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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.
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!
I have never tried cauliflower although I do like broccoli (cooked). I’m terrified to try cauliflower. Will it taste like rice in this recipe?
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!