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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 carnitas, chicken tostadas, sopes, you name it.
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.
More recipes you’ll love
- Mexican Cauliflower Rice
- Healthy Turkey Fajita Rice Bowl
- Mexican Carnitas Recipe
- Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
- Stuffed Zucchini Boats
- Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Fried Jalapenos
Broccoli Cauliflower Rice Chicken Casserole
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally published in April 2016. It was retested, rephotographed, rewritten, and republished based on reader feedback in March 2018.
This recipe is amazing! The change I made was I used ground chicken (it was what I had on hand) and added a packet of Frank’s Red Hot Ranch Seasoning. Cane out delish with a nice kick!
I made this tonight. Cut the recipe in half due to just myself and hubby eating it. Used sharp cheddar and monterey jack because that is what I had. Also, added approx 3 Tbls of full fat cream cheese. Dash of cayenne. Delicious!
Once you add all the ingredients together and put it in the oven do you still bake it at 400°? I couldn’t find that on the recipe
First time making this… I used chicken tenders and used Wegmans basting oil to bake them. Only baked them for 15 min. Used garlic salt in lieu of salt and powders. And baked at 400 for about 30 min after mixing it all together; everything was still warm from precooking it. Also, cooked the cauliflower rice according to pkg directions but then put it in a strainer and used a spatula to push excess water out. I also dumped it all in a 9×13 greased pan. Excited to try! This is my lunch meal prep for the week!
Love this recipe. And I just made it with a couple of cans of tuna, instead of chicken. And it was deeeeeelicious too!
Tried this for the first time last night and it was delish! The whole family loved it…to prevent from burning the top, I added the Italian blend cheese to the top 5 minutes before it came out of the oven. Thanks for recipe!
Very bland. Followed directions and was overdone & dry. Should lower temperature to maybe 350 degrees when you put the casserole in the oven
Delicious! I bought a rotisserie chicken and chopped it up instead of cooking chicken to save some time, and it was great.
Isabel,
Thank you for posting this recipe. It was easy to follow and my family loves it! Deserves 5 stars!
Thank you so much, Karen!
Very, very good and easy recipe. I did add more cheese and used garlic salt instead of powder to add a little more wow! Loved it, will be making this again!
Thanks for letting me know, Cindy. I’m so glad you liked it!