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 Mexican 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.
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Ingredients
- 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 kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup shredded Italian blend cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a large 3-quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil. Set aside.
- 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.
- While the chicken is baking, heat the bags of frozen cauliflower rice and broccoli according to package instructions. Discard any excess water or moisture.
- Remove chicken from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Carefully chop baked chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- 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.
- Transfer casserole mixture to the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining Italian blend cheese.
- Bake for 50 minutes, until the cheese on top has fully melted and started to brown slightly. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Video
Nutrition Information
This recipe was originally published in April 2016. It was retested, rephotographed, rewritten, and republished based on reader feedback in March 2018.
It was very delicious! I did raw broccoli, florettes, and raw riced cauliflower and just briefly blanched them before baking the casserole because I like my veggies a little more al dente. Worked out great! I also toasted some gluten-free Panko crumbs and sprinkled those on the top before putting in the oven.
Delicious is all I can say!
I do think the 50 minute bake time is a little much but other than that it’s perfect 👌🏻
I added chicken flavored rice to mine
I used minced garlic instead of garlic powder (I love garlic)
Left out the onion powder
And used whatever shredded mixed cheese I had on hand
Absolutely delicious! I cut the chicken breast into bite sizes first and the cooked it in a large le creuset in olive oil. I used fresh cauliflower and broccoli and just sautéed the cauliflower in the pan that I cooked the chicken in and added 2 tbsp of butter. I didn’t have mozZetella either and so I only used 1 1/2 cups of cheddar. Everyone was sad there wasn’t more. I’ll double it next time. My husband said, “you better not lose this recipe” and he pouted that he couldn’t have seconds. (Fed a family of 6 one serving each)
Was super dry. Queso dip might have helped it
It was very good but I added queso dip to it. Was SO good.
Do you really cook the mixed at 400 degrees at 50min?
Has anyone maybe done a 1/2 and 1/2 of rice and cauliflower rice? Wondering how that would be
We cut out a cup of the cheese, but it was delicious! Huge win for my 1 year old!
I recently made this dish for my family added 1 can of cream of chicken. Everyone loved it!! Loved the cauliflower rice substitute! Will make again soon, Thanks!
So I gave this delicious dish a try…However added cream of chicken, 4 tbps. sour cream Mexicana, sliced mini portobello mushrooms & added dry Ranch seasoning. Deliciouso!
It’s a good base recipe but very bland. I’d use onion & garlic instead of powders and add some herbs and spices e.g. thyme, nutmeg, chilli, cayenne pepper would all be good choices. Not sure what the fresh vegetables would add to the calorie count.
Absolutely one of our family’s favourite dishes! So cheesy and delicious!
I’m going to try 4 of your recipes
Amazing!! And so easy! I also love the leftovers for lunch or another dinner night! I have also frozen the leftovers and it heats up great from the freezer!