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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I just made this dish for dinner….omg….its delicious! I had to sub garlic powder for garlic so I wasn’t sure how it would be, but it worked out just fine. Can’t wait to try it with real garlic!!!!! This will be a regular, it’s so easy and quick for a busy weeknight meal especially when using a rotisserie chicken!
This is one of my favorite recipes! My husband and I don’t eat pasta or rice so when I came upon this I thought why not. WOW! It is soooo good and I just use a cooked rotisserie for convenience.
This is a keeper!
This was surprisingly good! I used half and half instead of HWC, and I sprinkled sliced almonds on the top for crunch.
Loved this and so did the family. Easy recipe.
This was so good! I seasoned the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. Then I sautéed it in the same pan I used for everything else above. I did add four cloves of garlic. It was delicious!
Thawed a package of the rotisserie chicken meat from Costco and had two broccoli crowns in the fridge and I just KNEW I would find something perfect on your page, Carolyn!
I’m making it now and unsure about the amount of broccoli. Is that 12 oz by volume or 12 oz by weight? I’m going by weight for now and will remove some broccoli if it’s too much for the skillet. Adding some chopped red pepper for color (and because it’s on its last legs, LOL) and some fresh parsley (same reason) and bacon. Because…bacon.
Thanks for all you do!
Carolyn makes my day easier!
Thank you for listing alternative cheeses. I’d already started prep when I realized my mozzarella was OLD, so I used cheddar instead. It was delicious and quite filling.
So in keeping with my vow to utilize what I have on hand, I cooked up the pancetta left over from something else then sautéed my broccoli in and used left over turkey breast. Then instead of regular mozzarella I used some left over smoked mozzarella. it was fantastic. Ok, the calorie and fat may be off because of the pancetta, but worth it. Thank you for the fantastic ideas. keep them coming. 😘
This is amazing. My husband is super-picky. He loves this dish! I have made it with rotisserie chicken and today with leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Awesome. I have subbed 1/2 and 1/2 when I did not have heavy cream and it was still great. This recipe is a keeper!!
So, I had this all put together and ready for the oven when my oven died! Can I just do it on the stove top?
Oh no! Okay, I recommend covering it to help melt the cheese in the last step, rather than broiling. Keep it on medium or medium low.
Absolutely LOVE THIS! I’ve made it twice now and my Husband goes crazy for it! We are fairly new to eating Keto, and I must say, you’ve helped me tremendously! I recommend your website to everyone, Keto dieters or not! Thanks so much for helping me transistion into healthier eating with your excellent recipes!
Great to hear!
Made this tonight with leftover Thanksgiving Turkey, delicious! And so quick and easy to make.
Made tonight! Super easy, quick and delicious! Love all your recipes! Thank you!
Can you freeze this before or after broiling?
I would do it after.
We made this last night for the first time and it was incredible! The balance of flavors between the garlic, broccoli, chicken and cheese was just perfect! Definitely 5 stars! Thanks, Carolyn, for another winning recipe to add to our favorites!