Easy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole baked in a cast iron skillet. This simple and delicious keto dinner comes together in 25 minutes or less. Rich and hearty and only 6g total carbs.
I don’t think I’ve ever craved casseroles the way I am craving them this winter. And this creamy, cheesy (and easy!) Chicken Broccoli Casserole just shot to the top of the list for me. It’s the best kind of keto comfort food. Rich, hearty, and full of flavour and good fats.
I also love casseroles cooked or baked in a skillet. The busier I get, the more important it is to cut down on excess dishes. So if I can cook the full meal all in one pan, I am that much happier come dinner time.
And you want me happy, trust me. Just ask my kids. When mama ain’t happy, nobody’s happy.
So besides being creamy and hearty and cheesy, this Keto Chicken Broccoli Casserole is also an easy one pan meal. And you’re going to thank me for it.
Chicken and Broccoli Skillet Inspiration
Chicken and broccoli is not an unusual combination in any way, but I found my inspiration for this skillet dinner standing in line at the grocery store check out. There it was, staring me in the face, on the front of Cast Iron Cooking or some such magazine.
Oh my it looked good. And the drizzly cold rain in Portland made it look even better.
Except as many such chicken casseroles are, it was made with… you guessed it… pasta.
Um, no thanks. Why can’t the chicken and broccoli be enough? Why water down the nutrition in the good stuff with all the unnecessary carbs?
That was, of course, my call to make a keto version with plenty of chicken and broccoli and no fillers.
How To Make Keto Chicken Broccoli Casserole
Right, so the pasta had to go. Bye bye, pasta, don’t let the door hit you on the way out!
But many casseroles like this are also thickened with flour and we simply couldn’t have that either. But if you use heavy cream, thickeners are almost entirely unnecessary.
I essentially made the sauce in a very similar fashion to keto alfredo sauce. Just butter, garlic, cream, and Parmesan, plus some salt and pepper. When you bring cream to a simmer for a few minutes, it thickens up remarkably well. Sometimes a bit too well, and I find myself having to add a little water to thin it out.
I increased the amount of broccoli to up the nutritional quotient. Several conventional recipes I referenced had a scant cup of broccoli for the whole casserole. Why skimp on that? I put in a full 12 ounces, which is closer to 3 cups chopped.
I would recommend fresh broccoli here for the best flavor but you could certainly use frozen. Just warm it through in the pan but don’t cook it too long as the freezing and thawing process already makes frozen broccoli break down a little more easily.
For the chicken, I use boneless skinless chicken thighs. I simply place them in some broth and simmer them for 15 minutes until cooked through, and then I chop them. But to make things even easier, you can use pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken.
Then top the whole skillet with some shredded mozzarella, broil it for a few minutes and voila! Easy Keto Chicken Broccoli Casserole.
It’s a fabulous meal on a cold dreary winter day. I could use some right now, actually!
More Keto Casserole Recipes
Cheeseburger Casserole with Spaghetti Squash
Easy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole baked in a cast iron skillet. This simple and delicious keto dinner comes together in 25 minutes or less. Rich and hearty and only 6g total carbs.
- 1/4 cup butter, divided
- 12 ounces broccoli , coarsely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
- 3 cups cooked chopped chicken (about 1 1/4 lbs)
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Set a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Once melted, add the broccoli and sauté until bright green and just tender, about 4 minutes. Remove the broccoli to a bowl.
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Melt the remaining butter in the pan and add the garlic, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the cream and bring to a simmer, then cook until reduced by about half, 3 to 5 minutes.
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Stir in 1/2 cup of the mozzarella and all of the Parmesan until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the broccoli and the chicken and top with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
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Preheat the broiler. Set the pan about 6 inches from the heat and broil until the cheese is beginning to brown, 2 to 5 minutes (depends on how intense your broiler is!).
Pam Cockrell says
There isn’t a fat count on the nutritional chart. Can you please add that? Thank you.
Carolyn says
Sorry, missed that. It’s 34.7g per serving…
Pam Cockrell says
Thank you!
Jenn says
I made this tonight thinking I would have leftovers and I was so wrong. My family ate it all up. Looks like I’ll be making this again! Thanks for this DELICIOUS recipe!!
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Karen curtis says
Learning to cook keto. Always looking for receipes.
Amy says
I made this tonight and it was a hit with the family!! And I have a confession. I was out of shredded mozzarella so I used string cheese. We do what we must-it turned out yummy-like all of Carolyn’s recipes. Thanks for another keto winner winner chicken dinner!
Carolyn says
Hey, I’ve done things like that before. Necessity is the mother of invention!
Andrea says
Made this tonight. Delicious!! Everyone agreed it was definitely somettto make again.
Lisa Duggin says
Oh my, that looks so good! I would make it right now if I had chicken but, too much snow on the ground to go out right now. guess I will soon as I can! Thank you so much for all you do for us. You have sat at our table many times now. Blessings, Lisa
Tiffany says
Can you make this and freeze it for later?
Carolyn says
YOu can make it ahead and keep in the fridge but I suspect the sauce will separate if you freeze and thaw.
Shawn Andrene Anderson says
I have canned chicken, frozen broccoli and some jarred alfredo sauce, and a ton of mozz cheese. I am going to make this either tonight or tomorrow! Thanks. I am baking the Rhubarb Coffee Cake right now. Can’t wait! Will be my lunch per se. I am so much like you a carnivore with a sweet tooth, so I love all of your recipes and you don’t use too much avocado, as I don’t like it, and I am allergic to olives and mushrooms and shellfish, so almost every recipe I can make and love! You are the BEST!
Thanks, you make this so much easier. I did purchase some low carb bread, but come to find out each slice is 22grams of carbs. That went in the freezer. I now have some that is 12grams per slice. I had a sunflower nut and SF raspberry jam on 1 slice for breakfast!
Raichael says
This. Was. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I did use frozen broccoli, and doubled a lot of the ingredients (only because I have a family of 6 and I try to make enough for leftovers). It was Soooo good! Hardly any left for my lunches for the week!
If using frozen, I did end up using 32 oz of frozen broccoli florets, which seemed like just the right amount. I also used 1.7 lbs of chicken breasts, which I pan fried in an iron skillet with Olive oil. I think I used about 2 cups of cream, and I NEVER measure the garlic, I ALWAYS throw in at least double if not triple the amount called for… we LOVE garlic.
This is a GREAT fish though and it will def make it into our monthly rotation…
Carolyn says
So glad you liked it!
Stacey says
I’m thinking of adding riced cauliflower to this to make it more like the traditional Chicken, Broccoli and Rice casserole. Should I use more liquid? If so, how much do you think I should add? TIA
Carolyn says
No the rice has plenty of liquid and will release it as it cooks.
Bridget Rahill Roach says
This was excellent – thank you!! No leftovers, which made me sad for lunch tomorrow. Guess I’ll have to cook up another of your recipes for that!
Carolyn says
Leftovers are the best! I rely on them for breakfast and lunch. So sad for you. 🙁
Amy Locurto says
I’m so ready to make this! YUM!
Anna says
This casserole was a huge hit! Thank you for the recipe!
Kristyn says
Chicken & broccoli is such a classic & comforting dish!! I love the combination! I can’t wait to try this!
Jen says
I love how easy this was to make using one skillet! So cheesy and delicious!
Denise says
Can this be made with just mozzarella cheese as my husband is on a low potassium diet so hard cheeses are not allowed.
Carolyn says
I can’t see why not!
Taylor says
Love that this is made in one pan! Looks delicious!
Cynthia Acheson says
This was very tasty, we had this just tonight after seeing so many people on Facebook making it! I used my 12” cast iron skillet, so made 1.5x the recipe which fit nicely. I started out just sautéing the cut up chicken, then removed it from the pan and continued the recipe as listed. It initially didn’t look like as many servings as I expected, but it is so very rich that you don’t need a huge amount. I had my serving with a salad, but it would be nice on mashed or riced cauliflower. (Non-Keto family members had a starchy side) I might reduce the Parmesan mixed into the sauce, as I found that it thickened it a little too much, perhaps just use some on top with the mozzarella for the flavour. This seems quite customizable should one wish to use Mexican seasonings and spicy cheese, or Greek oregano and some feta? Thanks so much!
Marie Webb says
My husband and I are following the keto diet…I see this recipe is for 6 servings so how do you
figure out equal serving sizes? TIA
Carolyn says
You just eyeball it.
Jackie Mack says
This recipe is AMAZING!!! YOU ROCK! THANK YOU for all the delicious recipes! I LOVE your books! Do you know of an app similar to my fitness pal ( recipe part) where you can add ingredients showing macros… yet simpler than my fitness pal?
thanks!
Jackie
Carolyn says
I really like Keto Diet App. You do have to buy it but it’s a one time purchase, no added fees.
Pat Schaffer says
Absolutely FABULOUS!!!
Ty says
Excellent recipe! Followed it exactly and my whole family loved it and wants it as part of our regular rotation. It’s so easy to make, too! Thank you!!
Carolyn says
Very glad to hear it!
Sharon Zimberoff says
Carolyn, is this recipe in your Keto Dinners book?
Yesterday, I ordered Keto Breakfasts, Keto Dinners, and Keto Desserts. Two of the books will be delivered on Thursday; I can hardly wait to begin trying some new Keto recipes.
Carolyn says
Hi Sharon… it’s not. While there is some crossover between my books and my blog, publishers like to see NEW recipes for books. So what you will get in those books is mostly fresh new recipes you haven’t seen here. Thank you so much for your support!
Ariane says
Delicious but the best thing is that it doesn’t feel heavy.
Carolyn says
So glad you liked it!
TERRI PERRINE says
Such a tasty and easy recipe. Thank you! Your Dessert cookbook will be at my house tomorrow! I know what I’m doing with my long weekend. 🙂
Carolyn says
Enjoy! Thanks so much for your support.
MJA says
Quick! Easy! Delicious! Thank you!
Misty & Sherry says
We just made this tonight, and love it! We made one change and used Monterey Jack cheese instead of mozzarella. It turned out amazing! Thank you for sharing!
Carolyn says
I bet that would be good!
OlliesMom says
Excellent recipe!! I used a rotisserie chicken and cheddar blend cheese and it came out absolutely fantastic! Thanks for sharing such an easy and great recipe!
Sheila Lopez says
This recipe was delicious!! I also ran out of mozzarella, so like Amy, I used string cheese (chopped) and some monterey jack. We served it over Cauliflower rice and ate almost all of it for dinner. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!!
Patty says
This recipe is so easy and delicious! My husband and I both loved it. I didn’t realize until I was putting everything away and it was in the oven that I forgot the parmesan cheese but it was still outstanding!
Thanks for another great recipe!
Peg says
1000 stars!! This was delicious!! Thank you for the delicious recipe.
Carolyn says
That’s a lot of stars! <3
Pearl says
Could you freeze this ?xx
Carolyn says
No idea. I suspect the cream would separate.
Suzanne Hindman says
I made this tonight with a rotisserie chicken and extra sharp cheddar cheese. The family loved it!
Barry says
Looks wonderful! Just wondering the prefered way to cook the chicken…
Thanks!!
Carolyn says
Well in this case, I just used rotisserie chicken. But a good way to cook chicken for shredding… Place boneless thighs in a pot and cover with broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook 15 minutes or so. Remove, cool, and shred. And the broth can be re-used for soup!
Catherine Owens says
Can I make this in a casserole dish?
Carolyn says
This requires a skillet because the majority of the cooking is done on the stovetop.
Amy says
If anyone added cauliflower Rice, how much did you add?
Edith Lalonde says
A fabulous casserole for a hungry family of four! I added spinach for a little extra in the pan and wow, so yummy!
Thanks, Carolyn. You keep the kids coming back to the table. Considering they’re 23 and 19 I may have to quit trying your awesome recipes or the may never move out!
Carolyn says
Hahaha, I guess that could be a real concern! 😉
Tora says
Do you cook chicken before mixing it in or cook it while its mixed in?
Carolyn says
It’s already cooked. Please look at the ingredient list, it calls for cooked chicken.
Olivia says
THIS IS AMAZING!!
My mom recently switched to a low/no carb diet so I’ve been treating her by making dinners every night. This is definitely being added to the book of favourites! I add in about two tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley and two teaspoons of herbes de provance. Sooo good! My mom and brother love it as well as I!
Carolyn says
Thank you, Olivia. What a nice way to treat your mother.
Laura P says
I am not a cook but your recipes are so easy to follow and yummy that you make me look good!! Thank you! My family loved this – it was fabulous and easy!
Carolyn says
Thanks!
Dana Burgin says
Run through you mr recioes in a daily basis, this is dinner tonight. Going to add in some mushrooms and cauliflower rice . There may be leftovers if I do that. Thanks for all your great recipes.
Beth Parrott says
I made it with left over chicken. My family loved it! Quick, easy dinner!
Heather Kibbey says
This is not just one of the best recipes of 2019, we think it’s one of the best of the decade! Makes Keto so easy.
Carolyn says
Wow, thanks so much!
Angie says
Do you have to use cast iron. Would stainless steel be okay?
Carolyn says
Yep, sure thing!
Blanche Burgess says
This was too good….I made it just like the recipe…but then I ate 13 ounces of it all by myself!!…Not even gonna try and figure my macros today…I just won’t eat anything else today…This stuff is dangerously good! Thank you.
Matt P says
Easy, cheesy, savory, and of course keto friendly for the no carb/sugar enthusiasts out there.
The only thing I would do different is to cook the chicken in the pan after the broccoli, remove, and then de-glaze the pan while making the cheese sauce. A little heat such as some red pepper when cooking the broccoli, and/or adding some onion in with the garlic, or some cayenne into the the cheese sauce really works with the recipe for some extra flavor.
Denita Bannister says
O yum..made it!!
Melody says
Since moving back to the Midwest, I have craved a good casserole. I wasn’t sure I’d get another one on Keto. Thank you! This was so easy to make and it tastes amazing! I had to stop myself from going for seconds 🙂
Carolyn says
I’m so delighted to hear that!
Antoinette Champeau says
Carolyn,
I made a video on YouTube of this fabulous dish. I thought you might enjoy it 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYVhfavOtNs&t=36s
I hope that you would like and subscribe to see many more upcoming videos of your recipes :). I have your link in the description box.
Antoinette Nora on YouTube
Carolyn says
Thanks.
Siera says
Great recipe. Baked and shredded the chicken (used garlic powder, pepper, and salt to season) and doubled the heavy whipping cream and cheese!
TRACY says
Made this tonight and I want it to be a keeper. I added mushrooms because they needed to be used up and didn’t have mozzarella so I replaced that with provolone. Still very delish.
K M says
What is the net carb on this? I don’t see fiber listed on the nutrition
K M says
Just kidding- saw it right after I posted =)
Carolyn says
Haha, glad you found it! 🙂
Miriah Baxter says
I don’t care for parmesan so I just left it out and it seemed to cry out for mushrooms so I added those and OMG, it was to die for!!
Carol says
This recipe…so keto, so easy,so quick and so delicious.
It’s a keeper and thank you for posting!
Marla says
I made this for lunch this afternoon and cut the recipe in half. It came out perfect and I am enjoying every bite!
Courtney says
This was so delicious and quick! The whole family loved it! Can’t wait to make it again.
Margaret says
In this recipe (and your other recipes calling for heavy cream) can you sub canned coconut milk for the heavy cream? Love all your recipes.
Carolyn says
Yes but it doesn’t thicken as nicely or evenly so you may find you need to add a bit of thickener.
Anne says
This was really good, and so quick to prepare. I added some sautéed mushrooms.
Diana says
I never leave reviews but this was REALLY good! My only substitution was 1/2 a sweet onion diced and cooked along with the garlic. Oh and I made it with whole milk instead of heavy cream. I think next time I will add in cauliflower. Might even try leaving out the crust and just topping with cheese to make it into a casserole.
Anne says
Such a great, tasty simple recipe. On permanent rotation in my house. I usually make it with the leftovers from a rotisserie chicken
Linda Ward says
Made this tonight with leftover rotisserie chicken and fresh broccoli- what wonderful comfort food! My husband, who does not enjoy chicken, loved it!! Will make it often especially to have leftovers for lunch. Love your recipes!!
Kris Hiemstra says
Wow, this was DELICIOUS!!!! I didn’t have mozzarella, so I substituted with shredded Mexican cheese mix. Easy recipe, great instructions. Thanks a lot! This certainly is going to make a regular appearance on our keto table 🙂