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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’ve made this twice now. It is good every time! This second time, I only used 12oz of homemade cauliflower rice. I also boiled the chicken breasts for 30 minutes, trying to make it less dry. Unfortunately this time I wasn’t watching the casserole and when the timer went off at 50 minutes, the cheese on top was burnt. Still a big hit at my house, even for my husband who is not doing Keto with me.
It looks and sounds amazing, but smells and tastes terrible! 🤮
You need to tune up your taste buds!! This is delicious!!!
Could I use frozen veggies instead? Or do I have to cook them down first?
Hi Isabel,
Finally had the whole family together, so made this recipe. 5 stars from all the grown-ups and the little ones even ate several bites. I made about 1-1/2 times your recipe for 9 adults and 4 toddlers and no left overs!
Happy New Year from our family to yours and safe travels!
Hi Isabel
Wonder if you remove the moisture from the riced cauliflower after cooking? Or just use as is?
Hi, this sound like a fantastic meal, just one question, do you need to squeeze the water out of the rice after microwaving?
Yes, any water should be drained from the bag of rice. Hope you enjoy!
I made this last night and it was delicious! I used already-grilled chicken breast from Costco instead of from-scratch, and it was fine. We like a little spice, so next time I’ll add some Tabasco or cayenne to it. And there will definitely be a “next” time!
I made this recipe yesterday and Loved it! For the 2 teaspoons of garlic & onion powder, I used 1 teaspoon each of garlice and onion salt and one of garlic and onion powder….just to kick up a little more flavor. This will be a regular recipe for me as it is filling, substantial, tasty and low in calories. a real winner!
I’m so glad you liked it, Cathy!
Absolutely grand! I used fresh broccoli, so I found it a bit dry — Maybe if I added a bit of chicken broth??? My husband loved it and he is not keen on cauliflower rice (so, of course, I did not tell him until he raved about how wonderful the dish was!) LOL.
If I am using raw broccoli and raw cauliflower rice, does it need to be pre-cooked or can you just throw it into the pan and let it cook in the oven?
Hi Nikki! They do not need to be precooked.