When it comes to weeknight dinners, I am always on the hunt for recipes that check all the boxes: comforting, simple to make, and family-friendly. And this cheesy Keto Chicken Broccoli Casserole has it all. The garlicky Alfredo sauce paired with tender chunks of chicken and sautéed broccoli is so rich and flavorful. And the cheesy topping is mouthwatering!
Best of all, this easy keto casserole comes together in less than 25 minutes. It’s in regular rotation at my house, along with other comfort food favorites like Keto Taco Pie and Mexican Cauliflower Rice.
And who doesn’t love a full keto meal that you bake in a single dish? The busier we get, the more important it is to cut down on excess dishes. If I can cook the full meal all in one pan, I am that much happier come dinner time.
I recently decided to revisit this recipe and lighten it up a bit. I increased the chicken and decreased the butter and cream a little bit. Now it’s a delectable low carb high protein recipe that has all the same rich, creamy flavor as the original.
Reader’s Thoughts
“I just made the Chicken and Broccoli Casserole. Just as all Carolyn’s other recipes I’ve tried, it was delicious! I did not make any adjustments, I simply followed Carolyn’s recipe. It was quick and easy to put together. We will add this to our Keto recipe file. thank you so much Carolyn!” — Cathy B.
Why you will love this chicken broccoli casserole
- Easy to make: With come pre-cooked chicken, this mouthwatering dish is ready in less than 25 minutes.
- Rich creamy flavor: The garlicky Alfredo sauce pairs so well with the chicken and broccoli.
- One pan meal: No need for any sides or extras, this is a whole meal in a single pan!
- High protein recipe: Each serving now has 32 grams of protein.
- Family friendly: Even my kids love this meal.
- Great for meal prep: You can easily make this a day or two ahead and enjoy it when you’re ready.
- Low carb and keto-friendly: With only 6.8 grams of carbs and 2.3 grams of fiber, this recipe is perfect for keto dieters.
Ingredient Notes
- Cooked chicken: Any pre-cooked chicken will work here. Rotisserie chicken is a great store-bought option.
- Broccoli florets: I recommend fresh broccoli, but frozen broccoli can work too (see the Tips for Success).
- Heavy whipping cream: As long as you use heavy cream, you don’t need flour or cream cheese to thicken the sauce.
- Mozzarella: I use mozzarella for the melty gooeyness, but you can use other cheeses such as cheddar, Fontina or Gruyere.
- Parmesan: Parmesan gives the cream sauce a pungent bite and makes it more like a traditional Alfredo.
- Kitchen staples: Butter, garlic, salt and pepper.
Overview: How to Make This Recipe
- Sauté the broccoli: Melt some of the butter in an oven safe skillet, and then sauté the broccoli until bright green and just tender. Transfer to a bowl.
- Make the sauce: Melt more butter in the pan then sauté the garlic until fragrant. Add the cream and simmer until reduced by about half.
- Add the cheese: Stir in the mozzarella and Parmesan until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the broccoli and chicken: Stir in the broccoli and chicken and sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Brown in the oven: Place the pan under the broil and heat until the cheese is golden brown.
Tips for Success
- Use an ovenproof skillet: This is a recipe that goes straight from stovetop to oven, so that you don’t have to transfer the mixture to a casserole dish. The skillet does not have to be cast iron, although it’s always a good choice.
- Use plenty of broccoli: Several conventional recipes I referenced had a scant cup of broccoli for the whole casserole. Why skimp on that? I put in a full 16 ounces, which is closer to 3 cups chopped. This makes the recipe a full one-pan meal.
- Subbing frozen broccoli: If you want to use frozen broccoli, you won’t even need to cook it. Let it thaw completely, then skip to Step 2 and make the sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use cooked boneless, skinless chicken for this casserole. I like to use chicken thighs for their richer flavor, but breasts work as well. I often cook some chicken thighs ahead of time so I can make this quickly on a weeknight. If using rotisserie chicken, remove the skin and bones.
Store any leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It reheats well in the microwave or in the oven.
This keto chicken broccoli casserole recipe has 6.8g of carbs and 2.3g of fiber per serving. That comes to 4.5g net carbs per serving.
Keto Chicken Broccoli Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (28.4 g) butter, divided
- 16 ounces (453.59 g) broccoli , coarsely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup (177.44 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/3 cups (149.33 g) shredded mozzarella, divided
- 1/3 cup (33.33 g) grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
- 1 1/2 lb (680.39 g) cooked, chopped chicken , (about 4 cups)
Instructions
- Set a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon 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 and thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in 1/3 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!).
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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Fantastic. Super easy.
This was excellent. Thank you for another great recipe.
Winner! Winner! Chicken dinner!! Yum…
I substituted asparagus and 5 ounces of frozen riced cauliflower in lieu of broccoli. Delish!
Love the idea of this but I tried it twice and the sauce just turned into a ball of gooey cheese once i added it to the cream sauce. I will try again and play around with the cream to cheese ratio. I added creme fraiche to turn the ball back into some kind of sauce.
Are you adding only 1/2 a cup? What brand of mozzarella are you using? I think that has to be the issue since no one else has had this problem.
Perhaps they are using a pre-shredded cheese and with the non-sticking ingredient that’s being added to pre-shredded cheese which I think is flour perhaps that’s what’s causing the ball
Of cheese to occur? Just an idea or could be just using too much.
This is so delish! I only had frozen broccoli, so I put it in the air fryer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Carolyn would you recommend using pre shredded mozzarella cheese or block and shredding it myself?
Either works in this recipe.
HINT: If I were using frozen broccoli, I would thaw and drain it, but skip the initial sauteeing step and move directly on to the sauce making. Then I would add it back into the skillet, top with cheese, and finish the dish as per the directions.
Patricia.. I just saw your comment. I only had frozen broccoli so I steamed it and skipped the sautee step. It didn’t affect anything and it was delicious!!
I cooked 3 or 4 slices of chopped bacon and used half bacon grease and half the butter for the cream sauce. Subbed white cheddar/gruyere for sauce because I had a few slices I needed to use but kept mozzarella for the toping. Also added pre-made caramelized onions once the sauce was thickened.
Ally, with your changes, what is the new carb count?
I made this recipe last night and it was a huge hit! Halving the recipe for just the 2 of us was perfect because we didn’t want leftovers. Not being a chicken fan I was skeptical, but I went back for more. We like the taste of cheddar so I used it instead of the mozzarella. Please, if you haven’t made this, do it as soon as possible. I will definitely be making it again and again.
90° in Arizona, and I had a hankering for a chicken broccoli casserole that would fit in with my diet. Did I find it? Oh, yes. Did it meet my expectations? That and more. I can honestly say this was the best thing I’ve eaten in a long, long time. Absolutely amazing!
Serving size seems tiny. This would be 2 ounces each of chicken end broccoli as the main components of the meal?
WOW, Carolyn!!! I had a rare day where my 16 year old son actually wanted to hang out with me and I didn’t get around to preparing dinner until almost 5:30. I remembered this recipe from a recent email from you and true to your info it took about 25 minutes from start to finish and I had everything to make it in the house. My son said it’s his new favorite and I agree! Yum!!! THANK YOU!!!
my first time making this….very easy, great flavor. I put it in the broiler and got busy cleaning up the sink, etc….until I smelled it! ….and it was burnt on the top…even so, we ate it and it was great…burnt cheese and all!
A tip from someone who has made the same mistake many a time… set your timer for 2 minutes when you have your broiler going!
This was a huge hit with even my pickiest eaters. It was easy to throw together with precooked chicken for a weeknight dinner, but you could even serve it for company. A real winner!
Excellent!
I just made this for the first time and it was AMAZING!! The only thing I changed was that I doubled the recipe. Our 7 year old picky eater ate two servings!! I did not tell her it was healthy lol
Very good and easy to make! Thanks!
The temperature plunged today and I so wanted to make this. It is my favorite go to bake. I highly recommend it to all – and it freezes well too.
Thank you!