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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Love this!! So do all of my boys (husband, teen & 20) Thank you for making it easy and tasty to get my family to eat healthier!
Do u have a simple bread recipe for bread maker.
Cheers
No, sorry. I don’t own a bread machine.
This was easy, quick and delicious! I used rotisserie chicken and cooked frozen broccoli florets. A delicious meal.
Can I make this ahead and cook the next day in the oven?
Yes, but I wouldn’t do it any more than 1 day in advance.
I love this recipe! I had all the ingredients also had mushrooms that needed cooking so I added them. It was delicious! Thank you for all you do!
Judy
Oh Carolyn, this was so delicious!!! Just so happened, I had all the ingredients on hand and had just bought a rotisserie chicken! Even the grandkids were lovin’ it…thank you for all these wonderful recipes!
Made this last night, it was perfect!! I used my smaller cast iron and it was super fast and easy. I did add more cream to thin it out because my husband prefers things “extra saucy”
I had frozen broccoli so I followed another commenter’s advice and skipped the pan sauté all together. Used cooked chicken, so it was just a matter of running water over broccoli a bit to thaw, then layering it with the cooked chicken. Went straight to sauce step, added it and the cheese, and right into the broiler. It was prefect and super quick.
This is so good! I didn’t miss the pasta that much.
I think next time I will sauté some mushrooms to add to it, but it is delicious as is.
Thank you for all you do!
I usually get annoyed when people write a review and they changed the recipe, but this is such a great basis for so many variations. I didn’t have enough broccoli so I added some mushrooms & chopped zucchini. I didn’t have any chicken so I used 3 cans of tuna. It was delicious and very ‘comfort’ food satisfying. Thank you!
I made this and loved it! However, my sauce turned out very thick and gummy, not creamy. Not sure what I did wrong. Did I cook it too long?
Sounds like maybe that’s the case.
We loved this, full of flavor and very filling. The fresh broccoli was delicious. This is an easy recipe that can be enhanced if one wants. We upped the chicken spice flavor with a couple of bullion cubes incorporated with the sautéing broccoli (with a bit of water in the pan). Had some green onions, fresh parsley, and black olives so added those on the top after the dish was out of the broiler.
Just made it and LOVE it!! Absolutely perfect and delicious!!
Loved this! Easy to fix and so delicious!
So easy to make and we loved it! Definitely will be in our normal rotation this winter! Thanks for another great recipe!
This is by far my son’s favorite chicken dinner! I like to try different recipes but every time I made a new one, he’d say it wasn’t as good as this one. I wanted to make it again but couldn’t find the recipe, until now. I’m so glad I found it and so is he! ????
Thank you so much, Carolyn!!????