A keto chicken broccoli casserole is cheesy goodness with juicy chunks of chicken and a creamy sauce covering each broccoli floret. Family and friends alike will love this easy to make chicken and broccoli casserole that’s only 3g net carbs per serving. A low carb casserole is still creamy, delicious and cheesy without any of the extra carbs.
Cheesy casseroles on keto rarely miss. The only downfall I have seen is how to make and keep the sauce thick. I have learned a few tricks of the trade and I’ll share the secrets with you. Steaming the veggies before hand will release a lot of excess water that leaks into the casserole dish. Next, using a thickener for the sauce. I don’t mean xanthan gum although I have used it but making a recipe with tomato paste it struck me that this is useful. Cream cheese if there is enough added into the recipe serves as a great thickener without leaving much flavor. I will demonstrate that here in this keto chicken broccoli casserole.
Is Broccoli Keto
Yes, broccoli is a low carb super food that is only 4g net carbs for an entire cup. You don’t have to miss out on all between flavor or nutrients this cruciferious vegetable brings.
How To Make Keto Chicken Broccoli Casserole
To start, steam your broccoli florets for about 5 minutes. Just enough to easily pierce them with a fork. Also chop chicken into chunk, season with salt and pepper then sauté chicken to give it a little brown sear on each piece.
Don’t try to cook the chicken all the way through just sear it then remove. It’ll finish cooking in the oven.
The trick here is freshly shredded cheese. So, shred your own cheese from the block itself. Not using packaged cheese will make adding the cheese into the cream sauce melt really easy. That coating on packaged shredded cheese to prevent caking stops it from melting smoothly.
In a small pot on the stove on medium heat add cream cheese and heavy cream. Continue to whisk heavy cream and cream cheese until smooth. Then, add in shredded cheese. Next, slowly pour in chicken broth to thin it out a little. The sauce needs to be smooth and creamy like. If it is too thin add a little more cream cheese. Do this because if it’s thin going in it’ll be thin coming out.
Now, in the casserole dish add chicken, broccoli and pour cheese sauce on top. Mix everything together evenly then add the rest of the cheese across the top. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, remove then serve.
Helpful Recipe Tips
- Grate your own cheese, in order for the cheese in the sauce to melt smoothly it shouldn’t have that non-caking agent used in packaged shredded cheese. This will help you have a smooth sauce that isn’t trying to separate.
- Steam broccoli ahead of time, this will allow your cheese sauce to stay thick while in the oven.
- Salt to taste, I didn’t feel the need to add any salt in this recipe outside of seasoning the chicken. But, be sure to taste the cream sauce before pouring it in the casserole dish for flavor.
Keto Casseroles You’ll Love
- Faux Sweet Potato Casserole
- Taco Casserole
- Broccoli and Cauliflower Casserole
- Green Bean Casserole
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Keto Chicken Broccoli Casserole
Equipment
- 8x8 Casserole Dish
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 10 ounces fresh broccoli
- 1 cup shredded cheese (seperate into 1/2 cup)
- 4 ounces full fat cream cheese
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Steam broccoli first until tender (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat then set aside.
- Grate you own shredded cheese from the block, avoid using packaged if you can, see notes.
- Cut chicken into chunks and season with 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Then sear chicken just enough to brown it then remove. Don't try to cook it all the way through it will cook in the oven.
- In a small pot add heavy cream and cream cheese. Toss in 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese and melt down. Then slowly pour in chicken broth. Add seasoning of black pepper and taste test for salt level.
- In a casserole dish add steamed broccoli and chicken. Mix broccoli, chicken and cheese sauce together and spread out evenly in dish. Top with other 1/2 cup shredded cheese
- Place in oven for 25 minutes in order to melt cheddar topping.
- With a 8x8 dish you can seperate casserole into 9 squares and that will be one serving.
Notes
Helpful Recipe Tips
- Grate your own cheese, in order for the cheese in the sauce to melt smoothly it shouldn't have that non-caking agent used in packaged shredded cheese. This will help you have a smooth sauce that isn't trying to separate.
- Steam broccoli ahead of time, this will allow your cheese sauce to stay thick while in the oven.
- Salt to taste, I didn't feel the need to add any salt in this recipe outside of seasoning the chicken. But, be sure to taste the cream sauce before pouring it in the casserole dish for flavor.