Looking for the perfect “comfort food” dinner? Our Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Casserole is the answer! It is certainly a classic recipe. Many of us grew up eating a version of this dish; it was usually made with condensed canned chicken soup, frozen broccoli florets, and a cooked rice.
The beauty of Joanie’s recipe is more than just Tasty Low Carb! It can be made ahead of time and contains all healthy fresh ingredients! It is simple, quick, and delicious. With the benefits of any casserole, it is basically mixed in one dish and baked in the oven – no fuss! The perfect week night dinner for your family. Her recipe is much like the French classic – “Chicken Divan.” However, there is no mayonnaise and no lemon juice in this dish. It is a traditional American classic. Pair it with our cauliflower mash, or our creamed spinach, or continue the cheesy theme with our Low Carb Cauliflower au Gratin!
Ingredients
Most of the 15 minute prep time is spent on chopping the broccoli florets. Make sure they are in bite-sized pieces and also contain the tender part of the stem. We also make an almond flour, butter, and onion roux to help thicken and flavor the casserole. Additional prep is chopping our grilled chicken into bite-sized pieces. You want a moist chicken so you can even reduce any grilling time, since it will be cooked further in the oven. We often use purchased rotisserie chicken to reduce prep time.
Milk, cheddar cheese, and eggs add to the creaminess of the casserole and sea salt, pepper, and a dash of Creole seasoning will bring out the flavors. As we mentioned, we do not use condensed soups or frozen broccoli. Just tender chicken, creamy cheddar, and healthy fresh broccoli florets.
Preparation Tips
For more speed we advise cooking the broccoli in the microwave for a couple minutes before adding to the casserole. To maintain more of the nutrients you can also quick-blanch them in boiling water for 30 seconds. Just make sure you then shock them in ice water to stop the cooking process.
We like to remove the thickened roux and simmering milk from the heat before adding the egg and the cheese. That will make for a creamier dish and also will avoid scrambling the eggs. Just make sure to stir constantly to incorporate the eggs when they are added to the hot milk.
Use a lightly buttered casserole dish for baking and if you like a crunchier browned top, switch to your broiler for the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Joanie likes to sprinkle creole seasoning on top. She uses this in place of traditional salt. For the “old-timers” who remember rice in this dish, try serving the casserole over a bed of cauliflower rice.
Follow us on Social Media – See the Latest Low Carb Products
Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Casserole
Joanie made her Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Casserole for our neighborhood “meet-and-greet” party last week. It was a big hit and she was able to make it in advance – no mess, no fuss, and all healthy! If you make a big batch it will re-heat well and store well. Try some tonight!
Amazon Affiliate Program -> Tasty Low Carb is a participant in Amazon’s affiliate advertising program. Clicking on a product or Amazon ad will re-direct you to Amazon.com. For your purchases, we may receive a small consideration that will help us build and maintain our website.