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
Keto Chicken Broccoli Casserole
Ingredients
- 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)
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!).
Barb says
Ok, kind of a strange question, but I’m wondering if I could sub in canned tuna for the chicken? I don’t eat any meat/poultry but I’d like to try this as a quick dinner for after work. I’ve seen other comments about adding mushrooms, onion, cauliflower, etc. I suppose I could sub in portobello mushrooms, chopped, for protein, but I’m kind of craving the tuna pot pies I had as a kid. Hmm, I might just go ahead and try it and see how it turns out!!
Carolyn says
I can’t see why not!
Tracy says
Tuna sounds like a great idea!? Did you try it and if so how did it turn out??
I made it with a rotisserie chicken and it was freaken delicious!