This low carb and cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Rice Chicken Casserole recipe is perfect for dinner and makes great leftovers. It’s also gluten free!
It may shock some people to hear this, but casseroles were never really a part of my childhood. Sure, there was the occasional attempt at making lasagna and maybe a hamburger helper type of dish, but that was rare. (Wait – are lasagna or hamburger helper even considered casseroles? No clue. See, that’s exactly my point.)
Though my family liked all the ingredients in the typical casserole, we didn’t like them all mixed together. We wanted the ingredients separate just so we could assemble them on our own plate. Think about it – rice, beans, cheese, a protein, salsa and corn tortillas. All those ingredients would make an amazing casserole. But instead we wanted to make our own thing like tacos, tostadas, sopes, you name it.
How to make Broccoli Cauliflower Rice Chicken Casserole {VIDEO}
Oh well. Those are pretty tasty, too. 😉
It wasn’t until I moved in with John that I realized the power of the casserole.
- Usually, very few pots and pans are required. Less dishes to wash equals a win in my book, because let’s get real – washing the dishes after getting home from work is the last thing John and I feel like doing.
- Most importantly, casseroles are often huge! Which means lots and lots of leftovers. If we didn’t feel like cooking the next day, no worries – we’ve got some leftover casserole. SCORE.
Like many people, John doesn’t always like eating vegetables. And because I love him and care about his health, I’m always trying to come up with new ways to incorporate more of them into our meals.
And that’s where cauliflower rice comes in. If you’ve never made “cauli-rice,” prepare to have your mind blown. Here’s what you do. Ready?
How to make cauliflower rice
- Grate a head of cauliflower using a large cheese grater, or lightly pulse cauliflower florets in a food processor.
That’s it! It’s a brand new way of enjoying cauliflower that kids even like! If you need more of a step-by-step tutorial, check out my recipe for Cilantro Cauliflower Rice.
Aside from all the “hidden” veggies in this dish, my favorite part of this Broccoli Cauliflower Rice Chicken Casserole is all the cheese!
4 cups of shredded cheese to be exact. Some people may not think that’s enough, so if that’s you, go for it. Sprinkle some more in there.
This low carb and cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Rice Chicken Casserole recipe is perfect for dinner and makes great leftovers. It's also gluten free!
- 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 10-ounce bags frozen cauliflower rice (or 1 head of cauliflower, riced and cooked)
- 1 16-ounce bag frozen broccoli cuts
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 3 cups, shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 cup shredded Italian blend cheese
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Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a large 3-quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil. Set aside.
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Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally to make them thinner, lightly coat them in olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Liberally season with salt and pepper and bake for 20 minutes.
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While the chicken is baking, heat the bags of frozen cauliflower rice and broccoli according to package instructions. Discard any excess water or moisture.
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Remove chicken from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Carefully chop baked chicken into bite-sized pieces.
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In a large bowl, add cooked cauliflower rice, broccoli, chicken, eggs, mozzarella cheese, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and butter. Toss together until fully combined.
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Transfer casserole mixture to the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining Italian blend cheese.
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Bake for 50 minutes, until the cheese on top has fully melted and started to brown slightly. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
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Hi! Came across this recipe tonight on Pinterest while looking for Keto chicken recipes….so we went ahead and made the casserole for supper…with an extra dollop of sour cream on top…and my family loooooved it 😉 my kids are 9 &11, and went back for seconds! Definitely a keeper! Probably one of the best Keto recipes we’ve tried. Thank you ;))
Thank you so much, Beth! 🙂 So happy you and the family loved it. It’s one of my favorite recipes, too!
My husband is lactose intolerant, but can usually handle parmesan cheese. Could that be substittuted for the mozzarella??
Yes! I say go for it. More parm may make the whole thing a little salty though so I would leave out the salt.
I made this today and it is awesome, my 6 year old granddaughter lived it. A great way to get more veggies in because she thinks it is rice. Thanks for a great recipe.
Made this for dinner tonight!!! Soooooooo good!!! My husband doesn’t like cauliflower but he ate it up and then I told him that it was cauliflower and he was shocked!!! Even my MIL had seconds which never happens!! Thank you for sharing!!
I’m so glad both of you loved it! It’s one of my favorites 🙂
I absolutely LOVED this recipe. So did the hubby!! Easy to prep and cook and the taste was amazing!! I love your serving conversion for ingredients. Easy as 1.2.3… ❤️
aMaZiNg! This is/was wonderful! Thank you so much. No one even realized cauliflower, so I didn’t tell. 🙂 Look forward to many more of your recipes – trying Cilantro Cauliflower Rice next week for Taco Tuesday! Thanks again!
Thanks, Angie!
My family is willing to try new recipes but voice some hesitation when I say good and healthy as words to describe their evening meal. This was a hit for everyone in my home. I have a pescatarian in my home so I used vegetarian chicken strips cut into bite sized pieces. The taste was very good and the request to make this again soon was heard over and over. Great recipe!
Thanks, Audra! I’m so happy everyone liked it!
Can this casserole be made ahead and frozen? Cooked or uncooked?
Hi Judie! If you want to make it ahead, I would recommend freezing it uncooked without the cheese. Then when you go to cook it, just thaw the ingredients, mix in the cheese and then bake it like normal.
Yum! Make this tonight and we loved it!! I subbed cheddar for the Italian because it was what I had, but I will make this dish again and again, probably trying different cheeses, too. I really loved the concept of the recipe, too. Lots of variations possible. Thank you so much for sharing!
You’re so welcome, Paula. Thank you for the comment! So glad you enjoyed it.
Great recipe but I’d omit Salt. Cheese is salty enough. Thanks
I am getting ready to put it in the oven. Do I bake it on 350 or 400 degrees for 50 min? 400 degrees seems to be a little high.
I followed your recipe to a T but instead of fresh cauliflower I used 2 bags of frozen cauliflower rice steamer bags and steamed them first. I also used 2 cups of mozzarella cheese in the mix and 1/2 cheddar on top. AMAZING! Mine was not runny at all and I only cooked it 30 minutes. Good for the entire family. The kids put ranch on top and scarfed it down. Thank you!! I’m keeping this one for sure!
Tried this recipe last night and it had a great taste, but the cauliflower was too crisp and seemed uncooked. I cheated and used a bag of Publix cauliflower rice. After doing some research, I think that was my mistake.
I don’t think it had enough moisture in it for it to cook properly. It was not dry, just too crisp. Will try again, preparing my own cauliflower.
How many servings?
Wondering if you could help me convert cooking to a crockpot? Trying to make this for my office Lunch Party ! 🙂
Been on low-carb diet 4 – 5 weeks now. This has been the best recipe so far. Thank you so much. Everybody agreed it’s a keeper.
Thank you so much, Jeff! I’m so happy that you love it, especially while on a diet. I know it can be tough to find recipes that are delicious when following a certain way of eating.
I made this tonight…..after reading the comments, Here’s what i did: I put the riced cauliflower (if you have a Costco close, they have huge bags) chopped fresh onion and chopped fresh broccoli and sliced mushrooms in a skillet with a little olive oil. I put a lid on it and cooked for about 10 minutes. (This helped pull out some of the water.) At then end i put in 3 cloves minces garlic and mixed in. In a large bowl, i whisked two eggs (as one post suggested) and mixed with a cup of sour cream, 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar and 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese Mixed that up well, added the cauliflower mixture (using a slotted spoon so i would have the water too) Mixing well and put into a greased casserole dish (it made a HUGE casserole). Baked on convection at 375 for 40 minutes, covered. Then topped with some fresh mozzarella and baked it 15 more minutes, uncovered. At the end i put the oven on broil until that cheese was all nice and brown. Ya’ll, it was amazing!!
Used a slotted spoon so i WOULDNT have the excess water. Sorry….should have proofed before posting!
How much frozen riced cauliflower did you use?
Hi Kristen, I just updated the recipe with the amount using frozen riced cauliflower since so many people seems to be opting for that instead of the homemade. I used 2 10-ounce bags of riced cauliflower. Hope that helps!
I thought it was quite good, but it was a bit dry. I will make it again, but I’ll add some milk or chicken broth to it, and I’d leave off the top cheese until the last 15 minutes or so. It got too brown and I had to cover the dish halfway through. I don’t think it would hurt to add some real onion or garlic (rather than or in addition to the powdered versions), for a bit more flavor, and some pepper. Just FYI, I used fresh cauliflower, fresh broccoli (both raw and uncooked) and cubed rotisserie chicken. It’s a keeper.
Looking forward to trying this tonight!
I have a large bag of riced cauliflower from Costco, and am not sure how much will equate to a large cauliflower grated- do you have an approximation for ounces?
Thanks!
Hi Leigh! I’ve updated the recipe and use 2 10-ounce bags of frozen cauli rice. Hope that helps!
TRied it twice. First time by the recipe and it was a bit weak on flavor.
Second time I added cheddar cheese, doubled the broccoli, garlic powder and onion powder. Then I added ADAMS RESERVE Umami Bomb seasoning – 2tbsp and it wasn’t amazing
Hi there, I have bags of frozen cauliflower rice. Should I heat them up first or put them in frozen?
I would heat them up and then drain any excess liquid.
Do you steam the cauliflower rice before you add it to the casserole or just put it in raw? Also, I am going to use fresh broccoli instead of frozen therefore, once again so I add it raw or steamed? Thanks, excited to try!
Hi Brittany, I would add it raw.
This was absolutely delicious! I altered the cheese dramatically as I can’t have lactose. I mixed in 2 large beaten eggs and 3/4C full fat mayo, along with red pepper flakes and garlic seasoning, and topped with about 1/2C shredded Parmesan. I also quickly stir fried the chicken with some salt and pepper and fresh garlic at the end of cooking the chicken, to get a nice brown sear, but only for about a minute or two so there was still some slight pink so it’d stay moist during cooking. I also threw on some diced salami on top and it came out beautifully and held together solidly without all the cheese. I feel like this would amazing with some cooked bacon and ranch seasoning. Oh, and the addition of the egg didn’t make it the least bit eggy. Just nice and creamy with the mayo, like a soft, melty cheese.
How do I figure the carbs for this recipe?
What do you think about boiling the chicken, instead of cooking in oven first?
Hi Jen, I think that would be just fine! I feel like boiled chicken can be surprisingly juicy so go for it.
You have wonderful recipes. My suggestion would be, seeing as so many people are involved in ketogenic diets, Adkins diets, Whole30 diets, (what does that say about we humans, huh? LOL) You need to include the nutritional information to help those who follow your recipes. Thank you
Made for the first time tonight and it was delicious! I’ll add more cheese next time tho 🙂 The only concern/question is that there was quite a bit of moisture in the bottom of the pan. Do I need to cook it longer or squeeze the moisture out of the cauliflower?
I’m so glad you liked it! I would cook it a little longer and see if that helps.
How many weight watchers points would a portion be. It looks delish.
Okay! Obviously not enough coffee this morning. I’m guessing the cauliflower IS the rice.
Disregard previous comment please 🙂
Haha, sorry about that Natalie! I’m going to read over this recipe and make sure it’s clear. I’m happy you figured it out, though!
This sounds AMAZING and plan to make it tonight. QUESTION : Where are the directions for the rice? Quantity is not listed in ingredients. Should it be pre cooked? When how should it be added?
Thanks
I just made this tonight and it was soooo delicious. I had a bag of frozen cauliflower and frozen broccoli but both bags were smaller so I just halved the recipe and it was perfect! I wasn’t sure what to do since the cauliflower was frozen but I just threw it in out of the bag and cooked the whole thing for 30 min since it was a smaller (but still pretty big) size and it was perfect!
That’s awesome! Love finding little time-saving tips. I’m so happy you liked it!
OMG, YUM! I just made this and had my first bowl and I LOVE it! I made a few tweaks:
– I added some chicken bone broth, because I’m trying to get more of it in our diet and I add it to just about everything I make.
– I whipped up an egg and added that in, plus, just for kicks because I had it on hand, a nice dollop of plain yogurt.
– I only did 1 tsp of salt, and no onion powder because I’m out of it.
It’s incredible!! I slightly undercooked the chicken, and there’s no dryness here at all. Everything is moist and tasty. This was also my first time making cauliflower rice and I can’t believe how well it all turned out. This one is going on the rotation for our family – THANK YOU!
PS – I found your site through my husband Andy, from AdThrive. He sent this recipe to me and said it looked tasty, and he was right! Now I’m off to dig around and find other recipes on your site I can pin for the next time I go shopping. 🙂 You rock!
Kelly, I’m so so happy that you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂 Thank you so much for detailing the tweaks you made. I think they’ll be helpful for others, I know they’re helpful for me! Also, hooray for Andy! I just got AdThrive up and running and I’m loving it. I’m super excited for the future and some doors that AdThrive can open up.
I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious!! After reading some of the comments made, I decided to add 1/2 cup chicken broth to the recipe. It was not dry at all. My husband asked me to make it often! That’s a first! After 47 years of marriage! I’m not kidding! ?
Wow! That’s a huge win! I’m so happy you two enjoyed it 🙂 The broth tip is a great addition.
Are you pouring the chicken broth into the pan when you bake it or cooking the chicken in the broth? I might buy a precooked chicken and sauteed the chicken in a pan with garlic and broth before baking it, but I want to avoid making things soggy. Appreciate your thoughts!
Yum! I made this for dinner tonight and added some cooked turkey bacon and half a packet of ranch seasoning to it. Thanks for a delicious low carb dinner!
Ooh, those additions sound so good! Especially ranch 🙂 I’m so happy you liked it.
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious ! Always looking for new recipes since I am very picky and just wanted to say thank you for a great recipe !
Aw Kara, thank you! I’m so glad you like it 🙂
We have a really good friend that is GF and when I saw this recipe I had to try it.
Last night we enjoyed a wonderful evening with our friend & her hubby, topped by a delicious dinner!
Thank you!
For the lady that is struggling with dryness I would say – undercook the chicken – it’s got a ways to go still!
Aw Susan, thank you so much for this comment! It made my night. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe with your friend and loved one. 🙂
Dry, dry, dry! Will not make this again.
Sorry to hear that, Kathy. Equipment often varies from kitchen to kitchen and time and temperature sometimes need to be adjusted for the best results. Next time, try shortening the cook time or lowering the temperature for more moist results.
Hi! I just made this and it tasted delicious! The only thing is the chicken was a bit too dry. Do you think it was cooked a little too much?
Thank you!
Hi, Jessica. Thanks for making my recipe! Not sure why the chicken turned out dry for you. It might be that the chicken was overcooked in the very beginning before adding it to the casserole. Next time, maybe check on it 15 minutes into baking and see if it’s fully cooked.
I made this tonight for my myself and my husband and he loved it! As a meat-eating midwestern man, I thought he might not think it was hearty enough, but he loved it and thought it was so filling. I loved the fact that there was no canned soup because it kept the sodium levels way down. Also, I swapped out the frozen broccoli for a head of fresh broccoli and added in sautéed, chopped onion, and it worked perfectly. Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m so happy that you and your husband loved it! It’s wayyy more filling than I thought it would be, too. It’s all that fiber! Guess that’s what vegetables are for 🙂 Fresh broccoli and onions are NEVER a bad idea, so I’m happy they worked out!
Just made this for lunch with Trader Joe’s frozen cauli rice, fresh riced broccoli, Aldi’s Chicken Feta Sausages and added some ricotta and an egg to tie it all together (plus some chicken stock). It was very good! The broccoli “rice” kept it’s crunch, even after an hour of baking (covered top at 40 minutes to keep from further browning and cooked for 20 more minutes). Next time I will try all frozen riced cauli and add in some roasted broccoli, maybe some artichokes and spinach. Great low carb dish. Thanks for a winner recipe! 🙂
Wow! Your version sounds better than mine!! 🙂 I’m glad you liked it. The addition of chicken feta sausage sounds amazing!
Not at all, I just didn’t have your recipe ingredients on hand, so I had to wing it. It takes a solid recipe to begin with to be able to modify. Thanks again! 🙂
I made this tonight. It was super tasty and so great to avoid the carbs. It was just a little too salty with the 2 tsps. I will definitely cut back on that for next time. We added some red chili pepper to help even if out a bit. Thanks for the recipe!
Looks yum but I’m confused! This is labeled paleo, but paleo=no dairy (cheese, butter)?? Is it mislabeled or am I missing something?
Hi Chandler, thanks so much for your comment. Labeling it paleo was an oversight on my part. Most people who are strict paleo don’t consume dairy as part of their diet. I’ve removed the label per your suggestion. Thanks for your help and for reading Isabel Eats!
You can put gluten free and keto friendly! Loved it!
Thanks, Adrienne!
Made this tonight, I added fat free ricotta and sour cream to help it stick together a bit. I also sauted onion and garlic instead of using powders. It was really delish! Thanks so much!
Yum! That sounds delicious! I’m glad you liked it.
Does this freeze well?
Hi, Jan! I’m not quite sure – I haven’t tried freezing it, but I imagine it would be okay. To reheat it, I would recommend placing it in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until it’s completely reheated.
Since its the middle of summer I wanted to make this on the stove top instead of the oven! I’m adding half of cup of chicken broth so it’s not so dry. Adding Parmesean cheese to the top at the last min and just putting it under the broiler to brown the cheese!!!
Yummy! That sounds awesome! How did it turn out?
I’m trying this tonight but using the frozen trader joes cauliflower rice. How do you think this will affect the cooking time? To use it normally I just heat it up in the skillet for a few.
Hi, Steph! I’m sorry I didn’t catch this comment in time. How did your recipe turn out with the Trader Joe’s frozen caulirice? I would think that it would cut down on cook time a bit because the cauliflower is already softened and somewhat broken down by being frozen. Maybe 35 to 40 minutes instead of 50? I’d love to know so I could put it in the notes of the recipe!
My mother used to make a ghastly but yummy version of this with yucky canned soup and regular rice. I’m thrilled to have a much healthier low carb version!! Thank you!!!
Aw, thank YOU for wanting to try this recipe! I’m happy that you found it!
Hello sounds delish! Can u tell me breakdown of nutrition facts. I’m starting a weight watchers diet and wanting to figure out points. Thanks so much
Hi, Sandra! Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m so flattered 🙂 It’s a big hit with lots of people so I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. As far as nutrition facts are concerned, I’m not quite sure what they are. For personal reasons, I don’t add that info to my recipe cards, BUT there are a ton of free sources online that you can use to get that information. If you just search for ‘recipe nutrition calculator’ in Google, you’ll find some websites that will let you input the recipe and calculate that for you. Good luck!
We are having this, minus the chicken, with dinner tonight instead of a starchy potato. I think I can sneak it in with the steak and asparagus. Hopefully, no one misses the carbs. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks, Kamarra! Taking out the chicken and using it as a side dish is a great idea! I can’t believe I didn’t think of that.
I love your blog… having said that.. this recipe is pretty okay, nothing more. I made it exactly as written. Id say a 6 out of 10. It needed some more healthy fats in it?
Hi Greg, thank you so much for reading the blog and trying my recipe! Your feedback is truly appreciated. I’m sad to hear that it was “okay, nothing more” but I understand. I quite enjoy this as a nice, healthy weeknight casserole for the family. I know some people would want MORE cheese in the recipe so that’s a route you could take – double the cheese. That’s not necessarily “healthy fats,” is it? Haha. I did actually consider adding in a whisked egg or two to help the casserole hold together a bit more so maybe that’s a possibility. Next time I make this recipe, I’ll be sure to do some more experimenting and get back to you. Thanks again for taking the time to comment.
Trying it now but it says nothing in the recipe about the rice so doing it my own way
The recipe doesn’t use normal rice but instead uses “cauliflower rice.” To make it, you grate a head of cauliflower using a large cheese grater (or lightly pulse cauliflower florets in a food processor) and that’s it!
OMG this looks amazing! I am so going to try to make this sometime!