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This Whole30 broccoli chicken casserole is weeknight dinner magic with tender chicken, crisp-tender broccoli, earthy mushrooms, and a luscious cashew-based cream sauce that tastes absolutely decadent while being totally compliant. It takes minimal prep work, so you save time, and your whole family will devour this up!
See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.
Why This Recipe is So Good
- One skillet does all the work, which means you’re prepping, cooking, and baking in the same pan for minimal cleanup. After a long day, the last thing you want is a sink full of dishes, and this recipe totally gets that. Plus, it’s oven-to-table gorgeous if you use a pretty cast iron skillet.
- If your kids turn their noses up at “healthy food” they’ll go back for seconds. The creamy sauce, tender chicken, and familiar flavors make this feel like the chicken casseroles you grew up with, just way healthier and packed with nutrients your body actually wants.
- When you’re in the middle of a hectic weeknight, this easy chicken and broccoli casserole is ready in only 45 minutes! Most of that time is hands-off baking, so you can help with homework, fold laundry, or just collapse on the couch for a few minutes while dinner finishes itself!
What You Need to Know Before You Start
- Chicken thighs stay juicier than breasts in the oven and have way more flavor, so I highly recommend using those. They’re also more forgiving if you accidentally overcook by a few minutes. If you do use breasts, cut them smaller (½-inch pieces) so they don’t dry out, and check them early to make sure they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- If you have a high-speed blender, blend the raw cashews for 60 to 90 seconds until silky smooth. If you’re using a regular blender, soak the cashews in boiling water for 30 minutes first, drain them well, then blend for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed—it might be slightly less silky, but it’ll still be super delicious.
- Aim for 1-inch pieces when cutting the broccoli florets—anything bigger won’t get tender enough, anything smaller will turn mushy. If you’re using frozen broccoli, thaw and drain it really well first, pressing out excess moisture with paper towels so your casserole doesn’t get watery.
- Season the chicken when it hits the pan, taste the sauce before you pour it over everything, and don’t be afraid to add an extra pinch of salt at the end if needed. Whole30 cooking can sometimes taste bland if you’re not generous with seasonings, so build flavor bit by bit.
Recipe Variations
Make it with Different Proteins: Swap the chicken for 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp (reduce baking time to 10 minutes), diced turkey breast, or firm white fish like cod cut into chunks. All are Whole30-compliant, and cooking times will vary, so always check for doneness.
Load it with More Veggies: Add 1 cup diced bell peppers, ½ cup diced zucchini, or 1 cup chopped spinach to the skillet along with the broccoli. This bumps up the nutrients and makes the dish even more filling.
Try Different Whole30-Compliant Herbs: Swap the basil for ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon dried tarragon, or use fresh herbs like 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme instead of dried. Just make sure any dried herb blends don’t contain added sugar or anti-caking agents.
Add Some Heat: Stir ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes into the sauce, or top the finished casserole with sliced fresh jalapeños if you like things spicy. The creamy sauce balances the heat perfectly.
Change the Sauce Base: Replace the cashew sauce with full-fat coconut cream whisked with the same seasonings and a bit of chicken broth to thin it out. For a different flavor profile, try sunflower seed butter thinned with coconut milk and chicken broth instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely; the recipe as written is already dairy-free and works perfectly for paleo, dairy-free, or general healthy eating. If you’re not doing Whole30, you could even sprinkle some shredded cheese on top during the last 5 minutes of baking for extra indulgence.
Just cook everything in a regular skillet on the stovetop, then transfer the chicken and veggie mixture to a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish before pouring the sauce over and baking. You can also use an 8-inch by 8-inch square baking dish if that’s what you have – just note it might take an extra 2 to 3 minutes in the oven since the casserole will be slightly deeper. Any oven-safe dish works perfectly here.
Yes, but the texture of the broccoli and cauliflower rice will be softer after freezing and thawing. If you plan to freeze it, slightly undercook the vegetables so they don’t get mushy when reheated. Freeze in airtight containers for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as per the recipe notes.
Soak the cashews in boiling water for 30 minutes, then drain them really well before blending. This softens them enough that a regular blender can usually get them smooth. Blend for 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides several times.
Use 2 to 3 cups diced rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken. Skip the initial browning step and just sauté the vegetables in the oil, then add the cooked chicken when you add the cauliflower rice. Reduce the baking time to 10 to 12 minutes since you’re just heating everything through.
More Tasty Whole30 Recipes
- Breakfast Casserole with Sausage and Eggs
- Instant Pot Tomato Soup
- Whole30 Ketchup Recipe
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup (with Slow Cooker Option)
- Swedish Meatballs with Gravy (Paleo, Gluten Free)
- Easy Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
- Delcious Breakfast Tacos
- Gyro Meatballs
- Buffalo Chicken Salad
- White Chicken Chili
- Savory Meatloaf
- Southern Fried Chicken Salad
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Whole30 Chicken and Broccoli Casserole with Cauliflower Rice
Equipment
- Large oven-safe skillet 10-inch or 12-inch, preferably cast iron
- high-speed blender Vitamix, Blendtec, or similar
- instant read thermometer
Ingredients
For the Base Casserole
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 1 ½ cups cauliflower rice fresh or frozen
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: fresh parsley or chives for garnish
For the Sauce
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews no need to soak if using high-speed blender
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk or other unsweetened milk alternative
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 ¼ teaspoons fine sea salt
- ½ to 1 teaspoon dried basil optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃).
- In a large oven-safe skillet, heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 pound chicken pieces, season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly browned and nearly cooked through.
- Add 4 cups broccoli florets and 8 ounces sliced mushrooms. Sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
- Stir in 1½ cups cauliflower rice and mix well to combine.
- While the chicken and vegetables cook, place 1½ cups cashews, ½ cup almond milk, 1 cup chicken broth, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 3 peeled garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 1¼ teaspoons sea salt, and ½ to 1 teaspoon dried basil (if using) into a high-speed blender. Blend on high for 60 to 90 seconds until completely smooth and creamy.
- Pour the cashew cream sauce evenly over the chicken and vegetable mixture in the skillet. Stir gently to coat everything.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. (If your skillet isn’t oven-safe, transfer everything to a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish.) Bake for 15 minutes until hot throughout and bubbling at the edges, and chicken reaches internal temperature between 175℉-185℉.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley or chives if desired. Serve hot.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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I doubled this recipe to make 2 casseroles for our meal prepped lunches and it was a hit! I used my Instant Pot to cook the chicken, hand mixer to shred, and the rest was straight forward. I omitted the nutritional yeast because I don’t like it and added some Muenster cheese on top instead – turned out great! I think you could easily leave out both of those ingredients and it would still be delicious. I also used regular heavy cream instead of coconut cream. I was surprised that it tasted as sweet as it did – not sure what caused that but I like it just the same!
So glad this recipe was a hit! The cheese and heavy cream could have contributed to it tasting sweet. Regardless, we’re so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Is there any way to leave out the Mayo? Would it significantly change the dish? Thanks!
It shouldn’t change the dish much!
Such comfort food! Thanks for a great recipe. I followed your recipe to a tee, and it came out perfectly. Looking forward to a few days of leftovers.
So glad you loved it! Thanks for the review!
I was so excited at how delicious this was I HAD to leave a review!! Holy yum!! The coconut flavor was a tad strong so next time I may add a little cayenne to counter it. My picky 8 and 6 year olds gobbled this right up! I will definitely make this again!!
I never comment on recipes but… this was amazing. I don’t love the taste of coconut milk in savory recipes so I used almond and it came out perfect. Probably the best casserole I ever had? That mushroom soup was also amazing on its own.
This was positively DELISH! I’m doing Keto, so substituted the coconut cream for heavy whipping cream.
Also added 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard. Those were the only deviations from the recipe.
Definitely a five star recipe that I will be making again!
This was delicious (whole 30 compliant)!! The cream of mushroom soup is amazing by itself!!
Will definitely be a new “go to” recipe in our house!!
This was really tasty! My sauce before baking was nice and thick, but when I pulled it out of the oven the whole dish was watery. I am guessing its due to my broccoli being uncooked before putting it in the oven and the water releasing as I cooked, so I would try cooking all your veggies before putting it in the oven.
Yep! It’s important to follow the recipe as written for that reason 🙂 Definitely steam the broccoli beforehand!
The instructions do not say to steam the broccoli so I’d maybe add that if that’s important to the recipe!
It’s in the ingredients!
I like it with fresh broccoli best.
This is great with green salsa on top of it. Do you know what the nutritional value is?