Chicken Casserole
A hearty chicken and broccoli casserole featuring tender roasted chicken, crisp-tender broccoli, cauliflower rice, and a savory herb-infused coconut milk sauce. A layer of crisp bacon finishes the dish with rich, smoky flavor.
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Ingredients
For the Chicken and Broccoli
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into roughly 1-inch pieces
- 1 lb fresh broccoli florets
- 3 tbsp avocado oil
- Salt and black pepper as needed for seasoning
For the Sauce
- 12 oz cauliflower rice
- 1¾ cups chicken broth
- 4 fresh garlic cloves finely minced
- 3 tbsp ghee melted
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- ½ cup unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tbsp tapioca flour
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
- 1 tbsp finely minced fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp finely minced fresh sage
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the Topping
- ½ lb nitrate-free bacon cooked until crisp and crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Arrange the chicken pieces on a baking sheet. Coat them with 1½ tablespoons of oil, then season with salt and pepper.
- Line a separate baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the broccoli florets over it. Toss the broccoli with 1½ tablespoons of avocado oil, then season with salt and pepper.
- Roast the chicken for 20–25 minutes, turning the pieces halfway through so they cook evenly and are fully done.
- At the same time, roast the broccoli for 15–20 minutes, stirring midway through cooking, until the florets are tender when pierced with a fork.
- After roasting, reduce the oven temperature to 400°F.
- While the chicken and broccoli cook, place the bacon in a large skillet and cook until crisp. Transfer it to paper towels to drain, then reserve it for the topping.
- To prepare the sauce, warm a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the 3 tablespoons of ghee.
- Add the finely diced onion and cook until translucent and aromatic. Stir in the minced garlic and continue cooking until softened, lowering the heat when necessary to prevent scorching.
- Whisk the tapioca flour thoroughly into the chicken broth. Pour this mixture into the saucepan.
- Immediately whisk in the coconut milk, spicy brown mustard, and nutritional yeast.
- Increase the heat and bring the sauce to a boil while stirring continuously.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Continue stirring and cooking for approximately 1 minute, or until the sauce noticeably thickens.
- Season with the sea salt and black pepper, then mix in the rosemary and sage.
- Stir the cauliflower rice into the sauce and allow it to begin softening. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Cut the roasted chicken into smaller bite-size portions if necessary, or shred it.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a casserole dish. Add the roasted broccoli followed by the cauliflower rice and sauce mixture. Stir carefully until all ingredients are evenly coated and distributed.
- Crumble the crisp bacon over the surface of the casserole.
- Bake uncovered at 400°F for approximately 20 minutes, until the casserole is thoroughly heated and the cauliflower rice has become tender.
- Serve the chicken casserole hot.