Is chicken with broccoli healthy?

Yes! It's easy to make a healthy chicken and broccoli dish. This chicken broccoli casserole is made with chicken, broccoli, mushrooms, and a homemade sauce. It's packed with lean protein and vegetables and is very filling.

Can I freeze chicken broccoli casserole?

Yes. To freeze, just let the casserole come to room temperature, then place in a freezer-safe dish or zip-top storage bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Does broccoli need to be cooked before casserole?

For the best texture, it's a good idea to cook your broccoli for a few minutes in a sauté pan before adding it to a casserole. Cooking beforehand will help everything cook evenly and the broccoli won't be too hard.

Healthy Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Name: Healthy Chicken Broccoli Casserole
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon oil; 1 lb chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces; 4 cups broccoli florets; 2 ½ cups cooked rice or 1 (12 oz) bag frozen riced cauliflower; 1 tablespoon oil; 1 small yellow onion, peeled and diced; 8 ounces sliced white mushrooms; 2 tablespoons arrowroot flour; 4 large garlic cloves, minced; 1 cup full-fat coconut milk (or other milk); ¾ cup broth; 2 teaspoons dried thyme; 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; ¼ cup nutritional yeast (optional for cheesy flavor)

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Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 7 reviews

Healthy Chicken Broccoli Casserole

This healthy chicken broccoli casserole is creamy, delicious, and made with a special homemade cream of mushroom soup. It’s packed with nourishing ingredients, and is loved by the entire family! Make it with rice or cauliflower rice.

Prep: 25Cook: 20Total: 45 minutes

Servings: 6-8 1x

Ingredients

Casserole:

1 tablespoon oil
1 lb chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cups broccoli florets
2 ½ cups cooked rice or 1 (12 oz) bag frozen riced cauliflower

Cream Sauce:

1 tablespoon oil
1 small yellow onion, peeled and diced
8 ounces sliced white mushrooms
2 tablespoons arrowroot flour
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup full-fat coconut milk (or other milk)
¾ cup broth
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup nutritional yeast (optional for cheesy flavor)

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Instructions

Prep: If using cauliflower rice, lay out the bag of frozen riced cauliflower to thaw. Preheat the oven to 400°F and generously grease a 9×13 casserole dish.
Sauté: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add broccoli florets and stir. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink and the broccoli is tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the cooked chicken and broccoli to the prepared casserole dish.
Make the cream sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are soft, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the arrowroot flour and minced garlic. Add the coconut milk and broth, whisking everything together as you stir to make sure there are no clumps. Stir in the thyme, salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast (optional). Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and let the sauce cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Layer: Add rice (or cauliflower rice) to the prepared dish. Pour the mushroom sauce overtop of everything and fold everything together until well combined. Spread the casserole mixture evenly in the pan.
Bake: Bake the casserole for 20 minutes, or until the sides are bubbly. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.

Notes

If you don’t have access to frozen cauliflower rice, you can also use fresh riced cauliflower. One small head of cauliflower will produce the same amount (about 2 ½ cups). Simply remove the stems and break the cauliflower into smaller, bite-sized florets. Then, working in 2-3 batches, pulse the cauliflower in a large food processor until broken down into small pieces resembling grains of rice.
To make this casserole easy to put together at dinnertime, cut up the chicken ahead of time and store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.
If you double the recipe, combine everything together in a large mixing bowl, then pour it into two separate casserole dishes so it bakes evenly.
Add ½ cup of your favorite shredded cheese on top before baking for a nice cheesy flavor.

Recipe By: Noelle Tarr, NTP, CPT

Find it online: https://coconutsandkettlebells.com/chicken-broccoli-cauliflower-rice-casserole-paleo-low-carb-whole30/