Whole30 Chicken Broccoli Casserole (paleo, dairy-free)
301 Comments
Updated Sep 26, 2022
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A must-make Whole30 casserole recipe that’s creamy, cheesy and flavorful – without any cream or cheese! Shredded chicken is mixed with sautéed mushrooms and broccoli, then topped with my Vegan Alfredo Sauce for an easy and healthy weeknight dinner.
Whole30 Chicken Broccoli Casserole
While many people seek out Whole30 recipes as part of a January or September Whole30 reset (the months most do the program), I like to remind folks that Whole30 recipes are still delicious every day of the week. They’re just free of gluten, grains, dairy, sugar and legumes. But they’re certainly not lacking in flavor.
In fact, I’d wager to guess most people think this recipe has dairy, because it’s super creamy and cheesy-like. You can thank my Vegan Alfredo Sauce recipe for that (which on it’s own is a reader favorite recipe).
Whole30 Casserole Recipe Video
Want to know how to make this delicious casserole recipe? Watch the quick tutorial video below!
What’s in this Whole30 Casserole Recipe?
If you’re wondering what’s in this Whole30 casserole recipe, ingredient-wise, let me cut to the chase. It includes shredded chicken, sautéed mushrooms and onions, broccoli, herbs and my Vegan Alfredo sauce. It’s a handful of simple ingredients, then it’s baked to perfection.
The end result is a creamy, savory, packed-with-flavor casserole recipe that gets even better the second day (if you happen to have leftovers).
How to Make this Whole30 Casserole Recipe
Make the Vegan Alfredo Sauce
The most important thing in this recipe is remembering to soak your cashews overnight for the sauce. You could also make the entire Vegan Alfredo Sauce recipe the day before and store it in the fridge until you’re ready. Or you could make it same day. It’s entirely up to you.
Make the Shredded Chicken
Cook the chicken on the stovetop, then transfer the chicken breasts to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Turn the stand mixer on low for 15 seconds and you have the easiest shredded chicken ever. If you don’t have a stand mixer you could use two forks to shred. But if you do have a stand mixer, this is one of my favorite kitchen hacks.
Sauté the Vegetables
Quickly sauté the mushrooms and diced onion, then add the broccoli and sauté a few minutes longer until it’s crisp tender. Super easy.
Assemble the Casserole
Once all of the individual pieces are done, it’s simply a matter of assembly. Add the shredded chicken to the bottom of a casserole dish, then layer on the broccoli and mushrooms. Pour on the Vegan Alfredo Sauce (that’s thinned with a cup of chicken broth) and bake the casserole for 20-25 minutes in a 400F oven.
When the casserole comes out of the oven it’s bubbly, tender, creamy, savory and so delicious you’ll definitely go back for seconds. Enjoy!
For More Delicious Whole30 Recipes:
- Tuna Stuffed Avocados
- Shakshuka
- Zucchini Pasta with Lemon Garlic Shrimp
- Dijon Baked Salmon
- Best Ever Guacamole
Whole30 Chicken Broccoli Casserole (paleo)
Description
Video
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked and Shredded Chicken
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 heads broccoli, florets removed
- 10 cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 small onion, diced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 recipe Vegan Alfredo Sauce
- salt and pepper, to taste
- rosemary, for garnish
Instructions
- Make the Vegan Alfredo Sauce and set aside. This can also be made the day before and stored in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
- Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and diced onion and stir for 3 minutes. Add the broccoli florets (make sure they're in bite-sized pieces and not too large) and stir for another 3 minutes or until the broccoli is crisp-tender and bright green.
- Place the shredded chicken in a 9x13-inch casserole dish, covering the bottom. Add the sautéed mushrooms, onions and broccoli in a flat layer on top.
- Stir the chicken broth into the Vegan Alfredo sauce, then pour on top of the broccoli in the casserole dish. Use a spatula if needed to make sure everything is well coated.
- Cook the casserole for 20-25 minutes. The sauce should be bubbling and slightly reduced and thickened. Garnish with fresh rosemary if desired and serve immediately.
Lisa's Tips
- Note that the Vegan Alfredo Sauce requires you soak cashews before making the sauce, so plan ahead when making it.
- This is a great meal prep recipe! For more meal prep ideas, make sure to watch my Meal Prep Ideas video, Spring Meal Prep and Summer Meal Prep.
Nutrition
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My entire family LOVES this recipe, even my picky eater! I never, ever have leftovers! If I doubled the batch and froze one pan, how would I go about reheating it? Thank you so much!
Hi Annette – Happy to hear your family is loving this chicken broccoli casserole!