This cheddar broccoli chicken casserole is made with broccoli, cauliflower rice, chicken, sour cream, butter and lots of shredded cheddar cheese. Gluten-free, grain-free, low-carb, and ketogenic.
Who’s in the mood for some comfort food? Sometimes you just want a meal that makes you feel good after a hard day. Or maybe it’s cold outside, and you want something that will warm your belly. Well this cheddar broccoli chicken casserole is just the thing you need! This meal is not only gluten-free and grain-free, but it’s also low-carb and keto-friendly!
Don’t know what keto is? It’s a diet where you replace those starchy carbs with healthy fats which help your body burn fat. Fat is a more efficient fuel source for your body and brain, once you get through the transition to burning fat.
I’ll go into more detail about this in the future, but currently I am experimenting with this way of eating (I really hate the word diet, for someone who has struggled with being borderline underweight her whole life).
So far, I have found that experimenting with keto is really increasing my energy levels and concentration during the day, and reducing my food cravings and “hangry” episodes from blood sugar crashes.
This delicious low-carb cheddar broccoli chicken casserole does not take long to prep at all, and you just need several simple ingredients to make it. You’ll begin by chopping up some cauliflower into florets and making cauliflower rice out of it.
Cauliflower rice is quite simple to make. You just grind up a bunch of cauliflower until the pieces resemble grains of rice. This is then used as the base of the dish, and to that you will add the remaining ingredients.
And really, what goes better together than cheddar cheese, broccoli and rice? It’s like they were made for each other. Add in some chicken, the cauliflower rice and sour cream and you have a creamy, delicious and filling recipe! Be sure to use precooked chicken, or adjust the cook time as needed, if using raw.
I hope you all enjoy this delicious cheddar broccoli chicken casserole. It’s truly easy to make and so filling. It’s the perfect size for the family, or to have leftovers for lunch for two!
PS – I craved this recipe while I was doing Whole30, so I made a Whole30 friendly version using cashews instead of cream…check it out! Whole30 Compliant Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
Cheddar Broccoli Chicken Casserole (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Keto)
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 medium heads broccoli
- 1/2 head cauliflower
- 1 lb chicken cooked and cubed
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 8 oz. sour cream
- 4 Tbsp butter melted
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- pinch salt I love this Himalayan pink salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F and oil a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Begin by making cauliflower rice. Chop half of a head of cauliflower into florets and place them in a blender or food processor. Process until pieces resemble grains of rice. Place cauliflower rice into a large bowl.
- Chop broccoli into florets and add to bowl.
- Mix in garlic powder, melted butter, 1 cup cheese, sour cream, cooked chicken, salt and pepper and mix to combine.
- Place ingredients from bowl into baking dish and top with remaining cup of cheese.
- Bake covered for 25 minutes, or until broccoli is tender. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is crispy enough for your liking.
20 comments
Made it and loved it.. do you know the macros?
Net carbs?
So glad you enjoyed it! Here are the nutrition facts (per serving):
544 calories, 40 g fat, 11 g total carbs, 3 g fiber (8 g net carbs), 38 g protein
Does this need covered while baking?
Thanks for asking! I realized I forgot to mention that I covered it for 25 minutes, then removed the foil for the last 5-10 minutes to get the cheese a bit crispy.
Can you actually eat this with a mold allergy?
Hi Jenna, not every recipe on my blog is ok for people with mold allergies. I would recommend avoiding dairy while struggling with mold allergies, but after you get them under control, you may be able to introduce dairy back in occasionally. At least I found that to be true for myself.
Ok thanks so much!
I’m working on a filter so that you can see all the mold-friendly recipes on the blog. I should have it up soon, so be sure to check back!
When is the chicken added? Step #4? Or is it put into the baking dish seperatly, like before the mixture in the bowl is added (step 5)?
Thanks so much for asking, I realized I forgot to add it to the instructions! Add it to step 4, like you thought. I corrected the recipe 🙂
Do you cook the broccoli first?
You don’t have to, but it will still be a bit crunchy. If you like your broccoli soft, you can cook it partially ahead of time.
Can you use frozen cauliflower rice and frozen broccoli?
That should work just fine. I would thaw it out first though, or increase the cook time by 10-15 minutes.
How much are you saying is one serving? Measurment wise. 1cup? 1/2cup?
The recipe makes 4 servings, so 1 serving is 1/4 batch. I would say that is probably about 2 cups.
I made it for me, my husband, and my 1 year old. We all loved it! Great way to change up the keto routine, thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy to hear that your entire family enjoyed it!
Freeze before or after cooking?
You could do it either way, honestly. If you want to prep it a few days ahead, you could freeze it before cooking. Or if you don’t plan to use all the leftovers before they go bad, you can freeze the leftovers after cooking. If you freeze it in a glass container, I would definitely recommend letting it come up to room temperature before baking, so you don’t break the glass.