One-Pan Chicken Broccoli Casserole
A retro classic recipe remade to be gluten-free and keto-friendly. Everyone will love this cheesy chicken broccoli casserole! And it comes together in just one pan for easy clean up and minimal dishes.
This easy, one-pan Chicken Broccoli Casserole is a timeless family favourite. Deliciously tender chicken and fresh broccoli florets in a rich cream cheese sauce, topped with melty cheddar cheese and baked to perfection. It’s got all the lean protein and healthy vegetables your family needs in one simple dish! It’s the perfect meal for busy weeknights and one of my go-to recipes for when I need something easy, comforting, and make-ahead friendly.
Keto ‘Classy Chicken’ Casserole
Growing up in the 90’s the Best of Bridge was an institution. Our household had every one of their cookbooks and as a family we had our collection of favourite recipes, like Christmas Morning Wife Saver (a cheesy ham and egg breakfast casserole topped with crushed cornflakes), ‘Land of Nod’ cinnamon buns (gooey overnight cinnamon buns made with frozen dinner rolls), Classy Chicken (a cheesy chicken casserole made with frozen broccoli and cream of chicken soup), along with many, many others. My family still makes these recipes today, and it’s not hard to understand why. They’re nostalgic, but they’re also easy and flavourful.
Today’s chicken broccoli casserole is based on the Best of Bridge’s Classy Chicken, with a few swaps to make it low-carb, gluten-free, and keto-friendly. The result is a rich, cheesy chicken casserole made with fresh broccoli florets for a dinner that’s as delicious and satisfying as it is nostalgic. Try it and let me know what you think!
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Here’s the main ingredients needed to make chicken broccoli casserole. See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
- Chicken: Four boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes. Or, two pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Broccoli: Use fresh broccoli florets over frozen, when available. I like to cut the broccoli florets in half or quarters to create manageable bite-sized pieces that distribute nicely around the dish. Asparagus also works great here!
- Cream cheese: Full-fat cream cheese takes the place of canned cream of chicken soup. It adds a creamy richness to the sauce without the gluten, grains, and fillers. It also adds a nice tanginess without the need for fresh lemon juice.
- Mayonnaise: A little full-fat mayonnaise helps to balance and bind the sauce so it evenly coats every morsel of chicken and broccoli.
- Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese gets mixed into the casserole and also sprinkled over top, making it extra cheesy and delicious. Any cheddar will work, or try a blend of cheddar and mozzarella.
- Curry powder: A hint of curry powder gives this casserole a warm, earthiness that pulls the whole thing together.
More casserole inspiration (add-ins + variations)
- Top with bacon. Before baking, crumble cooked bacon over top for a crunchy, smoky bite.
- Swap the curry powder for Buffalo sauce. Skip the curry powder and instead add in ¼ cup Frank’s hot sauce for a creamy, cheesy Buffalo Chicken casserole. So good!
- Use cauliflower instead of broccoli. Swap out the broccoli florets for fresh cauliflower, or use a blend of both cauliflower and broccoli florets for a little flavour diversity and slightly less carbs.
How to make one-pan chicken broccoli casserole
On busy weeknights, extra steps and extra dishes are a hard pass in our house and I don’t think you should have to deal with them either. Let me walk you through how I make this chicken broccoli casserole in one pan.
- Grab a large oven-safe skillet, braising pan, or even a dutch oven. If you don’t have an oven-safe pan, just use a large sauce pan with a separate casserole dish for baking. In the skillet you’re going to saute the chicken in butter until it’s opaque and beginning to brown. This takes between 5-9 minutes. Then remove the chicken from the pan and transfer it to a plate while you cook the broccoli.
- Instead of steaming the broccoli separately, we’re going to saute it right in the pan. Not only does this save dirtying an extra dish, but sauteing keeps it tender (not mushy) and helps to reduce the amount of moisture they release in the oven, so the whole casserole is tighter and less runny. It takes about 3-5 minutes to saute the broccoli until bright green and tender. If the pan becomes dry and the broccoli begins to stick, just add a little water to the pan as needed.
- Add the chicken back to the pan, along with the cream cheese. I find that cutting the cream cheese into cubes helps it melt faster, but if you want to just toss the whole portion in as one block that’s fine too; whatever you have time for. Stir until the cream cheese is melted.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the mayonnaise, curry powder, and half the shredded cheese until the sauce evenly coats the broccoli and chicken. If you don’t have an oven-safe pan, now is where you’ll want to transfer everything into your casserole dish. Then sprinkle the remaining cheese over top.
- Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the chicken is fully cooked through. You’ll know the chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reads 165°F. Turn the oven on to broil for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown.
Storing, Freezing, & Reheating
This chicken broccoli casserole is a great make-ahead meal! It keeps super well in the fridge and can be frozen too. It’s my favourite meal to make and leave my hubby when I’m going to be out of town overnight.
Make it ahead! To make this casserole in advance so it’s ready to bake the next day, prepare the casserole up to the point that it’s topped with cheese and ready to bake. Allow the dish to cool, then refrigerate overnight until just before dinnertime. Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Storing: Once baked this casserole will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can keep it covered in it’s original baking dish for easy reheating or transfer leftovers to an airtight container.
Freezing: You can store this casserole in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the casserole to cool completely then cover tightly and freeze. To defrost frozen casserole, just leave it to thaw in the fridge overnight, about 12-18 hours.
Reheating: You can reheat this casserole in the microwave or the oven. To reheat in the oven, cover the casserole with foil and bake at 350°F for 20-40 minutes, until hot and warmed through. The time it takes to reheat will depend on how cold the casserole is and how much casserole you’re reheating (e.g. the whole dish versus just a slice).
More low-carb dinner recipes
One-Pan Chicken Broccoli Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 large head), halved or quartered
- ½ cup full-fat cream cheese, cubed
- ½ cup full-fat mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- salt + pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season the cubed chicken with salt and pepper.
- In a large oven-safe pan (or a large sauce pan with a separate casserole dish for baking), melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and saute until opaque and beginning to brown, about 5-9 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and transfer it to a plate.
- To the pan, add the broccoli florets and cook until tender and bright green, about 3-5 minutes. If the pan becomes dry and the broccoli begins to stick, just add a little water to the pan as needed.
- Add the chicken back to the pan, along with the cream cheese. Stir in the cream cheese until melted. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Stir in the mayonnaise, curry powder, and half the shredded cheese until the sauce evenly coats the broccoli and chicken. If you don’t have an oven-safe pan, now is where you’ll want to transfer everything into your casserole dish. Then sprinkle the remaining cheese over top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the chicken is fully cooked through. The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Turn the oven on to broil for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown.
