been bookmarked to my recipes list! – quite tasty! I was searching for a chicken broccoli cheese recipe without rice and without canned soup and this answered the mail.
Doesn’t it seem everything has a can of soup chucked in it? lol So glad you enjoyed – this is in our weekly dinner rotation too! It’s a fave around here. Leftovers heat up well also!
Have you tried freezing this casserole, and if so, does it hold up well to thawing and reheating?
I haven’t frozen this personally. It’s fine in the fridge for a couple of days and reheated but freezing is a different story. I find that freezing anything with dairy can be challenging. The fats tend to separate, and as a result, the texture and flavor can suffer.
This is so good! Kid friendly, low carb and high protein. This is now a weekly favourite, thank you!
I’m loving how delicious, healthy and light this is, without rice or canned soup. What a great Weight Watchers dinner!
I am always cooking whole chicken but get tired of casserole with pasta in it. I will have to give this creamy cheesy version a whirl!
Love the simple real food ingredient list. This will be perfect for busy weeknights this Fall.
I love how basic and simple this recipe is and how it just screams comfort food. Thanks for sharing it!
good idea about cooking extra chicken while you are at it
I’m always cooking extras. 😉
This looks like pure comfort food. I know it will be a hit with my whole family. Thanks!
Pure comfort is right! 🙂
This is just so good! Love that you have used cream cheese and mayo Sharon, which must make this cassarole insanely moist! I usually use a white sauce but would love to try this recipe…
It’s been in the rotation here for weeks now. 🙂 Thx Shy!